Bushing bad after 60k Miles?

[Bron]

I've only had my Stinger for about 5 months. Bought it with 57k Miles. A month after buying it, my front suspension seems to have given up on life. It start with a loud creaking sound, like metal decompressing, when I would reverse with the wheel turned and pull forward and turning the wheel the other direction. This was fixed by the dealer replacing the lower control arms, despite them saying the control arm bushings looked fine. At the same time this noise started, or before the fix, the passenger front wheel started making a deep thunk sound when going over even small bumps in the road. It was most apparent when the tire was suddenly dropping. This noise was fixed by the dealer replacing the upper strut mounts, again, even though they said the mounts looked fine.
All though the thunk is much better after the replacement mounts. I am still getting a thunk and the entire suspension feels loose when I go over small imperfections in the road. In my non mechanic opinion, it feels like all of the bushing all bad. I've had some old jeeps with completely shot bushings and this feels the same as when they would go over a bump, but my steering feels tight.

My question for those who are way smarter then me is, bushing shouldn't go bad at 60k miles right? And the follow up question is, if the bushing are all bad but not visually bad, is there something else causing them to fail suddenly?
The dealer has had my car for over 20 hours trying to diagnosis the issue and I've had an independent mechanic check the suspension and say it appeared fine.

 

[Snicklefritz]

Shocks can go bad that quickly. Why are you not looking into shocks? That is always my first suspicion when the suspension feels "loose."

 

[Bron]

I would think the dealer would be able to diagnosis a bad shock pretty quickly, but maybe I place to much faith in them? I tried putting my weight on either side of the car and it didn't budge. The older cars that I've had would rock under my weight when they had a bad shock.

 

[Thomby]

If you just put weight on it, you're probably feeling the resistance of the spring. Spring fights position, shock fights motion. So to test your shock, what you really want to do is grab a corner and start bouncing it up and down until you're at the max amplitude you can manage, and let go.

The spring will try to keep it bouncing but a good shock will dissipate that energy within about 1 bounce...if you get more, or if it's notably different from the other corners, it might be bad.

 

[Ah GetFd]

I've only had my Stinger for about 5 months. Bought it with 57k Miles. A month after buying it, my front suspension seems to have given up on life. It start with a loud creaking sound, like metal decompressing, when I would reverse with the wheel turned and pull forward and turning the wheel the other direction. This was fixed by the dealer replacing the lower control arms, despite them saying the control arm bushings looked fine. At the same time this noise started, or before the fix, the passenger front wheel started making a deep thunk sound when going over even small bumps in the road. It was most apparent when the tire was suddenly dropping. This noise was fixed by the dealer replacing the upper strut mounts, again, even though they said the mounts looked fine.
All though the thunk is much better after the replacement mounts. I am still getting a thunk and the entire suspension feels loose when I go over small imperfections in the road. In my non mechanic opinion, it feels like all of the bushing all bad. I've had some old jeeps with completely shot bushings and this feels the same as when they would go over a bump, but my steering feels tight.

My question for those who are way smarter then me is, bushing shouldn't go bad at 60k miles right? And the follow up question is, if the bushing are all bad but not visually bad, is there something else causing them to fail suddenly?
The dealer has had my car for over 20 hours trying to diagnosis the issue and I've had an independent mechanic check the suspension and say it appeared fine.

60,000 miles is a lot. That's 100,000kms in Australia and thats when people seriously think about changing a car out for a new one.

That's 10 years of average driving and 5 years of heavy driving. You drive over speed humps and drive into corners like a stock car and bushes are going to be split, compressed, stretched, broken after 60,000 miles.....

 

[Fred Dietz]

I've had the same issue when first taking off and steering slowly. It's a creaking sound that can't be located by the dealer. They have tightened all of the Fasteners none were loose of course and everything looks fine they say. I like you tend to think there is a rubber bushing that is faulty if not many of them from the factory manufacturer. On a separate note my oil pressure switch light started coming on and it's in the shop now. They will take a look at this creaking sound again but the good news is that they are going to replace the sensor under warranty since I have had it in the shop looking for a phantom oil leak since before 60,000 miles. I'll keep you posted on the creaking sound and if a solution is found.

