clunk in steering column - Page 3 - SRT Forums

turbo4life · 05-04-2004, 09:42 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by funks

mine's an '04 and have the clunk at times problem.

Mine started at 15k miles, how about you?

Gotallofthem · 05-04-2004, 09:43 PM

I have the clunk too, I haven't been able to take it to the dealership, dont really want to at this current time(car is still to new).

My temperary fix to the problem is simple, I just lowered the steering column untill it stopped clunking. Been working fine for the past 10,000

Untill I raised 4 days ago, clunk came back, so I lowered it again, gone again, he he.

turbo4life · 05-04-2004, 09:47 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Gotallofthem

I have the clunk too, I haven't been able to take it to the dealership, dont really want to at this current time(car is still to new).

My temperary fix to the problem is simple, I just lowered the steering column untill it stopped clunking. Been working fine for the past 10,000

Untill I raised 4 days ago, clunk came back, so I lowered it again, gone again, he he.

I didnt even think to try that.... Good idea for a temp fix to the annoyance.

Bungles · 05-19-2004, 11:48 AM

I have the same clunk on my '04. I took it to the dealership and they said they couldn't reproduce the noise. That was after they had it for 3 hours. So FINE! I scheduled another appt with the Service Manager and he couldn't replicate the noise. So I said, let me drive & sure enough NOISE, NOISE NOISE. So now he tells me that he needs to have a "real" Dodge tech look at it. I swear, these service departments have no idea what the SRT-4 is.

xaeryan · 05-19-2004, 12:17 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Gotallofthem

I have the clunk too, I haven't been able to take it to the dealership, dont really want to at this current time(car is still to new).

My temperary fix to the problem is simple, I just lowered the steering column untill it stopped clunking. Been working fine for the past 10,000

Untill I raised 4 days ago, clunk came back, so I lowered it again, gone again, he he.

I lowered mine then raised it a few times and the clunking went away for a while... not sure what I'm suspecting... my dad's Durango had a wiring harness that was hitting the column joints when they spun. Not good!

mannyking2000 · 05-19-2004, 01:32 PM

NUMBER: 19-002-04
GROUP: Steering
DATE: April 6, 2004
SUBJECT:
Steering Column Click Sound
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin involves **aligning the steering column or removing the steering column and
installing a new steering column shaft, revised wedge and seating the lower bearing.**
MODELS:
**2000 - 2004** (PL) Neon
NOTE: This bulletin applies to vehicles built prior to November 16, 2003 (MDH 1116XX).
SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
A click sound is heard when the steering wheel is turned.

maybe this tsb will help out..

**Jeremy Smolik** · 05-19-2004, 02:15 PM

mine was built in march 03 and i have it.

turbo4life · 05-19-2004, 02:44 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Bungles

I have the same clunk on my '04. I took it to the dealership and they said they couldn't reproduce the noise. That was after they had it for 3 hours. So FINE! I scheduled another appt with the Service Manager and he couldn't replicate the noise. So I said, let me drive & sure enough NOISE, NOISE NOISE. So now he tells me that he needs to have a "real" Dodge tech look at it. I swear, these service departments have no idea what the SRT-4 is.

This is the reason I did not want to take mine into the dealershipp..... But I found a easy way to reproduce the issue... Slightly push the wheel in a back and forth motion while turning it slightly at the same time... You can hear the clunk just by doing this. If you have them do this they should be able to easily produce the sound.

K-9 · 05-19-2004, 10:01 PM

I have the same thing. I thought I maight be the only one. I hate creeks and clunks. Did any of you have the car pull either right or left with the problem?

SRT-4_2-25-03 · 05-22-2004, 08:15 AM

My wifes 2003 Neon SXT does it and my Neon SRT-4 does it about once every other drive.

Going to the dealer is very stressful and will be the last option and the clunk right now is very seldom. My neon srt4 has 12500 miles on it.

harold97 · 12-20-2012, 04:19 PM

I did not want to bring back a really old thread, but I have not found a really useful answer after a week of reading. I'm also not sure that I have the same problem as the others in this thread, but it may be similar.

