Creaking front suspension when turning wheel at stop

[nissenc1337]

Hey there-

 

Glad there's a community out there for us Edge owners. My wife and I recently bought a 2011 Ford EDGE Limited and when we picked the car up we noticed that when the car is stopped and we turn the wheel to opposite lock (either direction) we hear a creaking sound. Could this be my strut mounts? I tried searching and couldn't find anything. She runs great at 95,000 miles but I'm slowly bringing everything up to perfect spec (just did an oil change to Pennzoil High Mileage and will be doing plugs sometime next week followed by both serpentine belts).

 

Let me know what you think, I've tried putting my hand on the strut tower under the hood while turning and didn't feel anything noticeable but I'm hoping this is something common.

[Waldo]

You should never turn the steering to lock when you're not moving on any car. It's very hard on all the steering and suspension components. The way the geometry of the steering is set up means that you're not just pivoting the wheel around an axis, you're also laterally and vertically loading the suspension components and bushings. The creaking you hear is probably the suspension bushings getting loaded up. Because you're not moving, this load can't be relaxed as it would when you're moving.

So just stop steering while stopped and don't worry about the noise! Drive a car without power steering like my old Miata and you'll quickly rid yourself of this bad habit!

[nissenc1337]

I know the difference between a concerning sound and one that isn't a big deal. This is something I've never heard a car make (including our previous edge) under similar conditions. There's no reason why this should be happening. Your solution is equivalent to someone having a problem with a car and simply suggesting "well don't drive it! problem solved!"

 

I appreciate your thoughts but don't pass my lack of posts off as someone who has a lack of mechanical experience.

 

I'm still seeking opinions on what to check,

[Waldo]

I'd still put my money on suspension bushings, either lower control arm or the stabilizer bar bushings. Variation in those parts coming out of the factory is pretty large, after 95000 miles comparing them to any other Edge is pointless.

 

When I stand on the brakes and turn the steering on just about any car to lock, even a brand new one, I almost always hear creaking noises.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Waldo

[macbwt]

I will say the Struts and Strut bearing mounts are due for replacement. Why you running High mileage oil? I have always ran normal oil and still do with 240K miles on the engine and no problems.

[nissenc1337]

How do I know when the struts need to be replaced? Are there struts out there that would offer a smoother ride (it's a great ride as of now but it'd be nice to upgrade if I could)?

 

I run high mileage oil because why not? The Pennzoil is designed for it and it's not a high performance car so I don't mind lubricating my seals and whatnot (I have a small timing cover leak as well).

[Jeramie630]

I have a Similar problem with my 2011 edge sport with 56000 miles on it. When I'm at a stop and start backing up and turning the wheel I get like a stress creaking noise from the front end.