Opinions on intermittent noise in old style Focus

Buffy_the_Vampire_Bat

Owner of 11 year old Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec hatchback. Usually do between 11000-13000 miles a year, serviced each year (most recently in Feb this year, MOT passed at same time no problems).

Driving home from work along assorted country roads on Wednesday night an repetitive squeak could be heard, about 10 miles (15 mins) into our journey. Noise sounds like it is coming from the driver's side at the front of the car. Pulled over, checked all round the car, could see nothing obviously wrong. Continued home *squeak squeak squeak*. No problems with steering, engine apparently running fine.

Yesterday morning, set off gingerly to drop OH off at work (garage not yet open at this point). No squeak at all for first 8 miles or so, car apparently showing no issues. Then *squeak squeak squeak* but intermittently at first, gradually getting more and more regular. By time have driven self to work, squeaking sounds like two pigs on their honeymoon. OH calls garage, can't look at until today, so car booked in. Spend day at work, set off to collect OH in evening, again no squeaking until about 8 miles into the journey, again getting progressively worse until we reach home.

Car left in hands of garage this morning. Explain to them that if car not moved for 30 mins or more, squeaking does not occur immediately, and only starts after about 10 mins (or 7-10 miles into the journey). Get call tonight to find that they have found that the rear near side road spring has cracked, but did not encounter the noise (which I doubt they will unless the car gets driven about for 10 mins or so). Collect car, and again same old story, no noise at first, but appears after about 10 mins, again getting progressively worse. By the time we get home the noise is really quite loud, and definitely still sounds as though it is coming from the driver's side at the front (OH sat in backseat while I drove for a bit, and he said it still sounded like noise is coming from driver's side at front).

Is this near side road spring really likely to be the cause of this noise? It almost sounds like it is coming from behind the steering wheel, and both the garage and a very car minded friend with years of repairing his own cars have agreed that the road spring on the offside is fine.

Car is back at garage to have spring replaced next week. Am planning on calling garage to ask that when we arrive with it, that a mechanic hops in with us for a few minutes while it is still in squeaking mode so they can hear it for themselves.

My question for you guys is, any thoughts on what the issue could be? The fact the squeaking temporarily seems to disappear when the car is not used for 30 mins or so, and then comes back about 10 minutes into the next journey, suggests that the issue is affected by something "warming up" or expanding during the journey. As I said, the steering is fine, the tracking appears to be fine, there are no other obvious signs. We are due to go to Bristol on Wednesday in this car so I really want to get rid of that bloody squeak!

Any suggestions/thoughts on what it could be gratefully received

P.S. It is definitely a squeak as opposed to a creaking or grinding noise.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Broken springs need replacing anyway so don't worry about that, they've done you a big favour there.

Does it squeak when driving through rain?

Buffy_the_Vampire_Bat

Totally agree with you there about it being good they found the broken spring Pew Pew Pew Lasers! (Great user name btw). It hasn't really rained here since Wednesday. It sounds like a bouncy bouncy squeak, fairly low in tone, rather than a high pitched squeak if that makes sense?

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

Get under the car and lubricate any moving parts (brakes excepted) on the side which you think is emitting the noise. Linkages, etc.

I had a similar issue years ago on an Audi A4, failed bushings on the front suspension made it creak and groan like an old chair.

iceblue24

could be a mouse