I have only owned my '04 Crossfire for 1 week. Normally it stays in heated underground parking, but last night I had to put the other car in there. The temp dropped to -1F by morning. I went out to go to work this morning and as I pulled out and turned the wheel, I got a 'bang' like noise from the front.

The noise wasn't there when going straight. Had to get to work so I couldn't wait the hour to take it to the dealer. No noise while driving on highway or when I got to work and turned sharp again in parking lot.

Does anyone know what it might be from? Is there something in the steering system that could freeze and cause it?

Love the car, but really worried that it truly is a warm weather only car.

 

Hey Christo,


I have had my Crossfire for a year and a half and have experienced the same thing ( I think! ). My car is also in a warm garage, but when I drive to work I park outside. I back the car into its spot and at the end of the day when I leave I turn the wheel fairly hard to the right to leave. I would describe what I hear as a "thump", possibly suspension related.

I have no ideas, just thought I would chime in!

 

It almost sounds like the tire(s) are rolling over on themselves. I checked the pressure when its around 0F, and it was around 27psi, so I doubt it would be rolling over. I have also had others watch for anything as I turn slowly in the parking lot, they hear it, but don't see anything, other then 1 guy saw the wheel jerk as he heard the noise.

I have taken it in to the dealer to have the noise, as well as a couple other things checked and will see what they say, assuming they will be honest about what they find.

In case you are curious, my other problems are:
Heated seats wouldn't go into High when it was around 0F, lights just flashed
Cigarette lighter doesn't stay depressed, tried new one and that didn't work, so problem is in the car.
Wind noise from passenger window.
Rubber plugs in glove compartment need to be installed in frame.

and my favorite, because of the "certified".... check my rear passenger tire for damage because I drove on it for 3-4 days with around 15psi (in heat, so around 10 in cold) because the dealer told me to ignore the TPM light, that he said would be on for a bit from being in the cold on the lot. Apparantly being certified doesn't require tire pressure to be anywhere near recommended levels.

 

Why would your dealer not check air pressure ?isn't the price in Wi. as in LA.Since the XF is an 04,and has been siiting since build date you might want them to change oil .I think it's a year old.How many miles on it at delivery.And what's your vin# ?

 

I purchased it used with 6400 miles. It had been sitting there since around September. So either they never checked the pressure, or that one tire has a slow leak and they only checked it when it first arrived, either way I am having them look it over.

And they did do an oil change.

The car is #024747, I believe making it one of the last 04's produced.

Just hoping that the noise I hear isn't from a major problem with the steering.

 

Have them change fluid in steering making sure no air in lines .

 

If you haven't done it already, remember that the 7/70 warranty has to be transferred within 30 days of your purchase or you will only get the remainder of the 3/36. It would definitely be a good idea if you are already having some issues.

 

Hmmm... will have to ask someone about that. Got the impression from the dealer it was all taken care of with the 'certified used' bumping up all the warranties.

I work with a guy whose wife is a manager of the dealer I use and she has been keeping an eye on things for me. I will find out from her. (when she found out from her husband about the low pressure in the tire, she was more pissed than I was)

 

i had the thump this morning too. it was a continuous rapid thump thump thump through my first right turn. then it didnt do it the rest of the way to work. ill see if it does it when leave tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

That is what mine did. Depending on how slowly I drove, and how much I turned the wheel. Also cranking the wheel the other direction would get it to go again. I never hear it when driving straight or at higher speeds. Only when slowly turning, like when pulling out of a parking spot.

 

Just heard back from the dealer service dept. Apparantly the noise is normal! The tech said the crossfire has steering stops that hit when making sharper turns during slow maneuvering. I stated it was never at any specific turning degree but during a wide range, and he insisted he had called 'STAR' and they said it was normal. (I have never heard of STAR, he says they are a service they use, repair hotline?) He did say they lube it up to keep the noise less noticeable, but I will have to see/hear that for myself.

I personally think if the noise is normal, then more of us here would have heard it. And you can't miss it, especially when you have a passenger and they hear it and stare at you with fear in their eyes.

Also, it seems there is a new TSB out for wind noise. The service guy, under my suggestion, looked up for any bulletins and found one that required him to order a brand new part number for a new weather strip to fix it, not just adjusting the window.

He also said that the tires are essentially run-flat because the car is so light, so having 15psi for 2-3 days would do nothing to it.

 

christo:

Low presure is one thing but I question what it would do to the tire air presure sensors if the tire was run flat.

 

The standard Chrysler offering is not a "run-flat" tire. A true "run-flat" or "zero-pressure" tire has a stronger sidewall than a typical tire. Some have different bead designs. If you ran at 15psi for a few days, take the car into any tire shop with a good reputation in your immediate area and have them take a look at it. Let them dismount it from the rim and check the inner wall. It will cost all of $20.00 maybe and a half hour of your time. Isn't your car worth it or for that matter...aren't you worth it. Any tech that told you that this is a "run-flat" needs to be reported to the dealership service manager, cuz he missed a day at ASE certification class and he should be hit with a tire iron in hope of jarring his gray matter a bit. That kind of information puts you in jeopardy and continues to give Chrysler service a black eye.

 

I have never heard any banging noise from my steering. Anytime a dealer tells you that something is normal, ask to drive every other Crossfire on their lot to see how many of them are "normal". If someone saw a tire jerk when making the noise, it sounds like you might have a loose steering/suspension component, or something may be bent to where it is binding during steering travel.

 

When I picked up the car last night, I asked again for the explanation, and again with a manager with me. The service guy said he didn't hear the noise and the tech that worked on it couldn't get it to make the noise either.

I only heard the noise when it was out in near 0F temperatures sitting for a couple hours. When I picked up the car it was around 20F and wasn't making the noise. It felt to me like the tire was rolling over on itself and popping back. The service guy said that could be possible and they didn't know how these tires would really act in the severe cold.

I will just have to hope for some more near 0F days where I can take it down there and let them hear it and go from there.

 

What about the guy who saw the tire jerk when it happened? I don't understand how a 'stop' works during cold weather. That makes no sense to me? If you put it to full lock, ok, theres a stop there, were you turning with it in full lock? Hmm I might have heard a noise when doing that too, when its cold.

The thing I find is wierd is that traction control seems to work less in the cold. I made a sharp left turn at a light before, going very fast, I actually could feel the wheels spinning more than normal and there was no light flashing on the dash. Then other times it flashes when going slow and doing normal driving during the cold. Very odd.

Oh and listen to this, my headlight misted up, normal according to Chrysler. Only this time it froze inside the headlight! Now I've had a frozen up headlight all week, since temperatures haven't gone over 20 degrees! Driving with the hightbeams on has made almost no difference. Hopefully once it warms up it will go away.

 

I don't know how a stop could make the noise. Its never at a full turn, and typically its there as I turn the wheel more or less, not when its held in one spot.

Pulling out of a parking spot after it has sat there for several hours in zero degree fahrenheit weather should do it. So you are initially backing up (going forward) slowly and nearly straight, then turn the wheel more, then straightening out again. That is when I first heard it and how I was able to reproduce it. Never hear it once its above 20 degrees or when going down the road at normal speeds, just slow parking maneuvers, just after starting up and still cold.

 

In the manual it says the vehicle steering can thump while turning if the pressure hose is to close to something. I wonder if it shrinks or stiffens at that cold temp and hits on something. Might be something to check out.
phil.