Thu, 15 Jan 2004 23:31:22 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@ultranet.com suggested: : On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 04:29:30 GMT, meld_b wrote: : :>Hello - I've got a 98 900 that makes a crunching noise when going over :>bumps when it's real cold (5F). As the car warms up the noise lessens :>even though it's still cold out. The first time it happened was over a :>speed bump and I got out and pushed on the fender and couldn't get even :>a hint of it of course that was much slower of a movement. :>
:>Is this a sign that the struts are going? One of the inner fenders is :>cracked but I hear it seemingly out of both sides. If it is struts and :>it doesn't happen when warm, is there much harm in driving it? : : Known issue below 10 degrees or so. I wouldn't worry at all. I have : the same problem an I have new struts. I also get the noise from : the back. I keep promising myself that I will get under there one : day when it's cold and start lubing bushings until I find the one : that makes noise but when it's cold I just can't be motivated to : lay on the driveway. FWIW, I'm sure it's not the strut itself : freezing, it's a rubber bushing of some sort.
My '95 900 has done this in cold weather as long as I've owned it (2 years now). I get the suspension inspected annually, and I've not been recommended strut replacement yet. Over the summer, the dealer did say that the bushings are getting pretty rough, though, so I'd expect that it's bushing-related.