Squeaking when turning steering wheel at low speed

BDEE

BDEE

BDEE

Soldato
Joined
21 Apr 2011
Posts
3,205
I think my lower ball joint has gone but just want to get opinions on if there could be any other cause of this symptom.

Worst when at slow speed, happens when stationary. Awful groan / squeaking noise on turning the steering wheel. Even worse when going over bumps.

Taking it in to be sorted so want to have an idea before it goes in - Am I right in thinking it is highly likely to be the ball joint?

Annoyingly I had a snapped suspension arm recently which was causing one awful noise. Only been a month or so and now I have this one to add to that and the stretched timing chain I had to replace... arrrgh! Even more annoyingly all this money spent and I'm getting a car back from work soon, so will be selling!
 
Just make sure you keep all your reciepts for work done for when it comes to resale time.

Squeaking could be Ball joint but could be owt tbh & the trouble with suspension/steering components when you stick a new part on it loads up the old weaker part tuther side & around it which as you've already found out leads to more work down the line. It's already booked in & you're getting rid soon so just do the obvious like request to see any old parts they say they have swapped out.
 
It's a Mazda. Was recently serviced - I am sure the sound is mechanical. The springs were checked when it went in for the snapped suspension arm and were fine, although of course anything could have happened in those weeks since. From what I can see of them they look ok and there is no noise when I push down on the front of the car on either side.

I will keep all the above on my list of possibles. So typical I will have spent about £2k on it before selling. I would rather have it done though - Would hate for someone to sell me something knowing it needed work.
 
Probs not a spring if a Mazda as depending which model it will likely to have a wishbone arrangement rather then a mcpherson strut, so more likely a ball joint as you say or anti roll bar bushes.

What part of the country are you in?
 
It's a Mazda6 - 2010 Model.

I'm in County Durham, North East.

I usually use Hodgson Mazda for my servicing etc but it's quite a way from me, so just got it booked into a local garage on Friday.
 
Dogbreath said:
This, or just possibly power steering could be low on fluid (assuming hydraulic system) which tends to make a groaning noise.
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^This noise will be there if you turn the wheel full lock when the car is stationary (if that is the problem)
 
Cheers.

Re the temperature - I wouldn't know - It's always cold up north :p

But in all seriousness, no it doesn't seem to make any difference whatever the temperature is.

The power steering fluid is full.

It is only coming from the OSF from the wheel arch area. It is hard to isolate the exact location at the moment as no one else here to turn the wheel for me - Will try again when the missus gets home later.

One other thing I noticed though - It makes a small "squeek" lasting about half a second every 30 seconds or so from the same area? I tried to get a recording of it but despite being on the ground directly below the wheel my phone couldn't pick it up very well.
 
The mystery deepens. I'm in the garage now and they are having trouble diagnosing it. The power steering pump has been ruled out. The whole suspension system has been given a clean bill of health.

They are leaning toward the upper ball joint but can't be sure and are saying its kind of not worth me spending the money to sort it because of the labour costs in case that's not what it is.... Given me a figure of £200-£250 of which most is labour but their advice is to just leave it.

Just concerned it's going to put buyers off when I sell it if I do that but at the same time don't want to spend that if it then does turn out to be something else.
 
Unlucky - I I've already done one of those this year!

Just got back from garage. They came up with a price of £125-£150 in the end for the ball joint but as they couldn't be 100% and they have checked everything over and it all seems fine they advised me not to do it yet.
 
So the ball joint got replaced - £109 in the end which wasn't too bad.

It wasn't the issue. At least it wasn't too costly, but doesn't really help other than that the obvious choice is now ruled out.

Not sure where to go next.
 
BDEE said:
So the ball joint got replaced - £109 in the end which wasn't too bad.

It wasn't the issue. At least it wasn't too costly, but doesn't really help other than that the obvious choice is now ruled out.

Not sure where to go next.
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surely you take it to a garage and ask them to investigate the noise for you ? should be lot easier to find once its up on ramps and they can look for stuff that moves that shouldn't, move the steering listen for the noise etc...
 
Fr0dders said:
surely you take it to a garage and ask them to investigate the noise for you ? should be lot easier to find once its up on ramps and they can look for stuff that moves that shouldn't, move the steering listen for the noise etc...
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That's part of the problem. If you look at #14 I did take it in for a diagnosis and they could not pin point it and said on balance it was probably ball joint, but that they have checked every part of the steering / suspension and it all looks fine and is solid, hence the best guess.
 
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