Clunk

[mike639]

Hi
I have a liberty GT Premium 2010. I have maintained it since buying it in 2013 and had no real issues until recently.
There is a clunk sound from underneath the car when I am braking. It only seems to happen when I am in auto mode. There is no specific times when it occurs, ie it may happen when the car has been driven for an hour or it may happen within minutes of starting.
I have taken it to a subu mechanic who jacked it up and could not find anything obvious, neither could the main dealer.
There is no vibration from the wheel, no strange sounds, checked the brake calipars etc and the care is running perfect except this one issue.
The advice that has been given is drive it until something falls off or blows, then it will be clear what needs to be fixed. I am of the view that prevention is better than cure.
Any ideas what it could be and what I could look for?
It has gone 300,000km and i have installed a new engine that has 140,000km last month.

[Ric]

Might be worn bushes in the lower control arms.
I'd take it to Pedders to get a suspension check.

[Stifull]

If you have a trustworthy subaru workshop (but not a 'subaru' workshop) take it to them and get them to put it up on the hoist and have a poke around. It could be something as simple as a sway bar 'D' bush or end link or a control arm bush. All these things are an easy fix to DIY. It should only take them 30 min to check it out so you should be able to arrange a time to take it in and get it done while you wait. I wouldn't take a car to pedders as you have no relationship with them and they will want the car for the whole day and probably may want to replace the entire suspension ..lol..sorry to be so negative but there is a lot of people around who are used to paying way too much for everything they get done and there is always a better less expensive way..

[mike639]

Hi, Thanks for the replies and the advice seems consistent.
Just for a laugh i think i will take it to peders to see what they say, then round to the subaru mech and ask him to check the bushings etc.
I will let you know what happens.

[LibertyTragic]

Guessing you have an auto?

Have you ever needed to replace the valve body? Do you have any jerky gear shifting or miss shifts?

The gen5 5EAT is a bit notorious for valve body issues. Keep an eye on it.

Might not be your issue and be cautious going down the route of repair unless the TCM spits out a code to confirm. A few members on here have been stung thousands of $$ replacing valve bodies and P2 sensor and not ending up resolving their shifting issues.

Lots of info on the P2 sensor failure in the gen5 sub section so have a gander

[bigBADbenny]

Try a pry test and visual check of the rear diff bushes?

I’m familiar with that clunk on a gen4 6mt, generally related to power on/off plus engine braking transitions, potentially consistent with your in auto mode only condition?

[Tonic]

One clunk I once discovered was the nut on the top of the suspension upright (under the rubber cap). The nut was loose and once tightened the very occasional ‘clunk’ disappeared….. other clunks have usually been lower control arm bushes…

[Ric]

One clunk I once discovered was the nut on the top of the suspension upright (under the rubber cap). The nut was loose and once tightened the very occasional ‘clunk’ disappeared….. other clunks have usually been lower control arm bushes…

+1.
I found that one myself (the nut under the rubber cap) after Subaru failed to find it at a service, despite acknowledging they heard the noise...