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2004 Saturn Vue popping noise in front

Tiny
DOUGLASRAWE
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 SATURN VUE
  • 94,000 MILES
I have a popping noise in the front end of my 2004 Saturn vue 4 cyl awd. I have changed thus far both sway bar links, control arm bushings, struts. I am preparing to change the stabilizer bar bushings on both sides. After I changed the right side control arm bushing all noises stopped for about a week and a half. Then they started again after I got a 4 wheel alignment done. The techs said Saturn did not engineer my vehicle to have the "up and down" on the front tires aligned so they installed a bolt so that it could be done.
running out of patience, just want to get if fixed to try to enjoy my paid off car
doug
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 1:39 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
SEANGRANT00
  • MECHANIC
  • 334 POSTS
What size engine do you have, and is it all wheel drive or two wheel drive?

Sean
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 2:28 PM
Tiny
DOUGLASRAWE
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
4 cyl set up as two wheel drive. The driveshaft carrier bearing went out. Is supposed to be all wheel drive
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 5:16 PM
Tiny
DOUGLASRAWE
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
If you want to reply directly to my gmail you can. Douglas. Rawe@gmail. Com.
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 5:17 PM
Tiny
SEANGRANT00
  • MECHANIC
  • 334 POSTS
They like for the response's to be on here so other people can view them.

Alright, so is the popping noise happening when you drive at certain speeds? Is it worse turning in a certain direction? If you push the car up/down on each front fender can you hear it and where?

This will narrow it down and we can figure what is causing the noise. Also did this appear after removing the drive shaft?

Sean
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 5:32 PM
Tiny
DOUGLASRAWE
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I took a drive tonite in it. It is mainly on uneven surfaces, or hitting bumps on one side or the other. Hear it a lot during turns left or right. No difference. I don't remember any change to the sound when took out the driveshaft. I removed that some 1 1/2 years ago or so. I recorded on video a drive around the block but it didn't pick up the sound too well. Acceleration and braking doesn't have any bearing
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 6:59 PM
Tiny
SEANGRANT00
  • MECHANIC
  • 334 POSTS
There is a bulletin from Saturn that could be related to your problem.

"This condition may be caused by insufficient clearance in the stabilizer bar end link ball
sockets."

One way to test this is to raise one wheel up on a surface, like a curb. Turn the wheel back and forth and have someone else listen and pinpoint the noise. If you hear it, its probably need to replace the stabilizer end links.

Sean
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 7:07 PM
Tiny
DOUGLASRAWE
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I think I may have already had that replaced. Are the stabilizer end links and the sway bar links the same thing? If not how do they differ?
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 7:13 PM
Tiny
SEANGRANT00
  • MECHANIC
  • 334 POSTS
They are the same thing. Two things I would do,

One, jack up the front wheels and spin them and see if they spin freely. After that hold one tire and spin the other one. Now push/pull the tire lightly and see if there is any play back and forth. Either this is a suspension problem or a drive train problem.

Second, like I said before push the front end up and down and have someone else try and pin point the noise.

This could be a bad wheel bearing or something along the line of the axle, or even your transfer case. Let me know after you do this and we can go from there.

Sean
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 7:34 PM

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