JoeyToronto Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 (edited) I have a 2011 Fusion and lately when I steer it's been making creaking/squeaking sounds when I turn the steering wheel around. It stopped for a bit and now it's back again. I went to one mechanic and said to me " I don't want to waste your time but Ford has steering column issues and you either have to bear the noise or spend a lot of money replacing the steering column" he said it shouldn't be dangerous. I wanted other opinions and other mechanics said they can't figure it out without lifting the car and looking underneath. I don't want to spend money when I don't have to and I don't trust mechanics as lot will say things to make money...has anyone else experienced this? Or know what this is about? Is it dangerous? Edited March 10, 2019 by JoeyToronto 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbf2530 Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 (edited) On 3/10/2019 at 10:56 AM, JoeyToronto said: I have a 2011 Fusion and lately when I steer it's been making creaking/squeaking sounds when I turn the steering wheel around. It stopped for a bit and now it's back again. I went to one mechanic and said to me " I don't want to waste your time but Ford has steering column issues and you either have to bear the noise or spend a lot of money replacing the steering column" he said it shouldn't be dangerous. I wanted other opinions and other mechanics said they can't figure it out without lifting the car and looking underneath. I don't want to spend money when I don't have to and I don't trust mechanics as lot will say things to make money...has anyone else experienced this? Or know what this is about? Is it dangerous? Hi Joey. Yes, of course they can not give a definitive answer without putting the car up on a lift. Why won't you let them put it on a lift and look? My independent mechanic will look for free. All you can get over the Internet is going to be guesses. That being said, here are my guesses, from experience: Could be the tie rod ends, control arms, any of a multitude of bushings, sway bar links, strut, strut bearing etc etc. While the steering column and/or rack could be the issue, it is most likely not the steering column or rack. I just had a tie rod end/ball joint and the forward/rearward control arms replaced on the right front of my wife's 2007 MKZ, due to wear, tear, mileage and a big, unavoidable pothole she hit. Same basic symptoms and noises which you are describing. Let someone put it on a lift. Let us know how you make out and good luck. Edited March 17, 2019 by bbf2530 Updated informtaion. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyToronto Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 Thanx for that info..I should and will check it out. Seems that it makes noise in cold temperature. We've been having cold weather here in Toronto then warmer temp etc. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyToronto Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 By the way did it cost a lot to replace the rod end and control arms?? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbf2530 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, JoeyToronto said: By the way did it cost a lot to replace the rod end and control arms?? Hi Joey. The replacement of the right front forward and rearward control arms was $825 at my local shop, including alignment. That work was done about two weeks ago. The Ford Dealer where I have my oil changes and tire rotations performed (on that older MKZ) wanted $1,100--$1,200. The Lincoln Dealer where I just purchased my 2018 MKZ and another Ford Dealer both quoted the same approximate price. The tie-rod end/ball joint replacement was performed several months ago and I forget how much it was. I will pull out the paperwork when I have a chance and post back. Your symptoms sound more like what my cars symptoms were when the control arms needed replacing. But that is only an Internet diagnosis, which is worth exactly what you paid me for it. Edited March 17, 2019 by bbf2530 Updated information. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyToronto Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 Great, thanx for that info, I will need to head over to a mechanic...finding an "honest" one is a task in itself. So many pot holes here due to on and off cold and warm weather here....first time needing to go to a mechanic in the 8 years I've had the car..excluding oil changes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewbabich Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 Joey how did you make out with your car. I am experiencing a creaking noise when turning sharp left or right and I suspect it is my two lower right control arms. I have a 2011 fusion. This appears to be a very common issue on this Mazda 6 sourced suspension set up on the fusions. most mechanics are hard working guys and if you want to drive cars you have to work with them or learn to do everything yourself. The more you know about the issue and the work required to replace the parts the better off you are. Diagnosing these ball joints is not the simplest job as I’ve been trying to narrow down the issue myself for a few days now. It’s fair to pay a mechanic for their time diagnosing your problems if you don’t end up using them. no matter what your going, to need an alignment when changing most suspension and steering parts. That’s roughly 100 bills anywhere you go. So do that means bbf2530 paid 725 for the parts and labor and 100 for the alignment. That’s for certified ford quality work that should go another 100,000 miles without issue and run like new. But you you can watch the videos on YouTube and attempt this yourself. There are excellent videos that show you the work online. This video is perfect for you to see what your car probably needs done You can find plenty of honest mechanics that will do good work for cheaper then the dealer and use cheaper parts if that’s what you want. You also can can get parts that are not ford certified motorcraft brand parts for a third of the price. But they may last 1/3 as long too.... it all depends on how much you want to spend and how long you think you’ll drive the car. But, on the other hand, no mechanic will be more familiar and better at diagnosing your issue and better at guaranteeing its fixed for the longest period of time then dealer certified mechanics using oem parts. That’s why they are more expensive. