DK SPL Audio

Hello,
I have been following the pop/clunk thread since it was created. This thread mostly is dealing with a clunk coming from the rear. People have had shocks replaced, welds hammered, many other procedures.

I have a 16 Platinum and have a clunk noise that I am certain is coming from the front passenger strut assembly. It used to only happen when cold but it now occurring all the time. I took the car to a dealer last year and they could barely hear it (was a warm day) and checked all the suspension components and was told they looked good. It is worse and really bothering me, I'm now starting to get comments when others ride in the vehicle.

I have searched and searched and am not seeing any 8 gen front strut replacement tutorials. I did find a few on youtube for the 7th gen. Some questions…

Has anyone done this? I’m pretty handy but do not have a ton of suspension experience.

Is there an applicable tutorial?

Is alignment required after?

I know the Maxima is more on the sporty side but is there a good strut assembly that would make the ride a little smoother?

Any additional tips or anything I should know?

Thanks

Francilois

I had the same issue with 16 SV and it was a link on left side.

DK SPL Audio

Sway bar end links? Mine definitely sounds like the passenger side, yours was driver side?

User1

I would actually get the car up in the air, get underneath it, and start looking at it if I were you. We could sit here and speculate ad nauseam, or you could tell US what it was.

Oh, and struts are struts are struts. Installation is the reverse of removal. Just get your tools out and get it done.

Francilois

Yes, curius but the noise was from the passeger side and the faulty link was on the driver side..

DK SPL Audio

Got the front end up and used a pry bar, both sway bar links seemed solid, no looseness or clunking when pry'd on.

I also torqued the strut mount bolts to 26ft lbs. I do not have a split socket so couldn't check the center strut mount nut.

When in the air, the tires did not have any looseness when pulled on top/bottom and left/right.

I'm not sure what else to check.

User1

It's gonna be something in the engine bay knocking against something else.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

If all of the aforementioned you checked and had no success check the Motor Mount/s, Maxima's since the 5th gen are notorious for a clunking noise over bumps especially the front passenger side when the Motor Mounts start to go bad.

User1

Too new for mounts.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Well the interior parts of motor mounts start to deteriorate/crack with age and sometimes they just go bad on new cars had it happen with 3k miles on one car, and it is not impossible to happen on a car produced 4 to 6 years ago!

DK SPL Audio

Thanks for all the ideas...I do have 85k on the vehicle. I checked the service manual for mounts, looks like there are 4 (left, right, front, rear) getting to some of them is quite the procedure. Note that this clunk only seems to happen when road bumps hit the front passenger wheel.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

No prob, yes that's when it happens mainly over bumps and that is about the mileage that they start going in many cases if they survive a normal life. The one on the passenger side which is considered the front on the Max since it is transverse is the one that goes bad usually first and causes a clunk. Yes you are correct some are harder to get to to check mainly the one on the drivers side which is considered the rear one which u have to take a lot apart to see and check and the one closest to the firewall.

User1

I suppose. Quality isn't what it used to be. OP never stated mileage, wasn't expecting 90k on a 4yr old car!

Certainly within the realm of possibility, mounts.

Passenger mount is easy to view from the top, just remove whatever plastic BS you need to see it. Beyond your ruling out the suspension, and negative on the mounts, I'm stumped.

DK SPL Audio

So you are saying to check this one? I do not see a guide for that one in the factory service manual, only the front and rear which appear to be actual front and rear.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Check the one that is on the passenger side once you open the hood, it is just to the left of the drive belts.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

It happens and you are right about quality not being what it use to be, I had one go out under warranty on my GS350 F-Sport with only 3k on it. My symptoms was a thumping over bumps and rough shifting from 1st to 2nd gear!

User1

I'll be damned. On a Lexus even. Shame.

OP, also check part #4, it's even easier to see.

DK SPL Audio

Part 4 - I could move it slightly laterally, seemed to move well. I got a pry bar to very slightly move up and down, the rubber all looks in tact and I did not hear anything.

I see part 6 but have no idea how to test that one. I cannot get a pry bar in there to move anything, any tips?

I also pulled up and pushed down HARD on the passenger front fender area to really work the strut, again, I did not hear anything.

Man, this noise 1is driving me crazy though!

User1

Although not out of the realm of possibility, I just really don't think it's the mount. Another check you could do that, if passed, would rule out the mount for me, is to watch the #6 mount while having someone start the car, rev it a few times, and see if you see anything funky. I doubt you will, and that would be good enough for me. I still think it's a rod-end/ball joint of some sort (tie rod end, lower control arm, etc.) suspension/chassis related. Without being in front of it, or knowing more about the 90k mi history of the car, I just don't know.

LSExplorer22

I'm not sure if this would be of help to anyone, but there is a TSB for a clunking noise coming out of the front of your vehicle. Please see attachment.

robtroxel

Thanks, I did not realize this was out there. Worth a try.

DK SPL Audio

Thanks, mine happens even when I am coasting at slower speeds and hit bumps. At highway speeds it seems fine. The TSB says a "clicking noise...during take-off/acceleration". +Geez, that grease is pushing $200! Wow

James2017

My car recently developed a clunk noise coming from the front of the car. I only hear the noise when going up my driveway. Sounds like it's coming from both left and right side of the car. I have a recorded a video of the noise. Any idea what is the cause of this noise? I have a 2017 Nissan Maxima Platinum with 39k miles.

DK SPL Audio

Hard to say, I'm still searching for my culprit. Yours sounds similar to mine but not exact. Odd it only happens when going up the driveway. Mine happens at speeds <35mph typically, coasting or accelerating.

ndysive

Did you ever find out what the problem was?

DK SPL Audio

Nope, I am thinking the strut mount still. I would probably replace the entire thing instead of just the mount. With Covid, I worked from home for a while so it did not bug me as much simply due to driving less.

ndysive

I appreciate it. Mines is actually at the shop right now they told me that sound is normal but I don't think it is but he showed me a tsb bulletin that shows it's normal I'll try to get the tsb number. I received a letter in the mail from a warranty part that needs to be fixed something about a rear issue it's like a 5 hour job so currently waiting to pick it up. Dropped it off yesterday

DK SPL Audio

Yeah, that is the rear suspension link. Mine is definitely coming from the front passenger suspension area when going over certain bumps <35 mph, worse when cold.