2016 Explorer Police - INTERMITTENT CLUNK WHEN TURNING

[willie0319]

Hello all!

I have a 2016 Police Interceptor Utility with an intermittent clunk from passenger side area when turning. Does not produce the sound when I have it up in the air. Car drives, steers and otherwise operates as it should. No other sounds. Does not appear to make the sound when not in motion.

Here is what I have done:

- I had to tighten the swar bar bracket bolts down.
- Replaced sway bar links.
- Replaced passenger side strut mount assembly/bearing.
- Checked ball joints and bushings, all appear to be tight and in working order.

I'm losing my mind here... Hopefully someone else has had a similar issue. Thank you all!

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Willie.
We do have a sub-forum for the PIU but I think that this should be the correct one for your issue since it doesn't seem to be specifically related to the PIU.

Peter

 

[The D]

Rear bushing on lower control arm is a common failure and bushing will still probably look decent enough from under vehicle and without a new one to compare directly to. It’s definitely possible yours are starting to wear but haven’t gotten too bad yet. I know mine have progressed quickly in the last few months and every crack I hit makes it sound like the suspension is going to fall off the front of my car

 

[mguy13sport]

Check your body mount bushings too. They are visible through the wheel wells

 

[whatsup]

Tough thing to troubleshoot over the WWW. I've had a few of these making noise when turning the steering wheel back and forth while wheels are on ground and if it's a consistent noise when you move the steering wheel, you may want to check inner tie rod.

 

[willie0319]

UPDATE 5/4/23

So far, I have replaced the following:

- Driver and passenger control arms
- Driver and passenger sway bar links
- Driver side CV axle
- Driver and passenger strut mounts


STILL HAVE THE DAM CLUNK

Everything else appears to be tight.

 

[willie0319]

Tough thing to troubleshoot over the WWW. I've had a few of these making noise when turning the steering wheel back and forth while wheels are on ground and if it's a consistent noise when you move the steering wheel, you may want to check inner tie rod.

doesn't do it in park or while sitting stationary in gear

 

[TXScott]

I had this problem with another vehicle years ago. Turned out to the engine mount(passenger side, just behind coolant reservoir). I would raise the engine just a bit with a jack(preferably on the engine block with a piece of wood, not on the oil pan!) to take off pressure from the mount, then use a pry bar to gently move the engine left/right and see if you can make it clunk. Your vehicle is nearly 8 years old and probably had a hard life before you owned it(high speed chases! lol), so stuff is gonna wear out, esp anything with rubber parts.

 

[FruztalProjects]

If you've replaced suspension components and stuff, I'd start looking at the motor mounts and transmission mounts. If worn, they'll cause clunking.