2010 front end clunking when turning on bumpy roads

mcola

Member
Hi all, per the title. Its a 2010 with 140,000kms (80,000 miles).
Bought it used about a year ago, so not sure on previous repair history.
When driving straight and even over some bumps, the front end is relatively quiet.
However when turning (in either direction) and driving over bumps, the front end sounds like its going to fall off. Clunk clunk clunk like is typical of wickedly worn out stabilizer links.
I'm pretty good with cars - knowledge and hands on, and this has me stumped. I even had a mechanic friend come have a look and he too is stumped.
Everything I check by pushing, pulling, banging and prying is solid and free of play (sway bar bushings, stabilizer links, motor mounts, tie-rods, etc.). I have found a tiny amount of play in the lower ball joints, but that is it.
The wheel turns easily and doesn't make any popping or crunching sounds like the strut bearing mount my be seized.
Anyone else experience this and figure it out?
Thanks,
Mike
 
Last edited:
Same exact thing happened to my 2012 at 84K miles. It was the front shocks.
 
Do you know what exactly was wrong with the struts? Were they leaking?
Mine are dry. Still can't figure out why the noise is only there when the wheel is turned and fine when the wheel is straight.
 
Mine only did on wheel turned

Visually there was no leaks

Then found slight fluid in back side of shock

Replaced all with bilstein
 
Thanks. I don't want to just start changing things hoping to solve it.
Seeing as everything I can check appears tight, and can't really test the struts, maybe that's where I start... and hopefully finish!
 
Before you change the shocks, change the sway bar bushings... super cheap, super common (search sway bar bushings or suspension clunks on this forum and you'll be presented with an untold number of threads about it. Easy to switch out the rear and a PIA to switch out the front unless you drop the subframe... shop will do those easily.

Just a note - You cannnot tell that they are worn untill you replace them... you can't see, you can't wiggle anything, all seems tight and good, but still clunks. Then you replace the bushings and all is quiet. Usually a good time to replace the end links which wear quickly when you've been driving on worn bushings.
 
Before you change the shocks, change the sway bar bushings... super cheap, super common (search sway bar bushings or suspension clunks on this forum and you'll be presented with an untold number of threads about it. Easy to switch out the rear and a PIA to switch out the front unless you drop the subframe... shop will do those easily.

Just a note - You cannnot tell that they are worn untill you replace them... you can't see, you can't wiggle anything, all seems tight and good, but still clunks. Then you replace the bushings and all is quiet. Usually a good time to replace the end links which wear quickly when you've been driving on worn bushings.
(iagree)
START here, the cheapest and first suspension part that wears out on the Mazda5.
 
Agree about the stabilizer bushings. Had a similar noise and replacing the bushings fixed it.
(pissed)But MAN that drivers side bushing was a pain to do.(pissed)
 
Guys, I really appreciate your comments, but I've always been able to feel play in whatever suspension part is worn or hear noise when banging on it.
I too believe in starting cheap and simple, but those bushings which exhibit no play, and look like a real freakin pain in the arse (time consuming) to get to.
I will start from there, but don't expect any difference, and will race to admit if I'm wrong.
Just think if it were them, they'd be noisey driving straight over bumps too but aren't.
Hope to get to these on the weekend.

Passenger side bolts look somewhat accessible from up top with long a$$ extensions. Driver side looks like its gonna be a knuckle scraping curse fest.
 
Guys, I really appreciate your comments, but I've always been able to feel play in whatever suspension part is worn or hear noise when banging on it.
I too believe in starting cheap and simple, but those bushings which exhibit no play, and look like a real freakin pain in the arse (time consuming) to get to.
I will start from there, but don't expect any difference, and will race to admit if I'm wrong.
Just think if it were them, they'd be noisey driving straight over bumps too but aren't.
Hope to get to these on the weekend.

Passenger side bolts look somewhat accessible from up top with long a$$ extensions. Driver side looks like its gonna be a knuckle scraping curse fest.

The dealership will be around $135-165 parts and labor for the front. Same deal with the Mazda3, it has the same suspension, and they do lots of them LOL, and can do it in less than 20 min.

The sway bar bushing is only going to clang or clunk when one tire is doing something different than the opposite, and the bar gets torqued. Find a speed bump, go over it squarely, it wont make a noise, but hit speedbump at sideways angle so one tire hits first...before the other tire and clunk...

You cannot feel it raised up in the air on a lift unless you disconnect the end links on both sides to free the bar from the end links.

I got about 50k miles per set, replacing at 50 and 100k. So did my friends, and so did my parents. They would start to be more noticeable when it was colder at first, and then would do it all the time.
 
Last edited:
been hearing a clunk when I back into my driveway with the wheels turned. Dealership said my outer tie rod has play, but my paperwork says lower control arm. So I guess I'll be doing some front end work when it gets warmer. I guess my Rotiforms will have to wait to go on.
 
If you replace the front end sway bar bushings, I believe there are revised ones from Mazda. There was some kind of shield to reduce the amount of dirt and grime getting between the bushings and the sway bar. We got our 2010 bushings replaced in 2014 with the revised ones and the clunking hasn't come back (yet).

Here's a pretty informative thread:

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...a5-banging-rattling-noise-in-front-suspension

EDIT* This was the info on our work order from Nov 2014:

TSB 11-02 Front stabilizer bar bushings replaced. Cover and clamps installed. CC29-34-156C Front Stabilizer Bushings CAY1-34-158A Dust Cover (2) BPYK-34-153 Band (4) but the part numbers may no longer be valid.
 
Last edited:
I have a similar noise and when I changed my winter tires recently I was able to take a pry bar and cause movement (with a clunk) between the steering nuckle on the lower control arm. That ball joint is done. To replace I just bought a Moog lower arm with ball joint installed and I am simply gonig to replace the entire arm.
 
I finally had a bit of time to work on this. I was armed with new stabilizer links and sway bar bushings.
Stabilizer links were a piece of cake. Struggled with good access to the sway bar bushings, and ran out of time.
So far with new stabilizer links, still have the noise.
Will have to find some time to get to the sway bar bushings again.
I found that I could get to the passenger side one from above with a 3' ratchet extension.
As for the driver side, I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks!
 
Tried again on the swaybar bushings, and working on my back and blindly I gave up.
Took the car for new tires, and get a call from the garage, saying "hey, your lower control arms are shot!"
Today its going to the shop for the arms and bushings.
Will report back!
 
been hearing a clunk when I back into my driveway with the wheels turned. Dealership said my outer tie rod has play, but my paperwork says lower control arm. So I guess I'll be doing some front end work when it gets warmer. I guess my Rotiforms will have to wait to go on.

For me its the ball joint on the right side. I had the car up last weekend and that joint has so much play I dont feel to safe driving it like that. Replacing both sides when they get here Monday. Im also looking to do the tie rod ends and rear trailing arm bushing.
 
Back