strut mount noise

If your car clunks, creaks or groans over bumps or when turning, that “strut mount noise” is the suspension’s way of filing a formal complaint.

It usually comes from the strut top mount’s rubber isolator or bearing plate wearing out, letting metal parts argue loudly.

• Worn rubber bushing causing vertical clunk over bumps.
• Seized or gritty bearing making low-speed steering creak.
• Loose top nut or mis-seated spring after poor installation.
• Rust or torn mount allowing strut to shift under load.

Diagnosis: bounce the corner, steer at parking speeds, and listen near the tower; a mechanic can confirm with a pry bar and road test.

Fix is replacement of the mount (often in pairs) and a wheel alignment; in Australia, expect roughly AUD $400–$900 per axle depending on vehicle and labour.

Ignore it and you’ll chew through tyres and sanity in equal measure.