 

[Bron]

Do you guys down there just walk everywhere? Up here where we drive to our bathrooms, 10k miles is the average a year.
maybe this is just my opinion, but any modern car should last 100k miles without major. Bushings, if that's even my problem, maybe not 100k but 60k or less and I think cheap quality parts.

But more to the point. The bushing LOOK fine. Dealership and an independent mechanic said so, and I've crawled under and looked myself. I suppose it's possible that the outsides look okay but the insides are gone. I don't know enough of the anatomy of bushings to know better.

 

[Bron]

I've had the same issue when first taking off and steering slowly. It's a creaking sound that can't be located by the dealer. They have tightened all of the Fasteners none were loose of course and everything looks fine they say. I like you tend to think there is a rubber bushing that is faulty if not many of them from the factory manufacturer. On a separate note my oil pressure switch light started coming on and it's in the shop now. They will take a look at this creaking sound again but the good news is that they are going to replace the sensor under warranty since I have had it in the shop looking for a phantom oil leak since before 60,000 miles. I'll keep you posted on the creaking sound and if a solution is found.

Creaking, yep that sounds like it. I've commented on a few other posts that sounded like the exact same issue. I'm too new to the forums and Stingers to say this isn't an isolated problem, but I've commented on at least 3 other posts with the same issue.
Lower control arm replacement fixed it for me.

 

[oddball]

Yes, bushings can fail that quickly. Really depends on environment. The right test is to get the car in the air and pry on the bushings in various directions with a pry bar. Worn bushings will be loose or have more movement than good bushings. Noise is caused by bad assembly or wearing/contamination of the faces. Creaking is a pretty normal noise complaint for bushings.`
10k miles/year used to be considered a "mid" range mileage. Post-covid I'm seldom hit 5k miles/year.

 

[Bron]

Yes, bushings can fail that quickly. Really depends on environment. The right test is to get the car in the air and pry on the bushings in various directions with a pry bar. Worn bushings will be loose or have more movement than good bushings. Noise is caused by bad assembly or wearing/contamination of the faces. Creaking is a pretty normal noise complaint for bushings.`
10k miles/year used to be considered a "mid" range mileage. Post-covid I'm seldom hit 5k miles/year.

The car did come from Florida. Maybe it was parked in a swamp. I'm sure environment is a factor, but my 2015 Challenger had 60k miles and my grand Cherokee is at 80k with no issues. I think my 93 Cherokee might have ONE original bushing with 150k miles that isn't totally bad...

I'm like you, I may drive 3 miles a day. Work from home. FYI if Hagerty ever recognizes the Stinger as a collectible, Hagerty insurance is amazing. If you drive under 5k miles a year it's super cheap.

Anyways, cars going to the dealer this morning. They said they would put a contraption on the bushing that measures the play/resistance something.
This dealership has been less then helpful though.

 

[7Andrei7]

My front suspension also creaks like hell over speed bumps and I can't figure out what's wrong. The lower control arm bushings were replaced but I think I need to replace all of them at this point. I've done 115k miles.

 

[Snicklefritz]

My front suspension also creaks like hell over speed bumps and I can't figure out what's wrong. The lower control arm bushings were replaced but I think I need to replace all of them at this point. I've done 115k miles.

Do you have aftermarket sway bars? Because that is what used to make the creaks in mine over speed bumps and gutters, basically any irregularity in the road. At driving speeds I'd hear little to nothing. The bars needed grease.

 

[Bron]

Do you have aftermarket sway bars? Because that is what used to make the creaks in mine over speed bumps and gutters, basically any irregularity in the road. At driving speeds I'd hear little to nothing. The bars needed grease.

