VA Noise When Braking in Curves

Hello,

My Ibiza currently has 87,000 km on the odometer, and it's experiencing the following problem, which has been present to a minor extent since around 30,000 km, but is now becoming quite severe:

Vehicle: Ibiza 6K ASV, tire size 185/55/15, no uneven tire wear.

When braking with the front wheels moderately turned, meaning the steering wheel is turned about 90 degrees from the straight-ahead position, I hear a knocking sound from the front axle. The knocking is louder on the passenger side than on the driver's side, and the frequency corresponds to the wheel rotation.
When braking with the front wheels pointing straight ahead, there is no noise. Similarly, there is no (unusual) noise when driving over minor bumps. The vehicle tracks straight perfectly.

The seals on the front axle are all tight. I haven't checked the play in the front wheels yet because to do it properly, I would actually need to lift both sides of the vehicle simultaneously, right?

The only noticeable thing is my severely worn brake discs, even though the pads still have about 50% left and are the original ones. The brake discs are also very grooved.

Any tips? I probably used the search function, but there was nothing under "rumbling brakes" that helped me (because all the symptoms described there also included a rumbling sound when driving over bumps).


Best regards, Georg.

Hello,

Poltern ist ja auch eher subjektiv, aber ich kenne ein Geräusch, was aber mehr in Richtung Krachen u. Knarren geht, bei beschriebener o. ä. Ssituation.

That's the tie rod.

However, a wheel bearing would be just as likely, if not more so, in your case.

You'll probably have to take him in.

Since you mentioned the heavily worn brake discs, I would first suggest taking a longer test drive to see if your brakes are emitting an excessive amount of heat.

-> Brake caliper stuck.

A stuck brake caliper can also cause the brake discs to become scored. The constant friction between the pads and the disc generates heat, which can warp the brake disc. This warping creates an imbalance, which should be noticeable when driving straight (the steering wheel may vibrate when braking). When cornering, any slight play in your front axle could 'add' to this imbalance, making it even more noticeable.

Hello,

Thank you for the answers.

No, the brakes are not squealing while driving. At least the rims are cool to the touch, even after a long distance.

The tie rod, stabilizer bar, and wheel bearings actually feel quite good. As I said, there are no issues without the brakes. Well, I'm going to have to replace the brakes anyway, since the TÜV (German technical inspection) is coming up soon. I'll report back on whether it's improved after that.

Best regards, Georg.

I'm seeing a similar issue on an Audi; please check the ball joints.

Hi,

I just wanted to briefly follow up and let you know what caused the problem.

The brake rotors were probably the culprit. I installed genuine Bosch replacement parts (rotors and pads), and the clunking noise when braking in curves has disappeared. The old rotors were very unevenly worn.

Unfortunately, I broke another wheel bolt again while reinstalling the wheel. Somehow, the combination of me, the wheel cross, and the wheel bolt isn't working well together. This is already the third time. I think drilling out/extracting the remaining part of the bolt took longer than everything else. Does anyone have a torque wrench they're willing to give away?

Do better!

Georg.