Our XJ has a creaking/popping sound which comes from the front wheels or suspension (or whatever else might be located there, bushels? etc.). It is audible when we turn the wheel at parking speed. From inside the car it sort of feels like a pop pop pop sensation through the steering wheel. From outside the car, there is quite a pronounced popping/creaking sound.

We had taken it to Jag for them to inspect. They spent a whole day disassembling and checking the wheels, suspension etc. They say that everything is as it should be, and they have no idea what the sound is. They said: "it might get better... or worse". We are obviously not happy with that outcome. We are taking it back to Jag through Jaguar Assistance, to have it looked at again.

I was just wondering if any other forum members have experienced this sort of sound coming from the front wheel area? Or indeed anyone who might have an idea as to what it could be. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

The popping/creaking sound is at 0:00-0:03 and 0:17-0:19 in the video below (apologies for the poor acoustics, it was filmed in an underground car park which makes everything reverberate quite a bit).

Thanks,
Peregrine

Wheel_suspension_creaking_popping - iPhone.m4v - YouTube

 

Well, I had a similar issue on an XKR, and it was loose nuts on a strut (drivers side, top of the strut in the engine bay) at the top of the strut. After they were tightened/torqued the popping noise went away. Also, my drivers side is your passenger side...

I understand that you stated that your dealer worked with the wheels and suspension, but this is obviously a mechanical condition associated with the movement of the wheels, and since it does not occur continuously with wheel/tire movement it has to be something "associated" with wheel movement and not the wheel movement itself. I would strongly suspect the strut nuts or perhaps a tie rod. Also, the rotation of the wheels suggest to me that that a torsional stress is being applied again pointing to something simply not torqued/tightened properly.

The strut nuts are easy to tighten in the engine bay.

 

Go to an ordinary old school garage.
They can find out what is making this noise.
Should be no problem to find our source of noise, then
go to Jaguar and tell them what is wrong.

If young mechanics do not find a fault in their diagnosic computer
everything is fine for them, even when car is not running at all!

Uwe

 

Apologies for the late reply, and thanks for the input.

@rscultho Thanks very much for your suggestions. I would not have thought of that, so thank you. I telephoned the dealership, and put your suggestions to them. Of course they said they had already done that, when they had the car in the last time... Don't quite know what to think about this...

I have now contacted Jaguar directly, they have in turn contacted the dealership on my behalf. Subsequently, the dealership have contacted me to examine the car again.

@XJ-Uwe You're actually probably right! Sometimes old-school mechanics really know their stuff.

I will post an update as soon as I have more info.

Thanks,
Peregrine