I have a 2005 with tilt steering. There is an intermittent clunk when I drive over rough surfaces, such as patches and crack seal. It can be felt through the steering wheel, but is not really audible. I also feel it at startup (I have mm and transmission inserts).

I am able to shake the steering wheel up and down a little over 1/8" with the tilt adjustment locked. There is almost no side to side play, and it happens even when the wheel is turned. There is some relief from this when the wheel is all the way down.

I took all the covers off of the column and steering wheel, but was not able to find any loose bolts. Is there some sort of bearing that can be adjusted or replaced? I was not able to see what is going on where the wheel joins the column.

I would prefer not to take this to a dealer, and am hoping that someone here can guide me through a fix.

srt4geezer · 12-21-2012, 09:35 AM

When I went from an 03 to an 05 I noticed the same thing. No idea how to fix it.

Shadow · 12-21-2012, 01:34 PM

I also have this problem, there is play in and out.

greenneonsrt · 12-21-2012, 02:58 PM

There's a few different things that could cause it

first read the FSM if you've had the column out at all, there is a centering procedure that has to be done before you tighten anything or it will bind under certain conditions.

second if you bought the column used, or it's been in accident, or someone didn't know how to take the steering wheel off and pulled on it or took a hammer to the center bolt then they damaged the column and it has to be replaced.

All modern cars have collapsible steering columns for safety reasons in accidents, if you impact them at all you can start to collapse them and they have to be replaced, no way around it. I had to replace mine when I first got the car because the previous owner had hit the center bolt with a hammer to take the wheel off.

Shadow · 12-21-2012, 03:27 PM

Sitting in the seat, if I grab at the 9'oclock and 3'oclock positions, and pull towards the wheel towards myself, I get a "clunk".

It happens when driving, but it's slim usually. Mostly when getting out of the car, I use the wheel to get out. I'm a smaller guy though (160lbs), so I don't think it's much attributed to weight.

It was like that when I bought it with 24k miles.

05-04-2004, 09:42 PM	#31 (permalink)
turbo4life SRTforums Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Member Number: 666 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,854	Quote: Originally Posted by funks mine's an '04 and have the clunk at times problem. Mine started at 15k miles, how about you? __________________ Quote: Originally Posted by Dale Seeley turbo4life, are you related to lifeisdeath? If you have nothing to offer the thread, other than your incredible ability to toss around inane opinions, please step up to the plate... Dale Quote: Originally Posted by bodizapha13 The first night wasnt to bad. He had on all his clothes during back rub. It was the next day when he came out in a thong already oiled up that I had to call in Tim's help. He knows how to "handle" Dale.

05-04-2004, 09:43 PM	#32 (permalink)
Gotallofthem SRTforums Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Member Number: 2190 Posts: 154	I have the clunk too, I haven't been able to take it to the dealership, dont really want to at this current time(car is still to new). My temperary fix to the problem is simple, I just lowered the steering column untill it stopped clunking. Been working fine for the past 10,000 Untill I raised 4 days ago, clunk came back, so I lowered it again, gone again, he he. __________________ How I make my Extra Income, You can tooClick Here1 My other sourceClick Here2

05-04-2004, 09:47 PM	#33 (permalink)
turbo4life SRTforums Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Member Number: 666 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,854	Quote: Originally Posted by Gotallofthem I have the clunk too, I haven't been able to take it to the dealership, dont really want to at this current time(car is still to new). My temperary fix to the problem is simple, I just lowered the steering column untill it stopped clunking. Been working fine for the past 10,000 Untill I raised 4 days ago, clunk came back, so I lowered it again, gone again, he he. I didnt even think to try that.... Good idea for a temp fix to the annoyance. __________________ Quote: Originally Posted by Dale Seeley turbo4life, are you related to lifeisdeath? If you have nothing to offer the thread, other than your incredible ability to toss around inane opinions, please step up to the plate... Dale Quote: Originally Posted by bodizapha13 The first night wasnt to bad. He had on all his clothes during back rub. It was the next day when he came out in a thong already oiled up that I had to call in Tim's help. He knows how to "handle" Dale.

