Just got the car back having had both top mounts changed and the problem is, if anything, worse.

Dealer has said the same that somebody from S-UK has just come back from japan without a fix. But they would like to drive my car as a test (as I am local to West Bromwich).

Interesting to note that the dealer also has a WRX (brand new) that has the same problem.

Chris: you have mail.

Phil

Surprising that all the testing that must go on before the new bug eye car made it to production did not uncover this problem ? Seems very odd to me.....

Maybe the suspension is just so stiff that the shock piston "pops" back up into the shock when after hittingg a bump and that is what makes the noise....nahhhhh, but I have to remember to tell people that when they ask why my car sounds cheap and noisy on every bump :(

Man I hope someone solves the riddle !

Good luck all !!
Ray

Just read an article from Oz:

"I noticed during hard left hand corners, there is a bit of a scraping or bumping noise in the STi, sounded a bit like the exhaust bumping on the firewall or something like that (Richard tells me later its an early heat shield design that’s been revised since, he just hasn’t had time to get it swapped over)."

Could this what we are looking for?

My Boot lid has been abrading the top of the plastic bumper valence just where the corners would touch on slamming down. Long-shot, I know, but - metal on plastic?? Could be?? (you'd expect the noise from both sides tho') Any other 'rattler' out there got the same??

Phil

Nope,

no touching at all on mine.

John

Boot open - sound still there...

is this suspension suitable for a MY00?

if so i may be interested in a set form one of you guys that has upgraded to leda etc.

I am really starting to wonder if this is a suspension problem...there are lots of stuff routed through the body there-the pipe coming from the waterspray bottle, to name one. I'm going to start tightening/wrapping stuff back there, and see what happens.

My car is booked into Mainland Subaru - Danny there is a pretty top guy - so hopefully he may be able to see something - My brother picked up his Sti yesterday - same problem.

My car had fault from 11 miles
His from 5 miles -

I can't see this being a 'shocker' problem. But god knows what it is. I'll report if I have any success on Friday

Position remains (formally) as posted - S-UK currently don't have a cure. I've offered them my car to take to pieces, but they haven't taken me up.

really appreciate it if you and others would raise the heat on S-UK;););)

Customer Services Manager is J Sherwood 0121-557-2112

Off net for 10 days shooting at Bisley, catch up late next week.

Cheers to all the afflicted - hang in there :)

Phil

no that it helps but my MY94 STI version one does it too. rear passengers side clunk only when driving slowly or just rolling along in car parks etc. big bumps dont make it do it either. just small imperfections.
tried tightening up my wheels which helped a bit, adjusted my boot so it shut tightly incase it was jumping up and down, no difference.
it sounds like its coming from an area high up around where the jack goes but this doesnt seem to be causing it and it almost rules out exhaust knocking due to the height.
doesnt seem to be cornering related etc.
does anyone elses classic shapes do it too?

Well my Sti is in Mainland Subaru - Widnes for its service today. We'll see if they can find the knocking - though I doubt it by the other posts on here concerning this mystery.

Will report back later

Back from service and guess what!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knock knock rattle rattle :(

Seems there is no cure

Well

All I can say is that on Thursday I will post another update on this. My car is going to dealers tomorrow for a fix up.

They have some report from subaru which should fix the problem.
They are also going to sort of the bloody buzzing noise around 5K.

Here's hoping

Shaun

Been into my dealers today (Wed) to have a broken driver's door mirror replaced under warranty (fell apart of its own accord) and they informed me that they have three customer cars with the rattling suspension problem and were advised as recently as yesterday that there still wasn't a fix.

My STI does not have the problem and it makes me wonder why there are some that do not rattle. Is there a common factor that is being overlooked?

Ken

Bollox

Picked up my STI last night, and the knocking is still there. THe dealer have done everything Subaru UK have suggested, and still its there.

They also told me that Subaru have sent a customers STI with the knocking noise back to Japan for them to look at it.

