Nissan Murano Suspension Issues Explained(+5 Tips)

In this brief article we are going to discuss the different Nissan Murano Suspension problems, what the causes are, and Troubleshooting Tips.

Top 5 most common suspension issues in the Nissan Murano? 

The most common suspension issues seen in the Nissan Murano are:

  • Front Drumming/Knocking Noise
  • Metallic knock sound while braking
  • Rear Bouncy Ride
  • Front Bouncy Ride
  • Front Suspension Clunk

What suspension does the Nissan Murano have?

Front Suspension

The Front suspension in the Nissan Murano is a MacPherson Strut and Lower control Arm (Yellow arrow) with Anti-roll bar. This arrangement is mounted onto a subframe.

Rear Suspension

The Rear suspension is of the Double-Wishbone Type. Each side consists of an upper and Lower Control Arms, Coil Spring and Damper.

Front Drumming/Knocking Noise

  • Drumming Noise in the front suspension
  • It happens even with the slightest movement in the suspension

Troubleshooting Drumming/Knocking Noise

  • To find out the source of the noise, Put your weight on the suspected corner and bounce the suspension.
  • Have someone listen closely to the suspension as to where the noise is coming from
  • One Possible cause could any problems with the suspension Strut Mount
  • Inspect the top mounting bolts after removing the Wiper shroud
  • It could very well be that one or more of the bolts might be loose and also lose its Nylon coating.
  • For this you need to use a digital Torque Meter Wrench
  • If the measured residual torque is significantly below spec, then the cause is the fastener

Pro Tip

  • The original fastener comes with Nylon Thread-locker already. If this is missing, then, ideally, it is advised to change the problematic fastener Nut. 
  • But in cases where you cannot find the exact OE fastener, there is one workaround. 
  • If you inspect and find that the threads in the Nut are still intact, you have the option of reusing the Nut, but this time applying Nyloc solution over the threads.

Metallic knock sound while braking

  • Suspension Noise is heard only when applying the brakes
  • It sounds like a metal-to-metal knock
  • There is also a sudden Jerking when applying the brakes

Troubleshooting Metallic knock sound 

  • A metal-to-metal sound implies a contact between 2 suspension components
  • Suspension systems are designed with clearance checks accounting for the movements of each and every components
  • But if some components move more the intended design, then there could be a chance of touch
  • One such example would be the failure of joins like bushes. Once the bush has disintegrated its rubber, it allows more freedom of movement as compared to the design-intended limits of movement.
  • Get the vehicle on a ramp and inspect bushings at the underbody
  • Try to push the wheel forwards and backwards (parallel to the direction of car moving) to simulate the braking condition and listen carefully for noise
  • The closest gap is between the Control Arm and Subframe at the forward bushing location. Among all the suspension linkages and joints, this is the most probable position to get metal-to-metal contact.
  • This means that the Bushing has worn out and must be replaced

Rear Bouncy Ride

  • A Bouncy ride is always due to a loss of suspension Damping
  • Damping is provided by the Shock absorbers of the rear suspension. 
  • When a Shock absorber has failed, this results in a Bouncy ride

Troubleshooting Bouncy Ride

  • A Bouncy ride quality signifies a failure in the rear shock absorber
  • It could be either due to a Shock absorber oil seal failure, which caused it to leak, OR simply long-term wear and tear
  • Inspect the Rear shocks at the bottom-most portion for signs of oil-stains
  • Not all failed shock absorbers will show leakage as a symptom. It could just be the piston inside that has worn out and hence not providing damping force

Front Bouncy Ride

  • As explained in an earlier section , the front suspension also becomes bouncy when the shock absorbers do not function properly.

Pro Tip

One more reason that the Strut top mount fails is that Shock Absorber might not be working properly; it might not be dampening the road impacts. So when replacing the 

Front Clunk Noise

  • Clunking noise while driving normally over normal roads
  • The Clunking noise increases with more road roughness

Troubleshooting Front Suspension Clunk: Anti Roll Bar Links

  • Clunking Noises are generally associated with the Anti-Roll Bar (ARB)
  • On inspecting the suspension identify any ARB Drop Link loose ball-joints by moving them by hand and observing closely for any knocking noise.
  • Generally, if the Ball-joint Rubber boot is ruptured, it almost always means that the joint’s failure is imminent.

Troubleshooting Front Suspension Clunk: Control Arm Bushing

  • One more probable cause for Clunking is the COntrol arm bushing
  • When the control arm bushing fails, it causes the control arm to move excessively and touch the subframe. More details are available in this section.

Conclusion

In this brief article we have discussed the different Nissan Murano Suspension problems, what the causes are, and Troubleshooting Tips.