2003 S40 strut issue

[martin9586]

I was having a clunking noise in the front end of the car but couldn't identify it. I took it to a mechanic and he diagnosed it as a bad engine mount and struts. The drivers side strut was not sitting straight in the car (when you look at the strut bolt under the hood it was not centered). So I picked up the car a few days later and the clunking noise was gone.

About a week later I was in a parking lot and went over a speed bump and the drivers creaked and still does. I looked under the hood to see if the strut was centered and it isn't.

I suspect that the creaking is tie rods, ball joints or a bushing but what would cause the strut not to sit straight in the car?