Steering knock.

[OliS]

This morning, whilst reversing out of my space where the Trophy had been parked all night, as I wound on lock I got a knock coming through the steering wheel, as though I had hit a kerb with one of my wheels. As I then straightened up and brought the steering back round to centre the knock returned. As soon as I was off and moving there was no more knocking, no matter how much lock was wound on.

Anyone else had anything like this? To me it seemed like the steering rack, or maybe a ball joint had seized in the cold! What do you guys reckon :?

 

[strike]

Its not the brakes/wheels seizing due to damp and cold is it? It wasn't due to tiny movements of the wheels? Just a guess...

 

[mr StinKa gob]

Put it on lock and get a torch and have a good look under there. See if you can see anything obvious (broken spring / something trapped etc). Do the obvious first.

 

[OliS]

I will have a good look around when I have the time, don't think anything is broken though, as after a few mins driving the knock had gone.

Could be the brakes seizing because of the cold, a guy at work also suggested that the oil in the steering rack may just have been mega cold and was therefore stiff.

I'll see if the problem continues, and if it does get Renault to have a look

 

[wigstar1]

OOOooooohhhhhh Nnnnnoooooo! #-o

Looks likes it's gonna be a common fault. Bet it will start happening to most people as the weather gets colder! Just got in my Trophy tonight after a trip into Town. It had only been parked up for 2-1/2 hours and when i pulled away on full lock. . .knock. . .knock. . .knock!
Though i had run over something! Looked, nothing there. :?: Temp sensor said -3 so it must be a cold factor. After 2 mins, gone! Expect a few more post from users who have the same prob tomorrow! If you do take yours in to Renault and they find a fault, be sure to let me know cos mine will be back to them faster than a speeding bullet!

 

[Nik]

Strange, are you sure it wasn't just the ABS test then? Mine always makes audible clunks a few times that can be felt through the steering wheel as I pull away, particularly noticable when on hard lock turning out of a parking space or something. My 172 always did it too.

 

[OliS]

It is much louder, and stronger clunk than the one form the ABS self test, additionally it happens when I start winding on lock reversing, and again when I wind the lock off going forwards. Knock/clunk was much louder and aggresive today, so I have booked the car into my local dealership for Tuesday next week. Will report back

 

[Ric]

I'm getting the same repeated knocking noise coming when steering full lock after starting up in the cold. Dissapears after the car's been running for less than a minute. It's definitely not like the ABS check I used to get on the 172. Let us know what the garage say.

 

[OliS]

Well the knock has gone! Will see if it returns tomorrow morning, but if it doesn't I am not going to take it in to Renault as I don't want to let anyone I don't know drive my car. :lol:

 

[=CatasTrophy=]

after reading this the other day i think mines does this aswell :?
but i just keep saying to myself its the abs test .
but i have noticed the test seems alot louder now from when i first drove it .

also the turning circle seems alot less to what my cup was why is this ? is it down to the diff sus and slightly diff size wheels?
always finding my self having to make extra turns when parking and reversing out of spaces....

 

[Duq]

happend too me today thought i hit a kurb but actually got out my car too look... nothing

 

[OliS]

And the knock is back! Will definately be taking the car to Renault to be checked out. Will report back.

 

[mr StinKa gob]

Wasnt the cure for this in the 172 to drill out the top mount hole so the top mount didnt catch on it. Cant see that doing anything good for the handling if that is the problem / cure.

 

[OliS]

It's a strange one as it is only a problem if the car has been sitting for a while and the weather is cold. If the car has been run within a couple of hours of restarting or if the weather is not too cold, than there is no knocking :?

I had a good old look around the front suspension components over the weekend, and I could not see anything that was broken, bent or not looking right. I got no idea what is causing the knocking, and I don't have any faith that Renault will find the problem, but I'll see what they say.

 

[Nik]

I cant work out if this is the same as the 172 problem or not. My 172 suspension always used to knock and creak a bit as i turned off the driveway and pulled away on full lock, but I never took it to get the mount holes ground out, I wasn't bothered by it. My Trophy does the same, but sounds like what Oli is getting is worse than this.

 

[mr StinKa gob]

Maybe its a faulty batch of Sach dampers. Perhaps just the first 2000 units were faulty

 

[Nik]

:roll:

Something tells me you'd love that to be the case

 

[OliS]

Well Renault have apparently finished with my car, they could not recreate the knocking noise, but what they have done is to reset the settings for the top mounts! Think they were fobbing me off and have not actually done any work, as when I asked more questions about what they had actually done the responses were very vague. They said that this was a common problems on 182's, but when I asked if it would be the same on a Trophy due to the different dampers, all I got was 'I did not know the dampers were different!' :roll:

I'll see if the knocking is still happening in the morning and report back

 

[OliS]

And the knocking is still there! :roll:

Going to check with the panel of experts on the R'sprt website to see if they can help.

 

[wigstar1]

Hmmmm. Didnt think it was going to be an easy one to cure. Mine does only do it when it gets very cold! Still like to know why though! Hope the panel can help you out, keep us posted.