stan211

My 2011 A4 2.0T Quattro Manual is making a horrible knocking, clanking, noise from the left front suspension area when traveling under 15mph over uneven surfaces (seems to be silent when both wheels hit a speed bump at the same time).

I have read many forums and have performed the following fixes to no avail:
- retorqued all suspension bolts
- checked the sway bar links and bushing
- made sure bumpstops were seated and dustboot was properly attached
- checked brake pads and rotors for proper mounting and torque

I am starting to think that it could be one of the following items:
- Front CV axle is shot (but then again I only have 8K miles on the car)
- Front control arm bushings are bad (car was made in 5/2011 so it is way after the recall)

The noise is getting progressively worse and is making me worried. I had many unpleasant dealership experiences and would like to try all DIY before resorting to them; any help is greatly appreciated.

markinarch

Well you have definitely done your homework. I have no idea what it could be but good luck getting it worked out. Keep us updated so we will know the cause and fix for the future.

ezveedub

Check the axle shaft flange on the left side of the transmission. It may be the shaft bearing is the case is not preloaded enough and is causing the noise.

stan211

Thanks for the advice, will get the car up on the stands as soon as the rain is over to give it a check.

MonzaA5

Is there any particular reason why your are doing it yourself instead of letting the dealer fix it under warranty?

stan211

Last car I had was taken to the dealer for similar issues aka Front end rattle, once I got it back a host of other problems were present. Amongst which, over torqued bolts, poorly installed bushing, scratched paint. I despise the dealer to an unimaginable degree and will never take a chance again, unless absolutely necessary. Also, the highest rated dealer in my area comes to 2.5 stars...

scarelli7

I had a very similar issue on the front right side of my 2011 A4 2.0T at about 7,000 mi. Heard a lot of knocking when making slow turns on bumpy terrain, ie: entering a driveway. Brought it back to the dealer and actually stumped them for about a week. At first, they changed a few things to no avail, including a defective power steering hose because they said I was losing pressure. Eventually they found "excessive play" in the steering shaft and replaced the column tube. I'm no mechanic, and don't know if this info will help you-just thought I'd give my experience. Good luck.

PS all was replaced under warranty, no charge whatsoever.

stan211

That is excellent advise, I will check into it as a trip to the dealer seems to be in order now. Thanks again for all the help!