BrianC

My wifes' car is a 2005 ford focus ZX3 2.0L 4 door. It has been having a bad clunking noise that I can not track down to where it is coming from. I can recreate the noise when the car is in park and go to reverse or drive and barely move in any forward or backward direction. It is there when I am driving and start to put the brakes on it makes the same clunk noise. I have replaced the engine mounts, dog bone mount, transmission mount, sway bar bushings, and end links. I need to check the ball joints but that would make the clunking noise when making turns and not forward or backwards. Am I looking at bad CV joints, bearings, or A arm bushings. That is all that I can think of that could cause this problem that I haven't changed out. Thanks and the car has 100,000 miles on it with nothing else changed out that is related to this problem.

CatSkinner

Is it a single clunk? Does it seem to slip at all before it goes into gear? Could be slop in the differential.

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Prius repellant, just add gas.

BrianC

It is a single clunk at the front which could make sense for slop in the differential, but Im not sure what you mean about does it slip at all before it goes into gear? If you mean do I put it in gear and try and go and then there is a second lapse before the car actually moves, then no. It doesnt happen every time either. Some days it will do it when you are parked and go and other days it wont.

CatSkinner

Try blocking up the front end with the transmission in anything but park and see if you can feel slop in the differential. It'll also give you the chance to see if there's anything going on with the steering, or if there's any looseness in the suspension.

__________________
Prius repellant, just add gas.

R.S.LOGAN

Check the front top susp strut mountings .