Apparently a dealer somewhere in the Midlands has cured the problem by changing the rear shock and drive shaft, but then put the shock and shaft into another STI, and guess what the noise wasn't there, so they don't really know how they fixed it.

Not a happy bunny!


Shaun

MAY - have a fix - received email today.

Will try it out tonight - and post tomorrow is there is any milage in it. Fingers crossed all!!!

Mark

Mrdeli, please, please tell us! Even if it didn't work, it is worth a try.

I emailed the director of MRT Rally in Oz. His reply queries the likelyness of it being the suspension / drive - and said that similar problems that they had experienced, where tracked back to the mounts of the rear bumper. I wanted to try this last night, but it was raining too hard. I have tried banging / flexing the rear bumper around abit on the left hand side and there is a similar sounding knock - so maybe this could be it.

Hopefully someone may be able to have a look today - I'm trapped in work!

Hope this helps

Regards Mark

.....which is not inconsistent with my observation of the bootlid abrading the bumper step.

Hope your contact is right... but there does seem to be a consensus that the knock appears to come from high up in the bodywork.

Phil

Hi all,

I posted sometime ago that my STI is also having the same NSR knocks. It's still there, but I have noticed that if the rear is loaded with people, then the noise seems to dissappear.

Regards,
Peter Chan
Singapore

Hello all,
I had my near side strut changed yesterday, and I still have an intermitant clunk.
It appears to be less frequent than with the old strut, but its still there.
I checked the amount of free play on the old strut compared to the new one, before the new one was fitted, and the new one was better, but still had some movement.
But as I previously mentioned, there will have to be some degree of movement.
What I noticed on closer examination of the old strut, was that the amount of play was greater in the inboard outboard direction than the forward backwards direction! indicating an ovalised support bush within the strut, or something.
When I checked the new strut prior to fitment, I didn't really analyse the free play in any specific direction. Perhaps I should have done.
If the new strut is exhibiting the same type of characteristics, then that may explain the continued, although lessened, clunking. As, if I checked the free play in the forward and backwards direction, perhaps that isn't as significant.

All in all, I haven't got a clue at the moment. But will continue looking.

Cheers MTR

[Edited by MTR - 7/17/2002 10:23:24 PM]

Today, with 40kg of "stuff" in the boot (passenger side), the clunking seemed less...

I rang Subaru UK up today and ended up talking to a chap called Paul Bond who took the call as Mr Sherwood is on holidays.

He told me that there are 12 cars with this fault, and that Japan are looking into the problem, he ask me to please bare with them for another week or so.

I gave him the usual about 27.5K for a car complete with faults from the factory etc, that no one can fix - bloody joke.

The noise is driving me mad, especially when you have someone in the car who goes "What was that noise, did you hear it?, OH there is is again, have you taken the car back to the dealers yet?"

Arrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhh


Shaun

12??? B****X

They've only to look at the "one post each" thread to see there's treble that number on Scooby net alone :(:(:( - so, say, over 100 in the UK as a whole????

I had a letter from S-UK saying that Sherwood was due back last Monday, and the switchboard didn't try to divert me when I rang (unsuccessfully) today.

Sorry to pass the buck ('cos I'm at the Commonwealth Games for a fortnight from tomorrow) but will someone energetic use the E-Mail addresses associated with posters on the two "Shocks" threads to get all afflicted owners to ring Customer Services up and start raising the temperature??? It's the only solution for Supplier complacency!

Details are as in my Post at the top of page 3.

Thanks Guys (&Gals)!!

Phil

Had new shock fitted yesterday. Clunk is still there. Dealer going to ring SUK on Mondayt. Will post result.

Chip.

any updates ??

cheers,
Ray ;)

Not heard a thing, even after S-UK said they would phone me and test drive my car.

Obviously this problem, like customer service at the moment, is not high on their priorities.

Clunking still there, also now a clunking from the brakes when you reverse and then again when you brake going forwards for the first time after reversing, but i do feel this in unrelated to the shocker?? problem..

Chris,

I had the clonking when reversing on my MY99 also, apparently it's the brake pads moving. Did it for the three years I had it...