cpurser

'05 LS430 w/ 64k miles.
I am hearing a squeaking/chirping from the rear while going over broken/rough roads at low-speed. I cannot reproduced the noise by bouncing the rear of the car. I looked at all the bushings and the only thing I can see is some grease leaking on one of the Sway Bar End Links. See pic. They rotate by hand fine. Any other ideas of source?

Romanova

Couldn't hurt to replace them. While I'm big on OEM parts, this is something I would use a Moog-brand replacement for. If you're going to do the links, I'd also do the actual sway bar bushings themselves too. Those are only $5... make sure to use a touch of grease on them too.

cpurser

Thanks, I plan on getting either the sport sway bar or the UR bar, I haven't decided which.

Romanova

If you're going to upgrade, go big or go home. I'd say the UR bar for sure. That is my eventual upgrade choice once I get a few other things done first.

biacs

My headlight leveling sensor on rear driver side would creak and squeak over bumps. IT was pretty well seized up and bent.

Put a new one on - no more creak/squeak

cpurser

Thanks for the idea, but I checked the sensor today, and it's fine. I'm going to get a friend to help tomorrow.

cpurser

Had a friend ride in the back today. He said it is coming from passenger side behind his head. Sounds like the top strut mount?

Bocatrip

I don't want to be crazy out of line.....Please make sure that the door seals are not the culprit which has been a common complaint on this forum since the beginning of time. Please remember that creaks, rattles, etc have a funny way of traveling throughout the car not making it easy to locate. It causes annoying creaking going over speed bumps and off driveways which can be corrected by cleaning an applying that famous Shin-Etsu lubricant found at Honda on the door frame seals after cleaning them. . The sound seems to come from either the front or rear doors or both. If I'm wrong.. nothing lost. If I'm right....whatever? Good luck

cpurser

Thanks for that warning, since I'm still new to the LS. It's definitely from outside the cabin, and it is very different than the seals squeaking when the chassis flexes (I have that too and have ordered the lube). I can make the noise I'm talking about just by pumping the brakes to make the rear bounce (although pushing down on the rear to bounce doesn't do it). When going over bumps it's like a shuttering squeak/chirp. I should just record it and post.

Bocatrip

Shuttering squeak/chirp sounds close. Good luck and please tell us how you progress. We are all here to help each other regardless how ridiculous the fix may sound.. RIGHT?

cpurser

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Broken weld on small metal shield at the back of the muffler. Amazing something this small causes so much racket!

If anyone is interested, here is audio of the noise.