Clunk felt through steering

[GTI_PAPA]

Hey guys,

I was driving home the other night, and since it was quiet along the road I was driving along, decided to take a series of three roundabouts at speed. All three times, upon exit, when driving over a few slight imperfections in the road, I could feel a clunk through the steering. This has also happened a few times at low speed.

Is something in the suspension or steering loose? Or maybe just the crappy engine mount flexing too much and hitting firewall?

Car is bog standard, no lowering etc.

Cheers.

[Jmac]

Undulations will indicate drop links mate, but well worth checking you control arm bushes, especially as you are going through roundabouts the weight shifts a bit and when you exit on the gas. Worth checking both items.
As an exercise remove your drop links totally and do the same 3 roundabouts, if the noise has gone then its links mate
Jmac

[pixl]

I have the same clunk sound too. Mine only happens at low speed around corners when giving slight acceleration. Although I brought it up with the dealer, it wasn't addressed. Probably because it's near impossible to simulate; one of those things that happens randomly, but always when there is no one else in the car.

[jueshen]

i also get this clunk sound when doing a full turn whilst reversing / parking / driving off at very low speed...
its my driver side tie-rod end
its a little bent must have been a pothole...
still deciding whether to fix it as i may sell the pgti end of year...

[Spec83]

I had a similar problem, ended up beign the front sway bar links as Jimmy has stated... I have found that even after replacement, the Pog has a bit of front end chatter if you accelerate a bit through a corner

[parraeel]

i also get this clunk sound when doing a full turn whilst reversing / parking / driving off at very low speed...
its my driver side tie-rod end
its a little bent must have been a pothole...
still deciding whether to fix it as i may sell the pgti end of year...

My Polo does the same things at the same times. I'm used to it now, and of course I can't replicate the noise whenever I take it to VW

[GTI_PAPA]

I am only asking these questions due to the car being new (only 6000km) and only after i picked it up from a service, the clunk seemed to surface. Methinks the mechanic may have hammered the car upon test drive. Am getting quite sick of the rubbish service I have received from dealer. Had it back a total of 8 times since new to sort problems. Everytime it's been a headache to get them to actually acknowledge there's anything wrong, plus seem to damage something prior to pickup.

Anyone know of a dealer that is reliable in Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle area?

Cheers guys,
Frustrated...

[seangti]

Anyone know of a dealer that is reliable in Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle area?

Cheers guys,
Frustrated...

perhaps get one of the forum affiliated companies to check it over for you to pinpoint what's not right so you can say categorically what's not right with the car when going to the dealer. Than for future servicing, use the companies that support the forum/provide input to us.

8 times in 6000kms is not cool, I think anyone else would have gone postal on the dealer.

[WHTPOLOGTI]

ive fitted ford mondeo drop links and new bushes recently and still the clunk and knocking/rubbing felt through steering is still there.

[break]

ive fitted ford mondeo drop links and new bushes recently and still the clunk and knocking/rubbing felt through steering is still there.

Did you fit the drop links with the car still on the ground? If you jack the car up the sway bar will not sit correctly (as it won't have weight on it) and you'll still get knocks. If you have done this loosen both drop links while the car is on the ground, then re-tighten once both sides are undone and loose. Make sure you loosen both sides before you tighten either side.

Also, I found you do need to put the nuts on quite tight to get them to not loosen and shift over time. You may need to loosen the nuts on the top of both drop links (while the car is the on the ground) then re-tighten them both very firmly.

[Jmac]

All the sway bar does is spring up.All you need to do is jack it up centrally and take both off at the same time then the anti roll bar will be even but there is no adjustment whatsoever so they cant sit "incorrectly". This isnt the same as fitting a pressed bush, they are ball joints not bushes so just fit them and torque them up to spec and you are done, no special fitting procedure whatsoever. torque the nuts up to 40NM and you are done. All you are going to do is turn a very basic procedure into a tricky one. No need.
My 2c
Jmac

[Jmac]

Just on drop links ive arranged to have my short links to b matched at Fulcrums tomoz. Just to recap the links i talk about apart from OEM the short ones are for susp that has the LOW coilies, not just lowered as the OEM suffice but the extra low stuff like JASN78 and the likes
Jmac