coldwaves Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 2014 Ford Fusion SE with about 21500 miles. Just out of bumper to bumper warranty for a few months. I heard a weak clunk sound when driving on rough road. It does not occur when I go over speed bumps. The noise seems to come from front passenger side. I can reproduce it by driving on a rough road. I asked the dealer about it when taking the car in for the door latch recall. They checked the suspension on the lift and told me that everything is tight. The mechanic said it could just be the tension in the suspension and tell me not to worry about it. I also consulted a local shop. The mechanic put the car on a alignment lift (so the suspension is under load compared to being lifted) and showed me that the front passenger side sway bar link has a very very slight play. I can feel the slight play when I try to violently shake it. The driver side one is firm and I cannot feel any play. Shaking the sway bar link does not produce any noise. Shaking the car around does not make any noise either. All the rubber bushing looks fine. No apparent damage or leak from the strut either. My question is: should sway bar link has any play in it? Could that be the cause of clunk noise I heard? What else should I check? I posted in another forum but haven't got any suggestions. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I'd say that's the most likely candidate. A good shop with chassis ears should be able to narrow it down and confirm it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldwaves Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) I'd say that's the most likely candidate. A good shop with chassis ears should be able to narrow it down and confirm it. Thanks for the insights. The mechanic told me about the chassis ears after showing me the slight play. But he said that since the sway bar link is so cheap (OEM one is just like 13 dollars from the local dealer), he would change the sway bar link before diagnostics. Diagnostic is going to cost more than the sway bar link. But he suggests me just wait until it gets worse. If it is indeed the sway bar link, it will become loose eventually and it will be obvious what the source of noise is. I can change the link and get the problem solved then. if it is not that, they can diagnose later. Edited May 10, 2017 by coldwaves 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldwaves Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 I'd say that's the most likely candidate. A good shop with chassis ears should be able to narrow it down and confirm it. If I want to replace the sway bar link myself, should I do it when the car is lifted or on the ground? Should both side be lifted or can I do it with only one side lifted? I consulted the service manual but that just specify the torque on the nuts and tells me to use the "hex holding feature" when loosening and tightening the nuts. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) An example of how to install sway bar end links Also, be careful not to corner hard or fast while this issue is ongoing. Believe me you will NOT like the result. Edited May 10, 2017 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldwaves Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 An example of how to install sway bar end links Also, be careful not to corner hard or fast while this issue is ongoing. Believe me you will NOT like the result. Thanks for the videos. Yes, I have watched a few of these about replacing sway bar link. I am just not sure whether I need to lift both sides. Yes, I will not corner hard. I will be slow....... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiggy144 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 It is not necessary to lift both sides at the same time. Once the car is lowered on its wheels, the sway bar will go back in it's original position. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwil56 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 I like to do as much work on my vehicles as I can and when I return to my place in AZ, I'm planning a front suspension over haul on my 1996 golf cart, so I understand you wanting to make the repair yourself. My question is, if the car is under warranty, or the cost of repair is so cheap, why not have a trained Ford mechanic make the repair, you avoid any future warranty issues and the work is guaranteed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldwaves Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 I like to do as much work on my vehicles as I can and when I return to my place in AZ, I'm planning a front suspension over haul on my 1996 golf cart, so I understand you wanting to make the repair yourself. My question is, if the car is under warranty, or the cost of repair is so cheap, why not have a trained Ford mechanic make the repair, you avoid any future warranty issues and the work is guaranteed. The unfortunate thing is that the car is just out of warranty for a few months. And I am not completely sure it is the sway bar link. Since the parts is cheap, doing it myself is a just a low risk trial. Doing it at the dealer is probably not expensive either. Half an hour labor plus parts will probably get it done. Good luck on your coming suspension work! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldwaves Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 I like to do as much work on my vehicles as I can and when I return to my place in AZ, I'm planning a front suspension over haul on my 1996 golf cart, so I understand you wanting to make the repair yourself. My question is, if the car is under warranty, or the cost of repair is so cheap, why not have a trained Ford mechanic make the repair, you avoid any future warranty issues and the work is guaranteed. The dealer told me that they will charge $150 for diagnostic. If it is indeed sway bar link, they need two hours of labor plus parts to fix it. He cannot say exact cost but that is a rough estimates. I asked him if he is sure he needs two hours to do it. The service advisor said they need to take off the wheel and the whole suspension to replace it. I am speechless...... