Clonk/rattle from front wheel area

[bluevortex]

2006 A4 avant 2.0tdi 65,000 miles

I have noticed that there seems to be a subtle clonking noise or excessive rattle coming from front left wheel area, more noticeable when driving on an uneven road surface. Sounds to me like it might be suspension related? I'm not mechanically minded but would appreciate some advice on possible suspects on a 5 year old car before I take it to local garage? I don't like going to these people blind with a non-descript noise complaint...

Cheers
Blue


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=57.482447,-4.178523

[Deakin]

Hi Blue
Your problem is that suspension wear is hard to diagnose from noises alone. It's likely to be one of the many suspension arms or the anti-roll bar. The garage will test this by getting under the car with a pry bar and looking for wear/movement in the bushes/balljoints at the arm ends. You could have a look yourself assuming you can raise the car safely. If it happens to be the anti-roll bar bushes (they clamp a bar which runs transversly across the car linking the two wheels) you might have a go yourself even if you're not technically minded, they're so easy to do.
Deaks

[bluevortex]

Thanks. Looks like I will be visiting my garage. Feel a bit more confident now though

[urquattro]

I have a 2005 A4 Avant 2.0 tdi now with 85000 miles and last year had what sounds like the same problem. Annoying rattle from the front offside only noticeable with window down and running on uneven road surfaces (plenty of them!). It turned out to be a brake pad chattering in the caliper - sound disappeared when braking. Solution - a friend brazed a little extra to the pad backing plate and problem solved.
Hope this helps, because if you're like me, once you think something wrong it niggles away?