Creeking noise when steering at low speeds.

[jaffa666]

Hey troops, as title suggests, I have noticed a kind of creeking noise coming from the front end when cornering at low speeds. chances are it could be doing it at higher speeds but its maybe gettin drowned out by engine and road noise etc so maybe not hearing it.
I think the car has maybe been lowered by the previous owner. (not 100% sure, gobbleplease from this site seemed to think it definately has been when he seen it at the motorfair.)

is this kind of noise normal for lowered cars, maybe just the springs creeking, I have no idea about anythin mechanical. so any advise much appreciated.

[SteveP]

It will probably be the steering rack, its a very well know Mk5 issue.

VW class it as a cosmetic rather than a safety issue, and if under warranty will swap the steering rack 

[Truckie]

Hi mate, my car does the same, almost feels like its getting tighter with more lock on...could just be me though 
Now to my point, its getting this problem and a few other niggles checked tomorow at VW.
Ill post up the findings,if any when i hear from them, hope to help! 

[jaffa666]

Hi mate, my car does the same, almost feels like its getting tighter with more lock on...could just be me though 
Now to my point, its getting this problem and a few other niggles checked tomorow at VW.
Ill post up the findings,if any when i hear from them, hope to help! 

yeah if u let me know what they say to it that would be great.
I have taken out an extended warranty out with motorpoint where i got the car so if its something thats gonna effect the car in anyway then want it sorted out.

[jaffa666]

It will probably be the steering rack, its a very well know Mk5 issue.

VW class it as a cosmetic rather than a safety issue, and if under warranty will swap the steering rack 

so if VW class it as a cosmetic rather than a safety, does that mean its nothing to worry about? and its not goin to turn into something major if I dont get it seen to.

[SteveP]

If it is the steering rack then that is what I was told by my dealership.

Still worth getting it checked to confirm 

[Mandy]

Thread revival ...

I have been having the same problem too, whenever I turn the steering wheel quite a  bit to the left or the right, I hear a creaking/clicking noise when it gets to a certain point. Tends to do it if I'm turning into a road (right angle) or reversing off my drive (slightly uphill).

Took it into vw for inspection (still under warranty), they said they had the car up on ramps, drove it down the road etc and couldn't find anything wrong or faulty. They asked me to go out for a test drive with the master tech to show him the noise...

Typically, everything was fine during the test drive, not a single noise from the steering! He said that maybe whilst the car was up on the ramps, he could've disturbed something and put it right, or he said maybe it was just a stone or grit stuck in the suspension that had now been dislodged. 

I just had to accept what he said as nothing was picked up on the test drive, I thought maybe he was right...

Just before I was willing to take my car back though, I asked for an EVC to be carried out.

It was a different mechanic that done this (luckily I know him), he noticed straight away something was a bit odd with the suspension on the front passenger wheel side, he turned the wheels left to right and said although it is normal to get a clicking noise, this side seemed a bit noisier... He said it probably wasn't enough (bad enough) of an issue for VW to want to do anything usually, but I managed to get him to put it down as a warranty job anyway and he put down that the top mount needed changing.

So went back yesterday for top mount to be changed, had a phone call from VW whilst car was there, they said upon stripping the car down they noticed that the spring (suspension spring?) was worn, like it had been rubbing against something. They agreed to replace the spring too (under warranty).

I'm wondering if this will solve the problem though, just replacing worn parts, surely the same thing could just occur again.

I'm so glad that I asked for the EVC otherwise I would've just drove on like normal.

Just waiting to pick the car back up today... 

[S2 Ant]

Maybe me being paranoid - but things like springs should always be replaced in pairs usually - if they're doing just one side i'd make that point to them as well

[Mandy]

Thanks for the advice Ant.

Got the car back, on the sheet of paper it says 'Replaced  NSF top mount and Road Spring'.

Looks like they only changed the spring on one side, I'll just take it back if anything is still not right. 

[Saint Steve]

Thanks for the advice Ant.

Got the car back, on the sheet of paper it says 'Replaced  NSF top mount and Road Spring'.

Looks like they only changed the spring on one side, I'll just take it back if anything is still not right. 

@mandy

I had both front springs and bothTop mount suspention bushes changed and within 1 day , the Clunk noise in same senario as yours, was back again.

The words.... Dark and stab come to mind about Peter coopers fault Diagnosis spring to mind recently

I never went back to complain, its now out of warranty, and hasnt got any worse over the last 6 months .

I just live with it now, its not bad to warrant worrying over imo. I put it down to an Inherant trate of the car.

[Mandy]

Even though I had the parts changed, the noise is still there. Not as frequent as before but definitely still hear it on occasions. 

Like you said Steve, might just have to learn to live with it. Thing is, I've never had this with any of my 3 previous mk5's.

I think I'm going to get my suspension and everything checked though, not giving up just yet! (I won't be going to VW for this).

[Saint Steve]

I think its in a ball joint or wishbone area personally, but let us know how you get on with Mr Geometry

[QD MBE]

I had a creak from my Ed 30 suspension, only when steering at low speeds with left hand lock applied.

2 steering racks later it was sorted.  The steering racks on VAG cars are renown for throwing their toys out.  Have a google/search on the various vw forums. 

[Mandy]

I had a creak from my Ed 30 suspension, only when steering at low speeds with left hand lock applied.

2 steering racks later it was sorted.  The steering racks on VAG cars are renown for throwing their toys out.  Have a google/search on the various vw forums. 

Mine tends to do it more at high speed rather than low speed. I will bear that in mind about the steering rack, I'll make sure I mention it when I take the car in, thanks. 

[james550213]

I had the same problem when my car was 3 / 4 weeks old and 600miles on the clock.
Dealer changed it for me (my dad did the work), and I got told they used wrong type of grease in the steering rack in some batches of racks