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drolds1 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 BS. The SM allows .3 hr for warranty and .4 hr for non-warranty link replacement of one side. The figures are .5 and .6 respectively for both sides. The part is $17.68. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldwaves Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 BS. The SM allows .3 hr for warranty and .4 hr for non-warranty link replacement of one side. The figures are .5 and .6 respectively for both sides. The part is $17.68. Thanks for the information. That's roughly what I guessed since it is a matter to taking out the wheel and two bolts. I guess I will do future repair in another dealer...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerjg Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Hey drolds1, have you had success with requiring them to stick to service manual time limits? My experience is the customer buys off on a number on the high side so the dealership doesn't run afoul of having to ask for an adjustment of a quote. I'd be curious for how you insure they don't exceed those limits? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Hey drolds1, have you had success with requiring them to stick to service manual time limits? My experience is the customer buys off on a number on the high side so the dealership doesn't run afoul of having to ask for an adjustment of a quote. I'd be curious for how you insure they don't exceed those limits? The whole point of the SM times is that's what they charge regardless of whether the tech does the work faster or slower. Therefore it's standardized and you're not punished for a slow tech. If they quote you a much higher rate then I'd look somewhere else. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drolds1 Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Hey drolds1, have you had success with requiring them to stick to service manual time limits? My experience is the customer buys off on a number on the high side so the dealership doesn't run afoul of having to ask for an adjustment of a quote. I'd be curious for how you insure they don't exceed those limits? Don't know. My cars are leased and therefore, always under warranty. However, the paying customer is always entitled to a written estimate up front. If you think they're padding the bill, as akirby says, go elsewhere. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aarav Posted October 30, 2023 Share Posted October 30, 2023 On 5/16/2017 at 7:16 PM, farmerjg said: Hey drolds1, have you had success with requiring them to stick to service manual time limits? My experience is the customer buys off on a number on the high side so the dealership doesn't run afoul of having to ask for an adjustment of a quote. I'd be curious for how you insure they don't exceed those limits? Keeping service manual time constraints in the automotive sector can be a difficult balancing act. Customers sometimes accept larger estimates to avoid violating time constraints, allowing dealerships to avoid quote modifications. I'm interested in efficient approaches for ensuring adherence to these constraints. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aarav Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 On 5/10/2017 at 11:57 PM, coldwaves said: 2014 Ford Fusion SE with about 21500 miles. Just out of bumper to bumper warranty for a few months. I heard a weak clunk sound when driving on rough road. It does not occur when I go over speed bumps. The noise seems to come from front passenger side. I can reproduce it by driving on a rough road. I asked the dealer about it when taking the car in for the door latch recall. They checked the suspension on the lift and told me that everything is tight. The mechanic said it could just be the tension in the suspension and tell me not to worry about it. I also consulted a local shop. The mechanic put the car on a alignment lift (so the suspension is under load compared to being lifted) and showed me that the front passenger side sway bar link has a very very slight play. I can feel the slight play when I try to violently shake it. The driver side one is firm and I cannot feel any play. Shaking the sway bar link does not produce any noise. Shaking the car around does not make any noise either. All the rubber bushing looks fine. No apparent damage or leak from the strut either. My question is: should sway bar link has any play in it? Could that be the cause of clunk noise I heard? What else should I check? I posted in another forum but haven't got any suggestions. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated! The thorough research on the clunking noise on your 2014 Ford Fusion SE is commendable. The noise could be caused by a tiny play in the front passenger side sway bar link. Examine the sway bar bushings, check for loose components, and maybe investigate other suspension elements for signs of wear or damage to further troubleshoot. Consultation with a qualified technician may provide additional insights for a thorough diagnosis.Nrega Job Card List 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WKelley Posted November 3, 2023 Share Posted November 3, 2023 In my mind, a light clunk is either sway bar links or bushings or the upper front control arm ball joints failing. Lower ball joints usually fail loudly. A full check over is needed to avoid spending money on parts you don't need. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.