[vballantine]

Hi everyone,

I’ve got a 2010 Civic at the 80,000 mile mark and the car creates a creaky sound when I let it down after being jacked up on the front end.

Same noise happens if I am rolling it down a driveway and the driveway has a dip at the end that you go over before meeting the main road. Doesn’t seem to happen at all on the highway. It’s only local driving when going over speed, bumps and dips as mentioned above. Cold weather seems to exacerbate it but now it’s happening even in warm weather.

Definitely sounds like metal against metal. It’s like a rusty, creaking noise.

When I took off the tires, the strut looked perfectly fine nothing leaking. Bushing was not loose didn’t fall down but I’m thinking maybe the bushing on the lower control arm might be bad on both sides?

By the time I go to making the video with the tire off, I could not replicate a creaking noise, even after taking a second jack and applying upward pressure on the linkage. I tried doing it before taking a video and of course it made the noise. 🤦‍♂️

I was able to capture a video of what everything looks like with the tire removed on each side so you can see down there.

HERE ARE 2 VIDEOS THAT SHOW THE CONDITION OF THE LINKAGE AND BUSHINGS ON THE FRONT END.
Hoping this could help...

Hoping someone here can guide me in the right direction as what to do next because this is been going on for a while and very frustrating.

Thanks!

 

[tombid]

I have the same/similar noise coming from my driver's side as well. My coil overs seem fine but the similar issue I see in your videos as is present in my car is the lower control arm bushing is dry rotted. Makes me think that might be my issue as well, since it is present in both of our cars with similar noises. I am not saying this is for sure the issue but it makes ya think for sure.

 

[vballantine]

I have the same/similar noise coming from my driver's side as well. My coil overs seem fine but the similar issue I see in your videos as is present in my car is the lower control arm bushing is dry rotted. Makes me think that might be my issue as well, since it is present in both of our cars with similar noises. I am not saying this is for sure the issue but it makes ya think for sure.

Thanks for the reply! Are you at 80,000 miles or are you more than that? I’m curious… sure does seem like the lower control arm bushings. I’d like to see what they look like new or in better condition, so I have something to compare. I’ve heard that it’s normal for them to be slightly cracked with a little hairline cracks, but it seems like mine is much more than that and I’m sure yours is too. Hoping someone with answers can chime in soon!

 

[tombid]

Ah funny you ask, I am actually at 180,000 miles, quite a difference XD. It is odd though that it would happen that early unless you live in the rust belt. The size of the cracks really don't make much of a difference I don't think, dry rot is dry rot and it penetrates through the rubber.

 

[vballantine]

Ah funny you ask, I am actually at 180,000 miles, quite a difference XD. It is odd though that it would happen that early unless you live in the rust belt. The size of the cracks really don't make much of a difference I don't think, dry rot is dry rot and it penetrates through the rubber.

Wow ok lol big difference.
Pretty sure I do live in the rust belt as North Carolina gets VERY humid and hot in the summer. Not as bad as FL though. Is there a way I can see what NEW lower control arm bushings look like to compare?