Creaking when cornering?

[[FnG]magnolia]

My wife's Ford Focus occasionally creaks when cornering. It's very random - it doesn't seem to matter whether we're turning left or right, fast or slow, gradient etc. It often doesn't happen at all.

The car's a 54 plate with 30k on it and has just passed its MOT. The noise doesn't bother me at all to drive it but we're trying to sell it and I can imagine this causing a potential buyer some nervousness.

Does anyone know what it could possibly be? I understand there's probably many, many things it could be but any obvious ones? I'm no mechanic

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Worn shocks
Worn bushes
Anti roll bar

I'd take a look and get some grease in those areas.

 

[loltim]

Steering rack?

30k isn't a lot for the bushes to start dying.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

I had a creak on my fiat. Took ages to work out it was the spring under the passenger seat.

Grease everything.

 

[Dogbreath]

The anti-roll bar drop links on the Focus very commonly cause this problem.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Thanks for the replies. Is this one for the Dealership (it's out of warranty) or for a private garage? Finally, are any of the above things particularly expensive and/or dangerous not to fix? I don't want to pump money into a car we're selling.

 

[monkeyspank]

Drop links.
Start there anyway. they are about £15 on ebay for a front set. and easy to replace, and it's a common fault.
Its two bolts for each one, doesn't get any easier tbh. jack up (put on axle stands if you like but I wouldnt bother) take front wheel off, change drop link. Repeat on other side. 30 mins.

 

[monkeyspank]

Stick your head behind the front passenger side wheel (seen on left of pic) and look towards the front of the car
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8125/photo1mst.jpg

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Thanks very much, I appreciate that I'll have a look at the weekend.

Out of curiosity, is this an informed guess or have you had a Focus with a similar issue?

 

[monkeyspank]

Same issue. That's my car in the pic
Would be worth getting a quote or two from an indy garage if you don't fancy getting dirty. Might be fairly cheap tbh

 

[killer_uk]

Had the exact same problem as you described on my MK4 fiesta, turns out it was the drop links

 

[bledd]

steering wheel oil? my old car had this odd grinding noise when on full lock, just needed more oil in the steering thing

 

[Conscript]

I had exactly the same thing on my Focus. Swapped out the anti roll bars and the problem was sorted

 

[iaind]

steering wheel oil? my old car had this odd grinding noise when on full lock, just needed more oil in the steering thing

Steering wheel oil? Do you mean power steering fluid?

 

[monkeyspank]