Suspension issue with my 2002 Echo

[Len001]

Just wondering if this happened to anyone else in here:

I have a 2002 Toyota Echo and, when I turned go into another street, I heard this huge bang (I thought I hit something). I went to check it, but I couldn't see anything strange underneath except the possibility that a tie-rod end let go.

Now, the front end (driver's side) is clunking - especially when I go into turns. I can push on that end of the car and hear a clunking as well.

There's no visible fluid leaks or anything, but, I have a strange feeling the tie-rod end bolt is worn out. The steering doesn't feel loose or anything and the tire looks OK.

Any ideas?

I'm strapped for cash at this time and, luckily, it happened close to home, so I drove it back and parked it. If I had the cash, I would have just got it checked out, but the closest place was Canadian Tire, and I don't trust them in the least for anything past an oil change (they tried to screw me on a repair of another car I owned a few years back that I took to a local shop and they fixed that issue and charged a 1/4 of what Canadian Tire wanted).

[miron]

If it's a tie-rod your car would not go straight anymore when you take your hands from the steering wheel and you would hear that noise even without making a turn when going over any bump or some pothole in the road.
Once I had this issue (on a different car) and after many failed investigations the problem was an engine mounting... sound of metal pounding on metal when making a left turn... the right mounting was completely destroyed.

I agree 100% about Canadian Tire... they ripped me off once by charging me $180 to 'discover' that my wiper motor had a bad grounding...

[ford1987]

This could also be, 1. a failed sway-bar link,makes lots of clunking when the rubber parts are worn out. very cheap and easy to replace.
2. A failed rubber puck-like fitting in the rear of the front suspension table (hard to see without the wheel being off). More expensive as the whole table is usually replaced and an alignment has to be done.

[Len001]

Hey thanks for the input Miron and ford1987.

I have an appointment at the end of the week to find out (gulp!) but I am thinking along with ford - the sway bar link.

I had the car jacked up and checked the tire at the tried my best to jiggle the tire holding onto the left and right side of the tire as well as the top and bottom of the tire and it was tight. I got a bit geeky and used my handheld's video camera and slowly went in close on a few components, but saw nothing out of the ordinary (cracks, splits, leakage, etc.) except for, as you stated, the sway bar and the end-link seems out of place (when comparing it to the passenger side anyway).

All I can do now is hope that this is it and keep costs down, but if not, well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

At this time, I am driving it, but only short distances like around the corner to work or the store (if need be).

Thanks again all.

[Len001]

Hey all,

Looks like it was the sway bar end-link bushings. Had them changed for roughly $45 (canadian) including labor at my mechanics. VERY happy about that.

Anyway, thanks for letting me freak out a bit in here.

Hope this post helps others in the future...

Len001