I don't remember disliking taking my car on the highway.

Has something changed, or what? It used to drive smoothly like a Disney Tram. Now I have to say a Hail Mary or something before I go over a speed bump, or make sure I pee first, anyway!! And if I hit the speed bump at an angle, not straight on, I get shaken up better than a trip to the chiropractor.

Railroad tracks hit like the bottom is falling out of the car, or the road is coming up through it. I keep picturing my engine falling out or my wheels just falling off!!

It thunks in front, not in back where the sway bar is.

Motor mounts? Shocks? Less than 25K on the car, but it is 5 yrs old now.

I want my car back!!

 

I'd think shocks/struts or alignment. What other suspension components can go bad. I repldced shocks and struts on my '06 last year, but I was having some tire wear issues, but the car handled ok.

 

Sounds like your struts and/or shocks have failed you (a little early). A needed replacement is always a good excuse for an upgrade

 

"It thunks in front, not in back where the sway bar is."

There is a sway bar in the front as well.... Bushings need replaced, this causes a thunk. Also the end links should be replaced if needed with MOOG parts.

Shocks and struts for the ride like everyone else has mentioned..... Also 5 year old tires won't ride as well as they were when new, the rubber hardens with age.

 

I have the same thing ordered the Moog front sway bar links will be here on Tuesday andwill have them installed, the MOOG links are grease zerk fittings, some have had the front sway bar bushings Im going to wait untill after the links are installed on.

 

Add one more for the end links Cheri solution. I would have D look at the struts to see if they're leaking. I have ramps if you need them. My car is really noisey, always has been. Console creaks and squeeks, the hatch, etc etc. 2 years old and 22k on it. I barely drive it these days but that will change with the new comute. So its just blast the radio.

 

Cheri, The klunking sound is coming from your front struts, if you have your better half take a look under there I would bet he would see at least one of the struts leaking, once the seal is compromised the fluid level drops, then it becomes loose inside and you get the klunk. I have the same thing, although I have 74,000 on the little girl, Good Luck!

 

Well Cheri, I'll have to vote with the others and say you're probably in need of struts and sway bar links. Its one of those while you're doing one, you might as well do the other deals. And being that the shocks are relatively inexpensive you might as well do both the shocks and struts at the same time. If you change just one end you can sometimes end up with an out of phase condition that gives an interesting ride.

 

Somehow I think the old tires have something to do with this.

 

Cheri,

+1