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Nissan Primera P11 left front clunking noise

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Camino3000 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 19 Jun 2019 at 10:16am
My Nissan Primera p11 (1996) model is making a strange clunking noise that comes and goes.

Sometimes I can be driving along and it won't make any noise. Other times it will make a slight scraping / rubbing noise that sounds like it is coming from the left front area (not sure if the wheel or closer to the engine). However at other times the noise will get louder - more of a thud thud thud, then maybe a bang (and I can feel the vibration through the steering wheel). Then it will go quiet again. The noise seems to disappear under acceleration, but come back again while coasting.

I don't think it is the wheel bearing or CV joint as I replaced those in the last 4-5 years.

The car is realistically getting towards the end of its life, but if I can keep it going a while longer without spending too much money that would be good.

Please let me know if you have any ideas as to what the noise could be. Thanks !
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p11primeragt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote p11primeragt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2019 at 6:29pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camino3000 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 8:43am
The noise went away for a while, but now it is back with a vengeance. I took it to a mechanic a while back (of course it wasn't making the noise then), and they couldn't find anything. I'm wondering if the CV joint I put in has already worn out. Or is there some other component of the driveshaft that might be causing the problem ?

Here is a link to a video I made with the noise. Anybody got any suggestions ? Thanks.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote bavs83 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 2:34pm
Does the sound change with the speed of car or direction?
Is it proportionate e.g. get louder when going faster or slowing down?

When you replaced the CV joint did you recheck the centre nut torque after a hundred miles or so and nip up as needed?

Even thought you changed CV joint 5 years ago, depending on quality of the part it may have worn down. 5 years on you may well need a new CV joint. It depends on the type of roads you drive on regularly and how you may or may not drive.
It's not what you drive....It's how you drive!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote FriedGold Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 2:37pm
5 years for a CV joint is, sadly, about right on these cars. They do go through them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camino3000 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2019 at 2:07am
Originally posted by bavs83 bavs83 wrote:

Does the sound change with the speed of car or direction?
Is it proportionate e.g. get louder when going faster or slowing down?

When you replaced the CV joint did you recheck the centre nut torque after a hundred miles or so and nip up as needed?

Even thought you changed CV joint 5 years ago, depending on quality of the part it may have worn down. 5 years on you may well need a new CV joint. It depends on the type of roads you drive on regularly and how you may or may not drive.


The noise seems worse at low speeds and in reverse. It doesn't seem to make much difference whether I'm turning left or right. At high speeds the noise is less, but still present. Under acceleration the noise goes away.

No I don't believe I did anything after fitting the CV joint.

Mostly I drive in heavy traffic, little in the way of high speed aggressive driving.

Kind of disappointing the CV joint didn't last that long. But if I need a new CV joint, so be it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Camino3000 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2019 at 8:12am
Thanks for all the comments. I pulled everything apart and checked it all. Turns out it was a dodgy wheel bearing. Talk about bad quality. The cage that holds the balls was shattered.

I shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that it wasn't the wheel bearing even though I replaced it relatively recently.

Anyway, I replaced the wheel bearing, and also replaced the king pin bearings as the top one was worn (still the original ones from 1996). Vehicle is running fairly well now. No noise.

Need to think about the next job though as the power steering is a little bit worn. Vehicle has done 320,000km.
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