Squeaking and popping sound

[Typical Tom]

The vehicle: 2016 with 58K total miles, 56K of which on H&R Super Sport springs. About the last 15K on Koni Yellows with the same springs. No other suspension mods or replacements of OEM parts.

So this sound just started with just some squeaking here and there over small bumps/elevation changes in my apartments concrete parking lot. Very recently it has become more pronounced and hear it on the road over bumps. Seems more pronounced while going straight or turning right. Another thing I've noticed recently is backing out of my parking space in the morning I turn the wheel to the right and I get a popping noise a few times as the wheel turns to full lock. I haven't noticed the popping any other time though. The car is very low in the front (obviously) and I don't have access to lift the car but from what I can tell the shock seems fine (not leaking).

Could it be a bushing? Control arm or sway bar bushing? Something else? I'm not very mechanically inclined so sorry if my ignorance is showing lol

I also get a very similar squeaking over bumps in the rear as well but same story as the front left. No signs of leaking shocks. Rears have the purple Powerflex coil spring pads I added when I got the Koni Yellows so I've just chalked it up to those but now this noise in the front I can't explain but it does sound similar.

 

[FiestaSTdude]

I had a mysterious squeaking sound that ended up being a bad control arm bushing at around 65K. There was only a tiny bit if play in the control arm so it was hard to identify.

 

[Typical Tom]

I had a mysterious squeaking sound that ended up being a bad control arm bushing at around 65K. There was only a tiny bit if play in the control arm so it was hard to identify.

How pronounced was the squeaking? Mine sounds like an old mattress going to town. It's quite bad and annoying. If I play music I don't usually hear it and don't notice any differences in drivability which leads me to think it's something less significant like a bushing. Maybe a little bouncier with low speed bumps but I'm not sure if it's in my head or not at this point.

 

[FiestaSTdude]

How pronounced was the squeaking? Mine sounds like an old mattress going to town. It's quite bad and annoying. If I play music I don't usually hear it and don't notice any differences in drivability which leads me to think it's something less significant like a bushing. Maybe a little bouncier with low speed bumps but I'm not sure if it's in my head or not at this point.

My car felt fine with the bad control arm as far as handling. It sounded pretty bad on low speed bumps, definitely annoying.

 

[JJ_FiestaST]

Sway bar bushings, strut bearing or control arm bushing, or perhaps something loose I’d say.

 

[sonicmn]

I had an intermittent clunk/squeak that I believe was the front spring rubbing on the inner suspension tower. it would go away depending on if I had done a track day. I believe it was intermittent because the spring would rotate and no longer contact during a track day, and at the next one it would rotate again clunk again. it could have also been the blown dampers too... they were shot.

I just changed from the ST coilovers to Bilstein B8x swift springs and I haven't heard it since

 

[dhminer]

Try some silicone lube on the passenger side engine mount. Mine squeaked like a mofo and some lube eliminated it immediately.

 

[Sam4]

Could the top hat/ strut mounts be bad? I'm chasing noise and I think that's all that's left - 95 thou / 50+ on bilsteins and new top hats (ok control arms, end links, all motor mounts - RMM x3).....are the strut mounts toast again?

 

[LilPartyBox]

Front end noises are the most troublesome to diagnose but usually easy enough to fix. I currently have a rattle and click i need to chase down. But at 70k its normal for most cars this age.

You'll have to test

• Ball joints
• Control arm bushings
• axles
• strut mounts
• sway bar end links
• tie rods
• sway bar bushings
• make sure all engine mounts are tight and in good condition

Good luck! At least the weather is getting better so laying under a car for hours won't be toooo bad.