Mk 5 Jetta TDI front end clunk

dtreid

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2003
Location
Alberta, CANADA
TDI
2015 Passat TDI 128k km
I'm getting a front end clunk from my jetta when I go over washboard type bumps. It's definitely coming from the passenger side, a little hard to tell how far right of center. I'm thinking it could be sway bar bushings or strut bearing/bushing.

Some people talked about a clunk from a loose passenger side motor mount. I had the updated one put on due to a broken ear for the old style mount. If I shake the engine, I can notice a very, very slight movement on the top front one where it screws into the block. I put a wrench on it and reefed pretty hard and couldn't get it to move. I'm a little hesitant to put a breaker bar and try to tighten as I don't want to break the bolt.

It does not clunk when turning or accelerating, only when going over smallish bumps. Should I just chill about the motor mount and focus on the sway bar bushings?
 

FTG

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Location
South Jersey
TDI
2006 Jetta
The source of the noise could be one of several components. I would check your ball joints and outer tie rods too. How many miles on the car?
 

SootHappens

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2006
Location
Scappoose, OR
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
That sounds like the strut mount bearings. Mine started doing that on the passenger side. I waited until it was happening on both sides, then replaced the struts and mount assemblies.
 
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