khenning

I recently purchased a 2005 CR-V EX with 140k miles. Let me start by saying I made many mistakes when purchasing this car so don't be too hard on me. First, my wife and I test drove the car from the dealership before it had been inspected and detailed. The car is for my wife and she immediately fell in love. I didn't want to stand in her way so when we heard the clunk on the test drive I just assumed it's probably a bushing or something and they'll get it on the inspection. We head back to the dealership and do the paper work to buy it under the understanding that the dealership will do their inspection and fix the clunk that I pointed out to them. I come back a couple days later to pick the car up and the dealer says it's ready to go. They didn't find anything with the clunk and everything "is tight" so being too passive aggressive I take it home. It seems a little better for a little while but then the clunk eventually comes back. So last night I crawled under the car to get a look and see if it was bushings or what the case may be. I took a bunch of pictures and I need some help identifying a few things. Keep in mind, the clunk is only when I hit certain bumps, turning doesn't have any effect on it, and it's in the front passenger side.

First, laying down under the front bumper looking back at the passenger side you can see that there is some sort of fluid being leaked:


Here's a view of the drivers side which is obviously dry:


Looking straight into the passenger side front wheel well, what is the circle on the left with the bolt in the middle?


Here is a view of the same part but from underneath. I believe this is the source of the fluid leak:


It's on the end of a bar that goes all the way through to the driver side. Here's the view looking in the drivers side wheel well:


Also for reference, here's the passenger side endlink:



Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

khenning

So as I'm doing some research I'm realizing that's the power steering rack that's leaking. I'm pretty irritated right now and will be taking the car back to the dealer and having some words. They were specifically told to look at this and there's no way they should have missed it.

I know I most likely don't have much on my side legally so if I'm stuck with this as-is how much would one estimate fixing this would cost assuming I'm able to do it myself?

Kurtis Andrews

Unrelated but not sure how to start a thread. My issue is this. Crv 97. 300k. When instart it up sometime s I hear a humming when I press the gas it goes away. I'll be driving and come to a red light and the humming will be there. Press the gas , gone. Same happens When turning off the vehicle hums for about 3 seconds.. Any ideas?

khenning

Wow, I was hoping for a little more help than just a thread hijacker. Anyone out there have any insight on what this clunk might be?

92Snatch

More than likely it's ur front sway bar end links doing the clanking. U can reach up under there and grab a hold of the sway bar and push up and down. Mine was doing the same thing when I first bought it. It's a common prob from what I've seen on the CRVs

wingmantx

My Guess would also be the Sway bar end links and Sway bar Bushings.
Replace my endlinks did not cure my car's clucking noise. Replacing my sway bar bushings did.

Good luck

dogbiscuit

you can't rule out struts either. can you replicate the clunk and pin point which side of the car it comes from. test drives are key.

the things that are known to clunk.

bad strut, sway bar end links, sway bar bushings.

I did notice the boot on the Tie Rod end link looks to be worn and cracked I would recommend replacing that use a quality part not something autozone. as far as fatermarket I recommend moog branded balljoints/end links, tie rods.



you may get lucky and just a hose above the steering rack is leaking. don't let it get low on fluid.

highroller54

Yes the struts on these rigs can clunk for sure, like it was said sway bar links and bushings are very common.

Fsatsil

When does the clunking sound happen? Is it when you hit a bump? When you accelerate? If it's when you hit a bump you'll want to check all the suspension components on the side the clunk is coming from, struts, bushings, endlinks....etc. If the clunk is when you step on the gas it could be a motor or transmission mount. I had the transmission mount go bad on my 02 which caused it to be very clunky/groany on hard acceleration but luckily thanks to a Honda service bulletin I was able to fix it easily with a bit of super glue

BigBerz

As already mentioned End Links are the first and easiest thing to look at or replace and the most common to cause clunking. After that go to the sway bar bushings.

Berz out.