Thunk when turning hard

[Devin]

I have a 2004 Impala with a 3400. The car drives fine but when turning at slow speeds (as in < 15), say in a parking lot, there is an audible and tactile thunking when the wheel is turned all the way to the left or right. Is this normal or abnormal? Everything is stock, including tire size.

[DiscoStudd]

Your intermediate steering shaft needs to be lubed up. It is a common problem on the "millenium" Impalas.

 

Info is available at http://www.impalahq.com Look in the "How To" section...

[rockfangd]

it could very possibly be your strut bearing has gone bad. I had the same prob with my cutty. it was a big pita to fix but it solved the whole prob. now that i have fixed mine i hear the sme noise on 75% of other GMs even impalas

[Devin]

My wife was saying that her mom's Blazer (circa 2000) made the same noise and it was "normal". I thought a clunk would be abnormal but what am I to say?

 

Anyway, so the bet is on the intermediate shaft or the strut bearings? If it is the strut bearing would it only make the noise when turning one way and not both? I would highly doubt both sides would go out...

[rockfangd]

how upsetting i went to do my 94 cuttys strut bearing and ran into a damaged spring, thanks to gms lovely ideas lol

[DiscoStudd]

Well that link is outdated.

 

http://impalahq.naioa.com/HowTo/Iss.html

 

 

Try lubing up the ISS first. It's gonna be alot easier to do than replacing the strut bearing plate(s.)

[Devin]

Hmm, interesting.

 

I purchased a warranty when I bought the car two years ago that is good for 4 years or 80,000 miles that covers pretty much everything but wear parts. I know it's up to the seller, but should this sort of thing be covered?

[DiscoStudd]

Hmm, interesting.

 

I purchased a warranty when I bought the car two years ago that is good for 4 years or 80,000 miles that covers pretty much everything but wear parts. I know it's up to the seller, but should this sort of thing be covered?

Take it to the service dept. of your local GM dealership and when they diagnose the problem have them run the estimate through the warranty company to see if they'll cover it...

[slick]

Common problem on a lot of newer GM vehicles. Warranties generally cover the problem, if not, the lube kit isn't all the expensive and not hard to do. Fortunately for me, it was done on my Bonneville right before I purchased it.

[Devin]

Take it to the service dept. of your local GM dealership and when they diagnose the problem have them run the estimate through the warranty company to see if they'll cover it...

I bought an aftermarket warranty from the Ford stealership I got the car from. I think I'll have to go there.

[DiscoStudd]

You should be able to take it to any dealership that sells new cars. I bought an extended warranty once, and the only time I took advantage of it, I took it to a different dealer than the one from which I purchased my car. Everything went through no problem.

 

Your warranty contract should have an 800 number listed on it. Call 'em up and ask if you're chained to the Ford dealer you bought the car from, or if you can take it "home" to a GM dealer.

 

I dunno, it just seems wrong to me to have a Chevy serviced at a Ford dealer!