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyToronto Posted April 22, 2019 Author Share Posted April 22, 2019 Hey there, I had the time to do the repair work today since gov't employee's get Easter Monday off, so went to a mechanic and had to get 2 tie rods replaced, I am sure he only replaced one but said he did both, he replaced something control arm passenger side, the front brakes and roters..all for $1,000. I feel I've been scammed. This seems a lot for what he replaced. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyToronto Posted April 23, 2019 Author Share Posted April 23, 2019 Just wanted to add, the guy seemed a big shady, he just threw numbers at me and was about to send me on my way without an invoice, but only when I asked for one he wrote everything down...the thing is there are different levels of parts and quality. So unless he writes down exactly who made them I would never know which quality of part he got. But $1000 seems a lot for what the parts I got. I'm pissed at myself for not digging deeper and that's what happens when I do things when I'm tired. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbf2530 Posted April 23, 2019 Share Posted April 23, 2019 4 hours ago, JoeyToronto said: Hey there, I had the time to do the repair work today since gov't employee's get Easter Monday off, so went to a mechanic and had to get 2 tie rods replaced, I am sure he only replaced one but said he did both, he replaced something control arm passenger side, the front brakes and roters..all for $1,000. I feel I've been scammed. This seems a lot for what he replaced. Hi Joey. While it is difficult to discern exactly what work you had done, $1,000 is not a lot of money for two tie rod ends, a "something" control arm (there are several) and front rotors and pads. An alignment should also have been done. So if all that work was done with quality parts for $1,000, you got a pretty good deal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyToronto Posted April 24, 2019 Author Share Posted April 24, 2019 Since I know ZERO about cars and fixing them, the paranoia sets in, that and bad rap mechanics get. But I did ask around and people said the price I paid sounds reasonable. But I do notice a huge improvement..except for my brakes for some reason. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21152Hybrid Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 Same issue on my 2011 Hybrid Fusion... oddly... I only hear the knocking (my kids say it sounds like we're on a boat)... in the warmer months... I do not hear it in the colder months. I took my car in for brakes (last year during the summer), and my mechanic said when he was test driving it... he heard the noise... brought it back in... put it up and looked, and looked, and looked for the problem - but was unable to find anything that would be causing the noise. I have concluded that I will drive the car with the radio up - waiting for it to bite me... hopefully while doing 5mph on my driveway... and not 60mph on the freeway. Other than that I love this car! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyross Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 That 1st gen warm weather clunk/creaking has several threads. I see many various parts replaced, but haven't seen any that seem to specify exactly what part seems to be the primary cause. It seems to be bushing related, maybe the warm weather making them swell and get sticky? Mine will also do it, mainly the front-right. I can slightly lift the body there and push down and hear the noise. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indifferent Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 In my experience it's the front closet control arm ball joint... Bushing is shot... Here in Michigan with shit roads and bad Winters these cars eat control arm bushings..I have replaced the lowers twice now 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyToronto Posted April 27, 2019 Author Share Posted April 27, 2019 I'm sure the problems are due to the fact I've been driving to work every day for the past 2 years. there's so many pot holes and shitty roads due to weather in Toronto as well. But ever since I've got the control arm and tie rods replaced, along with the brakes the car drives like new. I should really take the train into the city and I'll save myself money on my car from the wear and tear. A few weeks ago before I did this, I went to one mechanic and he heard the creeking noise he said to me " I don't want to waste your money but the problem is the steering column" and after going to this mechanic it wasn't even that. I cannot trust mechanics. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indifferent Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 10 hours ago, JoeyToronto said: I'm sure the problems are due to the fact I've been driving to work every day for the past 2 years. there's so many pot holes and shitty roads due to weather in Toronto as well. But ever since I've got the control arm and tie rods replaced, along with the brakes the car drives like new. I should really take the train into the city and I'll save myself money on my car from the wear and tear. A few weeks ago before I did this, I went to one mechanic and he heard the creeking noise he said to me " I don't want to waste your money but the problem is the steering column" and after going to this mechanic it wasn't even that. I cannot trust mechanics. O here in Detroit, we don't believe in mass transit .. I don't even get that option. Only reason I did mine be a bit second time I was already having to do wheel bearing hubs and a CV axle. Id just deal with the creaking. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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