As far as I know, I don't. I did look at them at they looked stock, but who knows. I did wonder if it was the bushing on the sway bar though, you may be on to something.

Dealership has had the car for going on 9 hours today and apparently they still don't know what it is...

 

[Snicklefritz]

As far as I know, I don't. I did look at them at they looked stock, but who knows. I did wonder if it was the bushing on the sway bar though, you may be on to something.

Dealership has had the car for going on 9 hours today and apparently they still don't know what it is...

The OEM sways are thinner than aftermarket. And they don't have bushings, they have an integral mounting bracket with some kind of rubberized socket that isn't lubricated. As far as I know, nobody has every observed the OEM sways ever making any noise.

 

[7Andrei7]

Do you have aftermarket sway bars? Because that is what used to make the creaks in mine over speed bumps and gutters, basically any irregularity in the road. At driving speeds I'd hear little to nothing. The bars needed grease.

I don't, it's fully stock. It started creaking after one VERY wet week in Norway.
Do you know if you can take those rubber bushings off the sway bar? I saw I can buy them individually and was thinking to replace them. They're only 20 eur.

 

[Bron]

The OEM sways are thinner than aftermarket. And they don't have bushings, they have an integral mounting bracket with some kind of rubberized socket that isn't lubricated. As far as I know, nobody has every observed the OEM sways ever making any noise.

I'll have to take another look when I get the car back. Sway bars connect to a small vertical bar that has bushings, unless I'm mistaken.

Andrei, at 115k miles you probably are looking at replacing all your bushings. I have no experience working on new cars, but on my old jeeps, replacing a few bushings at a time made a difference and could be done with simple hand tools. Replacing the actual bushings probably requires a press. Replacing the whole part with bushings already in them is a lot easier.

 

[7Andrei7]

As far as I know, there are only 3 bushings on each side of the front suspension + a 4th one at the top of the strut?
There are 2 on the lower control arms and one on the stabilizer bar. Am I missing one or more?

I've replaced the one from the lower rear control arm. I'm planning to replace the other 2 now. If it still creaks then I will try the strut bushing, if it can be replaced.

 

[Bron]

You might be right on the 3 plus the strut mount. I had the strut mount replaced and it helped with the thud sound I was having. It was definitely not what I would describe as a squeek though. Replacing the lower control arms helped with the noise that could be described as a squeek.
FYI apparently replacing the strut mount is not something the average DIY mechanic should attempt, from what I've read.

 

[Volfy]

I've replaced the one from the lower rear control arm. I'm planning to replace the other 2 now. If it still creaks then I will try the strut bushing, if it can be replaced.

The strut top mount can definitely be replaced. I actually bought a LH one a while back thinking one of ours was bad. Turned out it wasn't and we replaced the whole strut with coilovers sooner after, so I still have this brand new LH side one, if anybody needs one: GENUINE Front Suspension Strut Mount LH for Genesis G70 Stinger 18-22 ,1Pcs | eBay

If I were you, I would do some tests to see if you can isolate the creaking to a particular location. Start by looking for a speed bump that you can roll over only on one side of the car. A block of 2x4 makes an excellent speed bump. Listen to see if you can tell any difference between the two sides. Next, remove the front wheels and disconnect the anti-roll bar end links. Takes two nuts. Repeat the same speed bump test. IF the creaking is gone, then you know it's likely the anti-roll bars. Otherwise, by decoupling the two front suspensions, you should be able to tell which side - or both - are creaking. Have a person stand next to the speed bump, while you slowly roll over it. Might be easier to hear it, than you sitting in the car, even with the windows down.

 

[Volfy]

BTW, suspension bushings take more abuse than a lot of folks give them credit for. Check out how much the front wheel is pushed rearward by the braking forces, compared to static at rest. I suspect most of it is deformation by the large rear bushing, which is rather soft. great for road isolation and ride comfort, but not so much for suspension geometry stability and steering/cornering precision. I've got the Whiteline radius arm bushing kit ready to replace them.