Good strut mounts??? Are they out there? Help! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

newbie212 · 12-02-2006, 12:16 AM

My 98 corolla has been to the dealer twice for the same problem.. Strut mounts... I purchased the car off of an elderly couple who put new struts and mounts on the car 5,000 miles before they sold the car..I have the receipt for $800 from the dealer that they took it to.. The car was fine when I purchased it, no noises or anything.. About 6,000 miles later the mounts started to go.. I took them to the same dealer and they replaced them again for $400...I figured I had the car in downtown boston, downtown new york and other bumpy roads that maybe I was a little too hard on these mounts... So the noise went away for 3,000 miles until now.. That same rattle is back... Why are these mounts going bad? I read somewhere in the camry forum that there are two different part numbers for the strut mounts from toyota... These mounts cant be made to last this short of time...Any help would be appreciated..Thanks

jzack · 12-02-2006, 07:25 AM

When the last set of mounts were removed did you (personally) perform a visual inspection to verify they had gone bad? Dealers have been known to replace things that are good. Only reason I'm asking is because the rattle could be related to some other suspension part - mounts should last a fairly long time.

newbie212 · 12-02-2006, 07:39 AM

The bearings were shot... If you do a search on here, there's a bunch of people with the same problem I am having... I just want to be rattle free for good... It's obviously the mounts if the noise goes away once it's replaced...Any ideas??? Thanks

jzack · 12-02-2006, 08:50 AM

Two things come to mind:

- Replacement parts have manufacturing defects that cause the early failure. Probably hard to prove but since you have receipt's might be able to make a case to the dealer or the region/zone office.

- There's something else wrong with the suspension that causes them to fail. Something that I'd look into further...

Sorry -- have both '98 and '99 models in family and haven't run into this issue. Front struts just changed on the '98 (at 130k miles) and old mounts were fine (but replaced anyway due to hi miles).

jzack · 12-02-2006, 08:56 AM

One thing I've done when running into strange servicing issues is call around to a few local hi volume tire shops (Goodyear, etc) and ask if they've seen this issue. Generally they get enough repeat volume to know of common problems and explain what's going on. Make sure you talk to the main desk manager...

jzack · 12-02-2006, 09:50 AM

Ran across this on another posting site (not for Corollas) but thought it was worth posting as some add'l insight:

....you were talking about your strut bearings. its not the tiny bearings which go bad so much as the spring sheets which fail giving the symptoms that you described... look at top of coil in strut and you may see split/broken rubber portion of spring sheet which sits at top of spring below washer looking bearing, which itself sits below the strut mount.
your problem is not likely a strut mount as its pretty bullet proof.

newbie212 · 12-02-2006, 10:29 AM

The only thing I dont understand is why whenever I get just the strut mounts replaced the rattle goes away? I called my local dealer and they are willing to look at it free since they replaced them.... I take it in on monday morning.. Will keep u guys posted.. Thanks again..

newbie212 · 12-02-2006, 10:56 AM

I am not the only one with this problem!!

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:...s&ct=clnk&cd=4

newbie212 · 12-04-2006, 07:35 AM

Yes the mounts are fried... My whole front suspension checked out good... My dealer is willing to give me the mounts for free but installation is $200... Sounds kinda fishy to me... I personally do not want Toyota mounts because they've already failed on me twice.. Any suggestions?

94_Rolla_Guy · 12-05-2006, 02:08 AM

One dumb thing i have expirienced this has happened on my 94 and my moms 96 i got a little click sound and upon inspection found the top nut to be a little loose retightened it and gone...

also one thing to check is the sway bar end links they make a similar click when gone..

***toyomoho*** · 12-05-2006, 03:05 AM

Do you have a receipt showing exactly what parts were replaced? Genuine Toyota mounts should last 100K or more, but are a known failure point as the car ages. Could be the shock piston rod is loose as 94_Rolla_Guy states. Have you checked the stabilizer bar bushings? See if the dealer will also throw in for free the upper and lower spring insulators if they have failed.