[tg4398]

Hi everyone, newbie here looking for some info.

I have a 2009 Buick Enclave CXL FWD that has a subtle clunk from the rear over slight bumps. The noise seems like it's telescoping from the tires throught the shocks. It's subtle but annoying for a vehicle of this quality. Dealership can't find anything wrong with rear end. Please let me know if anyone has came across this with their vehicle. Thank you.

 

[johnny772084]

First thing I would check is the spare tire, making sure it's not loose in the well, then I would check the jack and the lug wrench making sure those are not bouncing around. Also check the battery hold down while you're at it, sometimes it's not tight enough and works itself loose.

Good Luck.

 

[TAZ427]

I was thinking along the same lines as Johnny but even a bit simpler. Do you have stuff stored under the rear cargo floor? I store a fair amount of stuff under there and I hear it clunk when I go over speedbumps.

 

[GoldEnclave]

I recall reading a couple of posts about rear end clunking in two Enclaves being driven by a forum member in frigid Ontario Provence. The problem was attributed to poor cold weather response of some rear suspension parts, and the issue was never resolved. If this is your situation, too, it may be the same issue rearing its ugly head.

 

[tg4398]

Thanks for replies. I have not checked any of those and will do so today. Will let you know.

 

[GoldEnclave]

This morning, there was a loud clunk from the lower rear of the car while I started to drive around the cul-de-sac near my home. During the drive to work afterwards, there would be a more faint clunk when driving over some bumps, and a loud clunk again while turning into the driveway near work. Any ideas? :-\

 

[john 070]

As I was looking at the rear brake setup when bleeding the calipers, my hunch is that debris can get caught on the inside around the backing plate, rotor, and caliper. We have had unexplainable grinding sounds, where I have gotten out of the vehicle, climbed under, and been unable to locate the sound. The dealer claimed it was because the front struts were not tightened at the factory (um, but the sound is at the rear).

We also have a sound at 65 mph that sounds like a wheel bearing is failing. Well, that's understandable since we have high mileage, I think 36k :angryfire:

 

[rbarrios]

maybe check the rubber hangers for the exhaust-

 

[GoldEnclave]

maybe check the rubber hangers for the exhaust-

I'm thinking exhaust, too, because it was replaced almost two years ago at a Toyota dealer's body shop. I'll see if I can determine the cause before going to my Buick dealer next week to evaluate the issue.

 

[GoldEnclave]

I have driven the car a few times since I first noticed the clunk, and have made some additional observations. First, the clunk seems to be coming from the rear right area of the car, and seems to be fairly low down. Second, it is more likely to occur over sharp bumps rather than softer road irregularities. Third, it sometimes occurs during fairly sharp turns, even if there is no bump in the road surface, and is usually louder when that happens. Also, sometimes, a bump in the road that would seem likely to cause the clunk doesn't trigger the noise. Finally, when the clunk is particularly loud, it is felt slightly through the chassis.

I looked inside the cargo area, and the only loose item was the black plastic (empty) storage bin below the carpeted cargo floor. The screws that fasten it to the body were completely unscrewed, so I tightened them. Also, the tire iron within the jack storage area on the left side of the trunk was not locked in place. But, it is stored in a padded sack, so I doubt that it could be the source of the noise. The spare donut seems to be firmly secured, and the rear mufflers and tail pipes seem solidly latched to the chassis.

If I'm very lucky, the unsecured black hard plastic cargo bin was the source of the noise, but I am doubtful. I am inclined to think that there is a suspension issue or that a part of the exhaust system that I was unable to examine is loose. I have an appointment with my Buick dealer on Tuesday, but I will cancel it if the clunk was eliminated by my actions today.

 

[cfedor]

opcorn: Gold, opcorn: keep us up to date.

Oh and maybe that "clunk in the trunk" is last month's dead body..... :shrug:

 

[GoldEnclave]

No luck. The noise is still present. I'll find out what it is tomorrow.

 

[john 070]

Unfortunately, as humans, we like to like things. For example, I blew $20 on ACDelco wiper blades that don't match up to the OEM, and realized, DOH, ACDelco is only one of the suppliers to GM, they are not OEM (VALEO IS, as they are with BMW), and they make plenty of non OEM parts (like the starter I put in my Nissan cuz of lifetime warranty--haha I installed 3 of them wasting my own labor--they have since canceled the lifetime warranty, however, I am grandfathered).

Same thing, we wish things would just disappear, like sounds that should not be. Maybe the best thing is for the Enclave to disappear. I know a guy..... :happy:

 

[GoldEnclave]

:happy:

 

[john 070]

For real, back in college, my friend had a VW Cabrio (now the Golf is a unisex car, but a cabrio?), and he didn't like it anymore. He wished that somehow it would go away.

What did he do? He took it to Hunts Point, and later that week, his wish came true! :happy:

(I haven't been there in years, picture that this was 1989)

I might add this is not an imaginary friend. If you read my posts, I was driving a 1970 LeMans Sport at the time!

 

[GoldEnclave]

Hunts Point is one of the many automobile black holes in NYC.

 

[GoldEnclave]

It turns out that the rear sway bar links are bad. The dealer is ordering the parts, and I will take the car back for installation next week (due to my restrictive work schedule). The charge will be about $489 complete.

 

[john 070]

Sounds really expensive? Can an indy do it?

Seriously, does anybody know when American cars got so expensive to repair....it's like BMW pricing on each and every job. I know for a fact people used to say they got a Chevy or Poncho or Olds because the repairs were inexpensive compared to imports....

In 2033 when we're replacing the Enclave, I'm definitely going German. The repair costs are the same, but I feel the German repairs are better, as are the components.

This is a 2011 Enclave rear sway bar links both sides plugged into their calculator

http://repairpal.com/estimator/results

RepairPrice EstimateTM
$127 to $250
Customized for your location
How much should I pay?
Estimate includes:
Labor

$79-$100
Parts (excludes tax & fees)

$48-$150
Parts Included
2 Sway Bar End Link - Rears

 

[rbarrios]

$489 for 2 endlinks?

theyre about $20 each (Moog) on ebay.
or $35 each for AC DELCO on ebay.



Im pointing to my endlinks in the pic below.
Looks like a pretty straightforward remove and replace.
BUt I dont think it should be $435 worth-- unless im missing something?

 

[enclavedude]

John 070 - thanks for the tip regarding Repair Pal. Did not know to look there but will in the future since the mechanic I take my car to for work complies with Repair Pal estimates. Most likely the high end of the PayPal estimate though. But that's better than a dealers price!!!