2011 Rav4 128K miles. For the last fourteen months have been hearing a clunk from the right (passenger) front end when going over small cold patch filled potholes on certain roads. As a driver it seems like the sound is coming from middle of area in what I thought would be passenger axle.
When it first started I took to Toyota in August 2018 and mechanic said that it was the steering rack which I should monitor for "excessive play" and would need to be replaced. Was one month out of the GEICO new car (7yr 125K) warranty at the time.
Took the car to local mechanic in October 2018 who said that it was sway bar bushings and replaced them. Sound went away for a week or two but then came back. Continued to drive with no ill effects as far as driving ability and noise went away a bit over the winter but started coming back as weather got warmer.
Already had issues with bounce and a little bit of drift, so I had front struts replaced (Monroe Quick Struts) and sway bar links and control arms as well in July 2019. This addressed all the bounce and drift issues and I am very happy with the way the car drives now.
After doing the struts, sway bar links and control arms, the sound went away again for about a week but has since come back and am now hearing it on both the passenger and now the driver side as well.
I do not hear the noise when driving highway speeds or when turning. Its only when I hit cold patch or small potholes on certain roads. The clunk makes it sound like something should be loose but the mechanic says everything looks tight.
I don't want to spend the money to replace R&P when there is no play in the steering at all and the car is nine years old. Am wondering if this could be the Steering Intermediate Shaft which OldGuy and RavFix () have posted about, but the issue does not come up when turning. Still, it does seem to disappear for about a week each time that they grease up the bottom of the car when doing work.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.
When it first started I took to Toyota in August 2018 and mechanic said that it was the steering rack which I should monitor for "excessive play" and would need to be replaced. Was one month out of the GEICO new car (7yr 125K) warranty at the time.
Took the car to local mechanic in October 2018 who said that it was sway bar bushings and replaced them. Sound went away for a week or two but then came back. Continued to drive with no ill effects as far as driving ability and noise went away a bit over the winter but started coming back as weather got warmer.
Already had issues with bounce and a little bit of drift, so I had front struts replaced (Monroe Quick Struts) and sway bar links and control arms as well in July 2019. This addressed all the bounce and drift issues and I am very happy with the way the car drives now.
After doing the struts, sway bar links and control arms, the sound went away again for about a week but has since come back and am now hearing it on both the passenger and now the driver side as well.
I do not hear the noise when driving highway speeds or when turning. Its only when I hit cold patch or small potholes on certain roads. The clunk makes it sound like something should be loose but the mechanic says everything looks tight.
I don't want to spend the money to replace R&P when there is no play in the steering at all and the car is nine years old. Am wondering if this could be the Steering Intermediate Shaft which OldGuy and RavFix () have posted about, but the issue does not come up when turning. Still, it does seem to disappear for about a week each time that they grease up the bottom of the car when doing work.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.