Ok, add my name to the list with a '12 with this clunk. Going on my 3rd winter and it seems to be worse. It was fine all summer.

I doubt that that my problem is the strut mounts as I have replaced mine with IE fixed plates. Although I plan to check the strut nut and the bolt at the bottom.

With that said - I have a set of strut mounts off my '07S with about 28k miles on them that I would be willing to sell for a good price - PM me.

 

Too warm today and the rest of this week... l'll hope for the clunk next week - I'll lift and inspect once I have the clunk confirmed. Insulated coveralls unpacked!
E

 

Any updates?

 

Well I'm in the same boat as Summons, it's too warm to get a definite read. I believe that having the car on jackstands with the suspension un-weighted makes it difficult to find the problem, so this weekend I'm making some small platforms to have the car under it's own weight while I inspect. I might just replace all items of suspect at once and be done with it, lol.

 

Please post if you find visually any part that could be the possible suspect. Thanks.

 

I've got the same problem as you folks and may be able to shed some light on it. So far I've replaced the sway bar bushings, end links, shocks, ball joints (all 4) , and lower motor mount and the clunk is still there and hasn't changed a bit. Most of these were replaced not just to get rid of the clunk, but because my car has 110k miles on it and was feeling a little soft in the handling.

What I think the problem is is not the suspension, but the transmission mount. This is located next to the drivers side strut tower, so could potentially sound like the strut. I'll be replacing this in the coming weeks and will report back.

 

A week or so ago it got into the 60s - 70s and the clunk went away.
It was back again once the temp dropped below about 50 and the car sat over night.
Friday I put the car up on ramps to see if there was anything obvious. Nothing.
I put a wrench on all the bolts I could find that hold on the front subframe; even the one that is up high, just in-board of the front suspension. None were loose. I didn't "torque" them, but I did pull on them pretty good with my Craftsman breaker bar.
Then I went to see my Dealer to ask if they had heard about it; nope, they had not, but they seemed interested to learn about it...and, yes, these guys are pretty good to me.
It was cold Friday and Saturday nights and a majority of the clunk is now gone. I drove the car both days and now it only clunks on major potholes instead of over most anything...

Sorry, I know this doesn't help much as I can't say that I really did anything. But it is definitely better.

 

Eddie... I would argue your work wasn't a waste!

I had an Integra were I damaged a rear wheel bearing - Acura wasted a pile of my cash thinking the noise was from the front and was fixed with a front bearing replacement. After a few good bumps on the way home the noise would return - ie something would shift in the bearing up on the hoist, and it took a good thump to shift it back...

The reason I bring this up, is that perhaps we/you saw the same phenomenon, and it will take a few good thumps to bring the clunk back in your suspension. That said, it makes me think our problems are in the suspension, or at least something affected by lifting the car. It narrows the search, as I was beginning to think that maybe the noise was the exhaust clunking around when cold... I am reaching, but what else can I do at this point!

I have to swap over to my snows soon - I suspect that will be my next chance to have a close look. Work, life, busy! I haven't had a chance to troublshoot this week at all...
E

 

I actually drove my car up on ramps just so things would stay pretty much in the place they are when I am driving.

I am not sure I can say it has totally returned to what it was, but with the weather being in the mid 20s to low 30s now, it is more noticeable now. It is interesting that you mentioned wheel bearings as a co-worker of mine suggested that as a possibility. I don't know, but I suppose it is something to look at. It could be that they loosen up when it is cold causing a clunk and when they warm up they tighten up and the clunk goes away. I haven't checked that yet. Whatever is causing the noise, it seems to be transmitted to the car interior through the rear mount of the front subframe and it is most noticeable on the passenger side of the car.

 

Ramps... Drat! So squish that thought!

I too have noted the sound is more to the right of the car - I had thought central, as I am never a passenger in Summons, which was why I began to lean towards an exhaust hangar or something...

Today I wondered if the factory suspension bushings are meant to be lubed on install? I haven't heard the noise in the rain - is water getting into the bushings and lubing them for the drive?

I also noted that even though cold on the way home (-3 to 0 Celcius) the noise lessened as I got closer to home. Is it a clearance issue? The bushing / component shrinks more than the sleeve it sits in and expands as it works?

I admit I feel like we are going in circles here...
E

 

+1. I am so frustrated too with the noise and its relationship with temp. My co-worker suggested look at the type "tires". Certain rubber compounds behave differently at different temps. Some become quite hard at low temps and help transfer & amplification of sound.

 

Hmmmm...

The tires warm up and stop transmitting the clumps from the road surface.

Maybe, though I suffer the noises with both summer and winter rubber; that said, the effect might be the same with both my sets of tires.

Are we all on RFTs? Both my summers and winters are RFTs...
E

 

I'm noticing it in the same area, passenger footwell, and mine has gotten more severe with the cold weather too, and is consistent now. I'm going to have another look this weekend, I haven't found anything previously because I think I need someone in the car working the steering wheel for me to find it. Mine is loud enough now that it should be boldly apparent... if I can get the noise to happen while inspecting.

