Zafira! The ongoing saga...

GalacticaActual

Hi all

Me again

Sooo....

Mrs zafira went for MOT yesterday, it passed, but since then it has developed an intermittent sqeak, sqeal from the drivers side wheel area. Also a knocking rumble noise also intermittent and when you go over a bump its more pronounced.

Took it back to mot garage, up on the ramp agsin, 4 mechanics looking at it and no fault or issue found.

Was told its safe to drive, but the noises are still very much a concern.

Anyone have any ideas what it could be?

Seriously thinking I need to take a can or petrol to it and then throw a match in its direction

Thanks

gibbo52

It can happen when the body is jacked up a suspension joint can develop a knock as it's put in a position it's never been in before.
Surprised 4 mechanics couldn't find anything though.

GalacticaActual

Likley to be ok, or dangerous?

They did put it on the ramp and Jack it up

Moved the wheel around and made sure everything tight and in place.

Quite thougher I was told by the Mrs.

Im just concerned it's something dangerous.

Is it Likely to correct its self?

gibbo52

Likely to be ok, no it's making a noise so it's not ok.
Dangerous? Not till your wheel falls off no.
Likely to correct itself, worn parts don't fix themselves.
The idea of lifting the body to let the suspension hang free is to release any road spring pressure so wear can be seen, but it's not always that simple and the mechanic still has to know how to check a joint, I've known time served old mechanics still not able to find play in a joint, turn plates are often not used correctly if at all.
Take a mechanic out on a test drive so you can show when it makes the noise.

GalacticaActual

Two of them went out in it, said they could hear the rumble and the squeaking, but they couldn't find the issue. I want there unfortunately it was just the Mrs. She says they checked everything, made sure nothing was loose, etc. I am not convinced, however.......

The garage we used is normally pretty good, have done a lot our MOTS for years and have done a lot of work for us, so I don't not trust them, I just don't think they looked hard enough for the issue. They did say we could actually book it in with them for the day for them to have a proper look, but I am not sure we should be paying for that if it is something that they may have caused during the MOT. Proving this however is something else entirely!

GalacticaActual

Recorded the issue.....

gibbo52

It's hard to say from a video but that sounds like the engines falling out
Seriously it's heavy and should be easy to find, just take it back.

GalacticaActual

Hi, we took it back and they couldn't find the issue. I have a mobile mechanic that we have used before coming on Wednesday for a second opinion.

Seriously, this car is cursed!

Nothing but issues with it since purchase, but we can't afford a different one

car-man

I would check the anti roll bar "D" bushes, the steering rack and the anti roll bar link rods. I would also take a close look at the top suspension strut mounts. The link rods can only be checked properly with the car flat on a ramp or the road and by gripping them and pulling them up and down.
I've had the rattling/rumble on Zafiras and it's usually either the steering rack inner ball joints, the D bushes, or the rack itself has up and down play in it....the noise in those instances has been coming from the middle of the car below the centre console. The top strut mount noise is obviously from around the wheel area.

GalacticaActual

HI, Car-man thanks for weighing in on this as well.

It's not being looked at now until Wed PM

She needs to drive it around to a few places over the weekend. Are we likely to cause more damage or issues if it's being used?

Also, shouldn't any of those issues been easy to find when it went back the day after the mot? or even failed the mot?

I am starting to think that perhaps I had too much faith in the garage's abilities.

Thanks.