Nissan Note 15 months creaking suspension

DD265

I have a 64 plate (reg Sept 2014) Nissan Note, Diesel, 28k on the clock and I love it, will happily get another afterwards if my requirements are the same.

However.

If I go over a speed bump or particularly crappy bit of road, the front suspension creaks. Creaking is the only way to describe it and it's definitely only the front suspension, noticed it over the last couple of weeks. The car drives fine and I haven't noticed a difference in handling around corners.

The car is booked into the dealership next week and it's still under warranty. Normally I would consider suspension to be wear and tear but I didn't really expect it on such a new car although I appreciate I am a high mileage driver. The mileage is motorway commutes and there are speed bumps in the car park, but there haven't been any unmade roads or any off roading.

A quick google did throw up a few forum posts about it and although there are a few mentions of it I don't think there's enough to be certain that it's a common problem.

I appreciate that it's difficult to say but - would you expect the suspension to go so soon on a car of this mileage?

Horizon81

It probably hasn't 'gone' as such, more a case of something is showing signs of wear e.g. ball joint, anti roll bar bush, wishbone bush etc. Roads aren't what they used to be these days - look at all the coil springs snapping due to poor roads. At the same time, you have to question how well built cars of today actually are.

If the creaking suspension is your only complaint on your newish car I'd say you're doing pretty well. Plus the dealer is looking at it under warranty so you will hopefully get it sorted. Suspension can be seen as wear and tear but given it's in warranty I'd be surprised if the dealer don't try and fix it. After all, it creates work for them and they bill HQ for the parts anyway.

If I were you I'd join a Nissan Note forum and explain it all there in detail and see what the other people say if you're really interesed in getting to the bottom of it.

Alt

Are you sure one of the front springs hasn't snapped?


Alt

Rolandtheroadie

Read LizM here (as it's the same series of Note as yours, the OP is a different one)
Recently bought a Note too so had joined the forum. Sure I had read about suspension noise somewhere.
http://www.noteownersclub.co.uk/forum/front-subframe-rubber-bush-failure_topic5636.html?KW=suspension

wrightk

sounds like the shock has gone. Quite easy to check push the bonnet up and down, if the car looks like its on a bouncy castle its gone. If it is just the suspension bush however and your getting it done under warranty fine. If your having to fork out for it, be aware that a bush costs about 50p, its essentially just a piece of moulded plastic and dont believe all the guff about having to replace the whole arm/they dont do just the bush etc

facade

DD265 wrote: »

A quick google did throw up a few forum posts about it and although there are a few mentions of it I don't think there's enough to be certain that it's a common problem.

Did you visit the Nissan Note Owners Club? It is a very,very,very common problem on the e11, not sure about the e12 few members have them.

Drives you nuts until you realise that you are stuck with it until you can afford a different car.

Spraying everything rubber, and the shock absorber shafts with silicon spray usually cures it for a while. I think the solution may be a new shock absorbers, but there is only so much money you can throw at a car in an effort to fix by substitution.

As you are under warranty, keep on taking it back.

I just turn the wireless up.

EDIT: the e12 does have a common "issue" with the antiroll bar bushes, these will be changed under warranty if you complain loud & long enough, and might just cure yours.

DD265

Thanks all. I did look on the forums but searched "suspension creaking" or words to that effect so I didn't find the thread linked above which was very useful.

I'll push to have the modified anti roll bar bushes fitted. It's good to go in, informed!

arcon5

wrightk wrote: »

sounds like the shock has gone. Quite easy to check push the bonnet up and down, if the car looks like its on a bouncy castle its gone. If it is just the suspension bush however and your getting it done under warranty fine. If your having to fork out for it, be aware that a bush costs about 50p, its essentially just a piece of moulded plastic and dont believe all the guff about having to replace the whole arm/they dont do just the bush etc

Clearly you've never worked on or seen under a car. For starters bushes are typically rubber... depending on which bush can also have a metal sleeve in the center or be part of a whole bracket. Secondly bushes don't cost 50p. Thirdly changing a whole arm of part or whatever can actually work out cheaper and/or quicker in some cases rather than removing an arm then trying to press out/in a bush while the arm swings on the ball joint.

Some bushes, Fords trailing arm bushes as an example, require a special tool for removing and replacing which certainly isn't cheap and a lot of garages don't have.

Point being of course, it's not as simple or straight forward as you make out

Exemplar

Alt wrote: »

Are you sure one of the front springs hasn't snapped?


Alt

A classic sign of broken suspension is creaking.

wrightk

arcon5 wrote: »

Clearly you've never worked on or seen under a car. For starters bushes are typically rubber... depending on which bush can also have a metal sleeve in the center or be part of a whole bracket. Secondly bushes don't cost 50p. Thirdly changing a whole arm of part or whatever can actually work out cheaper and/or quicker in some cases rather than removing an arm then trying to press out/in a bush while the arm swings on the ball joint.

Some bushes, Fords trailing arm bushes as an example, require a special tool for removing and replacing which certainly isn't cheap and a lot of garages don't have.

Point being of course, it's not as simple or straight forward as you make out

sorry typo- rubber.

No i havent done it myself,didnt say i did. I have stood there watching it being done on my car

£3 for a bush (ok not pennies but pennies to trade!) over £50 for an arm +labour. Not very money saving

oh and i didnt suggest the OP jacks up their car and starts removing parts, just to question it if they ended up having to pay,as most garages take the throwaway parts option which isnt very mse especially for what is essentially a piece of rubber

bigjl

I suspect the Note may share some underpinnings with the mk3 Clio as the wife's Clio had the annoying creak, it used to go away when it rained and was usually happened when the weather go colder.

I had a good look under it when the MOT was being done and could find no problems.

It then went away and for the last couple of years of ownership it was absent.

I thought it could be anti roll bar bushes or possibly the drop links.

I did buy two drop links and two lower wishbones, they are still in the garage as never do get round to fitting them.