I feel as though mine sounds more like knocking due to rocking or weight transfer somewhere, I will be taking a very close look at engine and trans mounts, as well as the mounting bolts for the steering rack.

 

I have notice it with different tires. I am inclined to think it is a bushing. But it also seems that it warms up when driving and expands which cuts down on clearances and the noise. How's that for a guess. I'd like to find that bushing.

 

The temps this morning was in mid 30's and the noise was quite evident so I skipped work and drove to my trusted mechanic. He test drove it in his parking lot. had the car on the lifts and put his socket on everything possible. He checked all the wear items i.e. bushings, ball joints, mounts, etc to isolate this clunk. In his opinion, it is the steering rack. To further confirm it, with engine running he see-sawed the steering wheel between 10 & 2, the noise in question is replicated.

Before I go fight the stealership, can any one else confirm this with their vehicle. Thanks.
Note: MCS 2010 Auto with 26,000 miles

 

Very interesting...

 

So, ceoengr....

Any word back on the rack and pinion option?

It's been 10C or better on my days off, and now that I am back at work, it was 2C and "clunketty clunk" on the way in...
E

 

I have been on the road with work. Haven't been able to visit the dealer, hoping this Friday.

 

I am curious as to the outcome of the steering rack inspection. I have an R53 Mini which seems to be suffering from a very similar if not identical issue to those who have posted in this thread. 02-06 and 07-present minis share very similar suspension and frame designs which is why I am speaking up about this. I have a similar clunk and looseness in the steering of my car. I found somewhat of a possible solution. I also have a fairly reliable test. It seems the ball joints have a tendency to loosen the main nut on the front inner joints. I have been chasing this problem for almost 2 years and about gave up till I recently discovered something peculiar. I had the same clunk when turning the steering wheel back and forth with the car on the ground but unable to locate it and very difficult to duplicate it in the air. What has been done: I have replaced all the joints in the front of the car including the upper strut mounts, ball joints (inner/outer) and LCA bushings. Everything except the struts and springs. All torqued to spec with a torque wrench.

The peculiar discovery and test is, with the car on the ground, wheel unlocked (seems not apply to 07-present minis), and wheels pointing strait ahead, aggressively kick the front tire at 9 and 3. If done aggressively enough and the issue is present, it should make a nice metal to metal ping. It should be more prominent when the front most side of the tire is kicked as the ball joint is located right inboard of the front (LCA bushing is rear most). A considerable amount of force was required at first till I figured out the sweet spot. It seems the inner ball joints become just loose enough to talk under load (on the ground) but not when unloaded (in the air).

If you get this ping, put a breaker bar on the front inner ball joint nut and give it a good 90 degree turn. Then retest to see if the ping is gone. The steering was tightened up and the clunk almost totally gone. My driver side has just a slight hint of ping when kicked so I plan to tighten the drivers side a little further tomorrow however, it is far, far better than it was before. Both sides were found to be loose on my car. This was despite being torqued to "spec" with 3 different torque wrenches. It seems the "spec" is either just shy of where it needs to be or requires special conditions (completely unloaded, spring tension and all?) to achieve the correct results.

I was originally told that due to the start of all this fiasco, (mushroomed strut towers) that my steering rack was to blame for the strange noises however I believe I have now proved this incorrect as the steering feel has almost fully returned and the clunk when turning the wheel back and forth is gone.

Hopefully this helps someone. Good luck all!

 

Interesting suggestion. Will definitely check on this. Thanks.

 

Indeed, ksminiman that might be the breakthrough we need. I'm hoping to get under the car this Sunday, life has been incredibly busy. The clunking has gotten much worse, and is prominent at all temperatures now... I was about to just take it to the dealer because I have no time for it, but one more look is in order I think.

 

Well, I got under the car while it was running this past sunday, and had my fiancee work the wheel so I could try to pinpoint the noise. I could only hear it when my face was right under the steering rack, specifically where the steering wheel shaft interfaces with the rack itself. So, it could be a problem within the steering motor, or possibly the mounts... but I'm so tired of hearing it that I'm just going to get the dealer to look at it. I'm not under the factory warranty any longer, so I'm a bit nervous about cost.

 

A little bump and an update...

Mini took their first stab at it today...

They replaced the rear sway bar end links. They say they found play there... As I left the parking lot I heard the first clunk!

U Turn & took the service boss out for a spin, Summons was very good & clunked loudly for us !

10 minutes later I was in a loaner on my way!

They will call with their findings.

 

Gotta watch em! They'll throw parts at it with your credit card if you let them. Anything looking funny will get replaced until the problem goes away!

 

Thankfully it's warranty work...

They called to say they had ordered a sway bar. It was a voicemail, so I wasn't able to question; right now, they need to T/S the fault.... I'm confused- I would understand sway bar bushings, but the bar itself??

We'll see!
E