2010 cooper s, 75k.
This past week a strange sound has started happening when I start moving from a stop. It is coming from the front driver side wheel, it's almost a lurching sound. It is just a quick noise & doesn't continue, just a quick noise when I start from a stop. It doesn't happen every time, but especially when it's a quick start it happens
Any ideas??

 

What's a "lurching sound" ?
Rattle? Squeak? Clunk?
Have you, or anyone else, done anything to your car's front suspension recently?

75K miles is roughly when suspension pieces start wearing off (depending on what roads you drive on). Alas, there are many suspects to inspect.

Are you a DIY kinda guy who wants to trouble shoot and fix things himself, or will you end up taking the car to a mechanic to do the work? If the latter, might as well let them trouble shoot it for you. If the former, we need more info.

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Jack your car up and turn each wheel a few rotations back and forth individually. May give you some insight.

 

It's hard to describe, it sounds like something is rubbing, metal on metal almost like if the brakes were still engaged... I will try and get a video to post later

I installed ST coil overs at 50k so those are only 25k old
I would like to fix this myself
The car is getting an alignment tonight or tomorrow so I will see if that changes anything

 

Metal on metal could be the clutch. Worn down to the rivets.

 

I thought that could be possible but it still engages smoothly & not slipping

 

Mine, too. Clutch was gone. So was the flywheel, btw.

 

Wow..: did it only make the sound right when you engage it? Hoping that's not my issue...

 

My only guess could be a wheel bearing going (or gone)? If you jack the car up and grab behind the wheel and jiggle it around, if the wheel moves back and forth, even the smallest bit, it could be the bearing.

 

My Stoptech Posi-quiet semi-metallic brake pads make a very brief split-second "groan" sound, but only for literally a few inches from/to a stopping position. However the quicker I release the brake pedal, or the gentler I come to a stop, the less I hear the noise. It's an automatic so the car starts moving as soon as I let off the brake pedal.