Lads,

First time poster but ive read a good few topics on here before.

I just had a query that some of you who know alot more about cars than me may know about.

I was leaving work last night, crawling out of the car park in 2nd gear. I do this as there are 3 speed bumps and its not worth speeding up between them. The bumps are really really minor so Ive ruled them out as the issue. Although they may have been the final cause.

When i went over the bump I heard a masssive bang come from the rear drivers side wheel arch direction. It sounded like someone had hit the car with a sledgehammer (no exaggeration). Ive tried looking underneath etc and all i can see is the "shock" or "spring" pices that come down to the wheels are very slightly (half inch) gone up into top of wheel arch compared to the other side.

Driving home i noticed a bit of banging (not much) when id hit a slight bump or change in road surface and when taking a corner. Car drove smoothly otherwise.

Any ideas what this could be??

Also a few weeks ago I heard a noise when changing gear, just taking off on a flat surface. Last evening i was also changing gear as it happened so im wondering could that be connected to the problem?

Really appreciate any help. Im getting it put up on a ramp saturday morning in a garage but id love to have any idea in case i get a shock on the day!!

Thank you

 

pics?

 

Hiya Arapey,

Sorry i dont have any pics. There isnt really anything to take a picture of!! Except the slightly higher shock/spring on drivers side. I had to check a few times to make sure it actually had gone slightly higher!

 

What year and model Audi? Sounds like you shouldn't be driving it and need to get it checked out right away.

If its a B5 A4, check the strut bracket/housing that the rear upper control arm attaches too. Sometimes these rot out if you are in the rust belt.

 

Hi Silver, its a 2005 A4.

I brought it to a Dealer and they "put it up on the ramp" and couldnt see anything so they say. Its booked in the get checked out fully in the new year. They said it was ok to drive and even though I was a bit wary of that advice i still drove it 200km today!!

Im in ireland and not near the coast or anywhere unusually well known for being common for rust. Its odd because my exhaust snapped a few months ago aswell and the dealer said it was highly unusual for exhausts to just rot and snap away from the box.

The only thing i can think of was coming off a high-ish kerb about a year ago. Perhaps that caused a bit of damage to first the exhaust and was the start of the strut bracket problem if thats what it is!

 

The earlier A4s were known for breaking the bottom few inches of the coil spring off. Wouldn't surprise me if that's what happened on your car too - it's pretty common.

 

Thanks Devil, Im bringing it in to the garage tomorrow morning, it'll be interesting to see what it turns out to be.........and evn more interesting how much its going to cost!!!