05-19-2004, 11:48 AM	#34 (permalink)
Bungles SRTforums Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Member Number: 7903 Location: New Jersey Posts: 498	I have the same clunk on my '04. I took it to the dealership and they said they couldn't reproduce the noise. That was after they had it for 3 hours. So FINE! I scheduled another appt with the Service Manager and he couldn't replicate the noise. So I said, let me drive & sure enough NOISE, NOISE NOISE. So now he tells me that he needs to have a "real" Dodge tech look at it. I swear, these service departments have no idea what the SRT-4 is. __________________ 11.82@121

05-19-2004, 12:17 PM	#35 (permalink)
xaeryan SRTforums Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Member Number: 5350 Location: Binghamton, NY Posts: 606	Quote: Originally Posted by Gotallofthem I have the clunk too, I haven't been able to take it to the dealership, dont really want to at this current time(car is still to new). My temperary fix to the problem is simple, I just lowered the steering column untill it stopped clunking. Been working fine for the past 10,000 Untill I raised 4 days ago, clunk came back, so I lowered it again, gone again, he he. I lowered mine then raised it a few times and the clunking went away for a while... not sure what I'm suspecting... my dad's Durango had a wiring harness that was hitting the column joints when they spun. Not good! __________________ 88 VW Scirocco 16V 04 Dodge SRT-4 ----------------- Mods: Tire rotations, 3000 mile oil changes

05-19-2004, 01:32 PM	#36 (permalink)
mannyking2000 SRTforums Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Member Number: 8114 Location: houston tx Posts: 363	NUMBER: 19-002-04 GROUP: Steering DATE: April 6, 2004 SUBJECT: Steering Column Click Sound OVERVIEW: This bulletin involves aligning the steering column or removing the steering column and installing a new steering column shaft, revised wedge and seating the lower bearing. MODELS: 2000 - 2004 (PL) Neon NOTE: This bulletin applies to vehicles built prior to November 16, 2003 (MDH 1116XX). SYMPTOM/CONDITION: A click sound is heard when the steering wheel is turned. maybe this tsb will help out.. Last edited by mannyking2000; 05-19-2004 at 01:39 PM.

05-19-2004, 02:15 PM	#37 (permalink)
Jeremy Smolik Premium Member (Lifetime) Join Date: Mar 2003 Member Number: 414 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,106	mine was built in march 03 and i have it.

05-19-2004, 02:44 PM	#38 (permalink)
turbo4life SRTforums Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Member Number: 666 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 2,854	Quote: Originally Posted by Bungles I have the same clunk on my '04. I took it to the dealership and they said they couldn't reproduce the noise. That was after they had it for 3 hours. So FINE! I scheduled another appt with the Service Manager and he couldn't replicate the noise. So I said, let me drive & sure enough NOISE, NOISE NOISE. So now he tells me that he needs to have a "real" Dodge tech look at it. I swear, these service departments have no idea what the SRT-4 is. This is the reason I did not want to take mine into the dealershipp..... But I found a easy way to reproduce the issue... Slightly push the wheel in a back and forth motion while turning it slightly at the same time... You can hear the clunk just by doing this. If you have them do this they should be able to easily produce the sound. __________________ Quote: Originally Posted by Dale Seeley turbo4life, are you related to lifeisdeath? If you have nothing to offer the thread, other than your incredible ability to toss around inane opinions, please step up to the plate... Dale Quote: Originally Posted by bodizapha13 The first night wasnt to bad. He had on all his clothes during back rub. It was the next day when he came out in a thong already oiled up that I had to call in Tim's help. He knows how to "handle" Dale.

05-19-2004, 10:01 PM	#39 (permalink)
K-9 SRTforums Member Join Date: May 2004 Member Number: 11020 Location: Long Beach Posts: 5	I have the same thing. I thought I maight be the only one. I hate creeks and clunks. Did any of you have the car pull either right or left with the problem?

