Clunking sounds from car starts from a stopped position

Post by **kdaide** » 12 May 2010, 13:35

Hi-

My Volvo S60 has developed a clunking sounds somewhere in the front end . It only happens when the car starts moving from a stationary position and it doesnt alway happen but more often than not. The car just gets rolling and then there's a single 'clunks' - the sounds only occurs once, that is, until you stop again.
Any ideas?

Thanks, Kevin

2002 S60 AWD 210K km's

jda2000 · Post by **jda2000** » 12 May 2010, 18:30

most likely the strut spring seats are broken, common failure in these cars every 50-60k miles.

225-50R16 · Post by **225-50R16** » 12 May 2010, 20:31

Do you have automatic transmission? If yes, then there is some clunk sound just after the start. I do not know what is causing it or even if it is malfunction.

Post by **jblackburn** » 12 May 2010, 21:21

Spring seats will cause multiple clunks over small bumps, etc.

Any strange vibrations going on?

Have you had a look at any of your motor or transmission mounts? Look at the top firewall one first, and then the transmission.

Post by **kdaide** » 12 May 2010, 21:27

This is an automatic transmission.

No strange vibrations that I've noticed. I'll checkout the mounts.

Thanks, Kevin

225-50R16 · Post by **225-50R16** » 12 May 2010, 23:03

225-50R16 wrote:Do you have automatic transmission? If yes, then there is some clunk sound just after the start. I do not know what is causing it or even if it is malfunction.

What I meant is sound caused by the gears in side the transmission not mounting equipment of it. My car is doing like that some noise after start.

Post by **kdaide** » 13 May 2010, 07:21

I hope that it's not a transmission problems. I had my transmission completly replace 55,000 miles ago. It blew up at 70,000 miles

After a few days of the clunking being predictable, it has suddenly gone away???

Next time the cars in the garage, i'll have them take a look at the engine mounts just to rule them out.

Thanks for your help

Post by **jblackburn** » 13 May 2010, 07:29

You might need to flush your transmission fluid. Pull out the trans. dipstick and wipe it on a clean white paper towel. It's hard to tell the color sometimes on the yellow stick. It should be a bright, clear red. If it is anything else, it needs to be changed.

Post by **regent** » 15 May 2010, 16:05

What about the so called "axle ping"; have you checked your axle bolts? They have been known to become loose and cause this 'clunk'. Volvo claims to have remedied that by applying some loctite to the splines, but there is a better cure by replacing the original axle bolts with XC90 axle bolts, PN 30714142.
IPD sells them here:
http://ipdusa.com/search.asp?strKeyword ... &submit=GO

Hope this helps.