I've had my 2007 SEAT Ibiza since July and while it's a good car overall, it seems to have no end of irritating niggles. For example, I've just spent a large part of the day trying to prevent rain water from finding its way into the footwells.

 

Anyway, there are a few things that are starting to annoy me and I'm wondering if they could all be caused by one issue. The first is the front brakes which clunk every time I touch the pedal when reversing but are silent when going forwards. I've read that this can be the pads moving in the callipers if they're not exactly the same size as the originals, and I did replace the front discs and pads a couple of months ago. However, they didn't make the noise immediately after being replaced and they don't do it all the time, the noise seems to come and go.

 

Second is the front suspension which creaks/squeaks quite loudly when going over tall speed bumps but is silent the rest of the time.

 

Finally, the whole car seems to react quite badly to bumps and potholes. The steering wheel is jerked quite violently whenever one front wheel goes through a pothole or similar. I could be imagining it but I'm sure it didn't used to happen.

 

Could there be one issue causing some or all three symptoms? I know worn suspension bushes can cause the squeak, could they also cause the car to be unsettled by bumps? Could it also be the suspension clunking rather than the brakes themselves?

 

I'll have a poke about underneath at some point and see if there's anything obvious, but for now I'm just looking for suggestions. So, any ideas welcomed. Thanks!

Drop links can cause all sorts of noises over bumps, and are so cheap/easy to replace I'd do it as a starter and move on to other bushes. I had accepted some weird noises from my Cordoba (Ibiza with a boot), which went away when I changed the drop links due to a split that was highlighted on an MOT.

 

All sorts of issues can cause weird handling over bumps, what make/age tyres are you running? Alignment been done recently? Track rod ends nice and tight still?

 

My Cordoba I found was generally quite a noisy car... since taking an Ibiza and a Fabia apart I've found there is quite a bit more sound deadening in the Fabia compared to the Ibiza...

Drop links can cause all sorts of noises over bumps, and are so cheap/easy to replace I'd do it as a starter and move on to other bushes. I had accepted some weird noises from my Cordoba (Ibiza with a boot), which went away when I changed the drop links due to a split that was highlighted on an MOT.

All sorts of issues can cause weird handling over bumps, what make/age tyres are you running? Alignment been done recently? Track rod ends nice and tight still?

My Cordoba I found was generally quite a noisy car... since taking an Ibiza and a Fabia apart I've found there is quite a bit more sound deadening in the Fabia compared to the Ibiza...

Lower wishbone bushes too at the rear and ball joint tend to wear quickly too

Lower wishbone bushes too at the rear and ball joint tend to wear quickly too

 

Funnily enough my brother bought the Cordoba round, between us we've had it 3 1/2 years and 52,000 miles and its still on the consoles I bought it on. Was quite surprised that they look fine.

 

If they go before he gets shot they will be polybushed!

Thanks for the quick replies, all four tyres are almost new BFGoodriches and I had the tracking done not long after I bought the car as the front tyres it had on it at the time were heavily worn on the inside edge and the car would wander occasionally. I need to have the tracking done again actually as someone obviously made a mess of it before I owned the car, the steering rack isn't centred properly, meaning I have more steering lock one way than the other.

 

I'll have a look at the drop links and possibly see if I can get replacements. I'll have a look at the wishbone bushes too, I've heard of people replacing them with the Cupra ones.

 

What about the brake clunk, could that be suspension moving or is it more likely just the pads and nothing to worry about?

I had a look at the car today, some WD40 and a snapped torx bit later and the drop links are disconnected at the top but still attached at the bottom. There's no play or anything in the top of them, and they seem completely silent. It doesn't take much force at all to move the shaft around though, how stiff should they be?