Top 5 Reasons Lower Control Arm Bushings Are Noisy. People unfamiliar with cars may not understand what's going on when they hear the strange jingle.
While there can be many reasons for unusual noise in a vehicle, a problem with the lower control arm bushing can be very noticeable.
These noises are almost similar to knocks around the control arm area. Below are the five most common reasons for reducing control arm bushing noise.
1. Bushing wear.
Bushings don't last forever. The more miles the vehicle travels, the more wear on the lower control arm bushings.
You will start to hear a slight bump at first, but as bush wear increases, the bump will become louder and more consistent.
2. The bushing is loose.
If your lower control arm bushing is loose then it will be knocked between the metal parts surrounding it.
This does not necessarily mean the bushing is worn.
Maybe you're driving over a loose bump.
While working on another area of your vehicle, either that or the mechanic may have accidentally loosened.
No matter what the cause, a loose bushing will always make the same knock.
3. Damaged bushing.
The lower control arm bushing may break due to excessive wear.
It can also be accidentally damaged by a mechanic who is doing other work.
A damaged control arm bushing produces a very loud ding, not a progressively louder than a worn bushing.
4. Driving on uneven terrain.
If you are driving over rough terrain, such as gravel or rocky roads, you will hear a knock or clang.
Hearing will be amplified.
Bushings in good condition will not loosen or rattle from driving on this terrain.
However, if the bushing is not secured in place, the erratic movement of the vehicle over the terrain may loosen the bushing even more.
5. Hard acceleration.
If your bushing is loose, you will hear the loudest knock when you take off from a standstill.
For example, when your vehicle is parked somewhere and you switch gears to drive and then press the gas pedal, the click will be loudest at this point.