05-22-2004, 08:15 AM	#40 (permalink)
SRT-4_2-25-03 SRTforums Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Member Number: 531 Location: Round Rock, Tex Posts: 1,546	My wifes 2003 Neon SXT does it and my Neon SRT-4 does it about once every other drive. Going to the dealer is very stressful and will be the last option and the clunk right now is very seldom. My neon srt4 has 12500 miles on it. __________________ Silver SRT-4 bought 2-25-03 without front plate. My car is so stock. Yes sirey Bob

12-20-2012, 04:19 PM	#41 (permalink)
harold97 SRTforums Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Member Number: 63330 Location: MA Posts: 344	I did not want to bring back a really old thread, but I have not found a really useful answer after a week of reading. I'm also not sure that I have the same problem as the others in this thread, but it may be similar. I have a 2005 with tilt steering. There is an intermittent clunk when I drive over rough surfaces, such as patches and crack seal. It can be felt through the steering wheel, but is not really audible. I also feel it at startup (I have mm and transmission inserts). I am able to shake the steering wheel up and down a little over 1/8" with the tilt adjustment locked. There is almost no side to side play, and it happens even when the wheel is turned. There is some relief from this when the wheel is all the way down. I took all the covers off of the column and steering wheel, but was not able to find any loose bolts. Is there some sort of bearing that can be adjusted or replaced? I was not able to see what is going on where the wheel joins the column. I would prefer not to take this to a dealer, and am hoping that someone here can guide me through a fix. __________________ 97 DOHC Deep Amethyst Sport Sedan 05 Black SRT-4 How to dramatically improve your gas pedal mount! Last edited by harold97; 12-20-2012 at 04:27 PM.

12-21-2012, 09:35 AM	#42 (permalink)
srt4geezer SRTforums Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Member Number: 910 Location: CA Posts: 4,699	When I went from an 03 to an 05 I noticed the same thing. No idea how to fix it. __________________ I listed the Government as a dependant on my taxes this year. Want health care? Get a better job or join the Military Socialism - Tax dollars at work for those that don't. Work harder, millions of people on welfare are depending on you.

12-21-2012, 01:34 PM	#43 (permalink)
Shadow SRTforums Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Member Number: 86725 Location: Chicago Posts: 654	I also have this problem, there is play in and out. __________________ 2005 PVK w/ GWA Forward Motion E1, LCR ported & polished manifold, Tial 38mm wastegate. Powered by: E-85 Tuned by Dave, aka Duster360

12-21-2012, 02:58 PM	#44 (permalink)
greenneonsrt SRTforums Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Member Number: 82185 Location: Bowmanville, On Posts: 974	There's a few different things that could cause it first read the FSM if you've had the column out at all, there is a centering procedure that has to be done before you tighten anything or it will bind under certain conditions. second if you bought the column used, or it's been in accident, or someone didn't know how to take the steering wheel off and pulled on it or took a hammer to the center bolt then they damaged the column and it has to be replaced. All modern cars have collapsible steering columns for safety reasons in accidents, if you impact them at all you can start to collapse them and they have to be replaced, no way around it. I had to replace mine when I first got the car because the previous owner had hit the center bolt with a hammer to take the wheel off. __________________ 280whp 303wtq 16g bws, injen short ram, meth injection. Stock intercooler, manifolds, o2 housing, wastegate, and motor. Best et: 13.4 Best trap: 107

12-21-2012, 03:27 PM	#45 (permalink)
Shadow SRTforums Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Member Number: 86725 Location: Chicago Posts: 654	Sitting in the seat, if I grab at the 9'oclock and 3'oclock positions, and pull towards the wheel towards myself, I get a "clunk". It happens when driving, but it's slim usually. Mostly when getting out of the car, I use the wheel to get out. I'm a smaller guy though (160lbs), so I don't think it's much attributed to weight. It was like that when I bought it with 24k miles. __________________ 2005 PVK w/ GWA Forward Motion E1, LCR ported & polished manifold, Tial 38mm wastegate. Powered by: E-85 Tuned by Dave, aka Duster360

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