Clunk When Braking At Slow Speed

[mnes300]

When coming to a stop my 02 es300 makes a clunck or pop coming from the front left. Then after stopping and accelerating while turning the wheel like after backing out of a parking spot it does it again. Has anyone experienced this if so is it a bushing or something or maybe the brakes?

[camlex]

Hello,

Check dogbone mount and front engine mount

Hope that help.

[ArmyofOne]

Hello,

Check dogbone mount and front engine mount

Hope that help.

Check the Constant Velocity (CV) joints.

[steviej]

When coming to a stop my 02 es300 makes a clunck or pop coming from the front left. Then after stopping and accelerating while turning the wheel like after backing out of a parking spot it does it again. Has anyone experienced this if so is it a bushing or something or maybe the brakes?

yep, I had that on the right side. I only happened when there was weight shift in the car, like pulling into my driveway and stopping (weight shifts front end down) and reversing out of the driveway and stopping (weight shifts front end up). It turned out to be the strut. Something broke up inside. I never found out exactly what it was but they replaced the entire strut under warranty and the noise was gone. I have a somewhat detailed letter that I left with the car when I had dropped it off on a Sunday. I wasn't going to be there when the tech checked it out so I left detailed instructions on what I did to acutally recreate the noise in my driveway while the car was standing still. The car had been in twice for the noise: the first time I was told it was the free floating brake pads and it was normal. They could explain why only the right side "free floating pads" made the noise. The second time it was raining and during the test drive and in the garage the noise couldn't be heard. I then was able to recreate it.

Here is the letter that I left for the service manager. Try it.

On my flat driveway,

1. I proceeded to grasp the right front wheel at 3 and 9 o’clock and shake the wheel. The sound could be duplicated.

2. With both hands at 12 o’clock, I was able to shake the wheel and have the sound duplicated to a larger and more pronounced extent.

3. With the car raised and supported, I was able to duplicate the sound again with hands placed at 3 and 9, 6 and 12, and two hands at 12.

None of this could be duplicated on the three remaining wheels.

To further eliminate the possibly that it might be a wheel problem,

A. I swapped the right front custom wheel for the stock 2002 ES wheel that came with the car. The sounds could be recreated again when performing steps 1 thru 3 above.

B. I rotated the right front custom wheel with the right rear custom wheel and again, the sounds could be recreated in the right front wheel assembly.

I hope this helps.

steviej

[mnes300]

When coming to a stop my 02 es300 makes a clunck or pop coming from the front left. Then after stopping and accelerating while turning the wheel like after backing out of a parking spot it does it again. Has anyone experienced this if so is it a bushing or something or maybe the brakes?

yep, I had that on the right side. I only happened when there was weight shift in the car, like pulling into my driveway and stopping (weight shifts front end down) and reversing out of the driveway and stopping (weight shifts front end up). It turned out to be the strut. Something broke up inside. I never found out exactly what it was but they replaced the entire strut under warranty and the noise was gone. I have a somewhat detailed letter that I left with the car when I had dropped it off on a Sunday. I wasn't going to be there when the tech checked it out so I left detailed instructions on what I did to acutally recreate the noise in my driveway while the car was standing still. The car had been in twice for the noise: the first time I was told it was the free floating brake pads and it was normal. They could explain why only the right side "free floating pads" made the noise. The second time it was raining and during the test drive and in the garage the noise couldn't be heard. I then was able to recreate it.

Here is the letter that I left for the service manager. Try it.

On my flat driveway,

1. I proceeded to grasp the right front wheel at 3 and 9 o’clock and shake the wheel. The sound could be duplicated.

2. With both hands at 12 o’clock, I was able to shake the wheel and have the sound duplicated to a larger and more pronounced extent.

3. With the car raised and supported, I was able to duplicate the sound again with hands placed at 3 and 9, 6 and 12, and two hands at 12.

None of this could be duplicated on the three remaining wheels.

To further eliminate the possibly that it might be a wheel problem,

A. I swapped the right front custom wheel for the stock 2002 ES wheel that came with the car. The sounds could be recreated again when performing steps 1 thru 3 above.

B. I rotated the right front custom wheel with the right rear custom wheel and again, the sounds could be recreated in the right front wheel assembly.

I hope this helps.

steviej

I tried what you said and it didn't make any noise. The only time I can get the noise to happen is when the brake is applied at slow speeds and hitting a bump at the same time or when going forward and turning the wheel after backing out of my driveway. Have you ever heard of anyone having problems with loose brake pads or some kind of slop in the caliper?

[98es]

My 98 has done that ever since I had it. My mom's 02 does it to, but only after the first stop after backing out of the driveway. When we had an 03 honda accord it did the same thing, but even louder. I was told it was normal.

[mnes300]

Have you ever taken your car in to see if there is something that needs to be greased or replaced to make it stop? You'de figure that a car this expensive wouldn't do that, however I know a real honest front end guy at a alignment shop maybe he can find the problem.

[ArmyofOne]

Have you ever taken your car in to see if there is something that needs to be greased or replaced to make it stop? You'de figure that a car this expensive wouldn't do that, however I know a real honest front end guy at a alignment shop maybe he can find the problem.

oh it only does it on braking. when were your front brakes done last? check your calipers, the bolts ont hem are Torque-to-yield, and if the brake shop that did the brakes last didnt replace them, they are likely to have backed off. same exact thing happened on my brothers ranger when he let "just Brakes" get ahold of his truck...never again.

and if they did that, chances are they didnt use a shim kit either.

[98es]

Have you ever taken your car in to see if there is something that needs to be greased or replaced to make it stop? You'de figure that a car this expensive wouldn't do that, however I know a real honest front end guy at a alignment shop maybe he can find the problem.

The accord we had checked out and they said it was normal. The 02 es300 doesn't do it all the time, but you can hear it when it does. My 98 does it every morning, it never fails. It seems like its always the first time I brake after I've backed up out of the driveway/parking space. After that I don't hear it again.

It's not something I was ever worried about since I remember them explaining it to me on the accord, which made the EXACT same sound be much louder. I honestly don't think it's anything broken, I've just gotten used to it. I'd be interested to know what your mechanic thinks it is. Good Luck.

[mnes300]

Thanks for all your replies, I think I wil try and grease all the fittings and chage the brake pads and torque the caliper bolts and see if that takes care of it, if it doesn't I'll just forget about it.