How to Fix Suspension Issues in the Peugeot 2008? (3+ Common Problems)

In this brief article, we are going to discuss the different Peugeot 2008 Suspension problems, what the causes are, and Troubleshooting Tips.

Most common suspension issues in the Peugeot 2008

The most common suspension issues seen in the Peugeot 2008 are:

• Front Shock Absorber Failure
• Front Strut Top Mount Bearing Failure
• Front Lower Control Arm Bushing Failure
• Anti Roll Bar Drop Link Failure

What suspension does the Peugeot 2008 have?

The Peugeot 2008 is a sub-compact SUV made by the PSA Group as a successor to the Peugeot 207. The first-gen 2008 was built on the PF1 platform and shared electronic components with the Peugeot 208. The 2008 is currently into its 2nd generation P24 since 2019.

Front Suspension

The front suspension in the Peugeot 2008 is a MacPherson Strut and Lower control Arm with Anti-roll bar. This arrangement is mounted onto the front subframe.

Rear Suspension

The Peugeot 2008 has a Trailing Arm Torsion Beam axle with coil springs and shock absorbers.

Front Shock Absorber Failure

Symptoms:

• Knocking Noise going over any rough patches. This happens at relatively low mileages
• Front end bouncier than normal for high mileage vehicles

Troubleshooting Front Shock Absorber Failure

• The Peugeot 2008 front shock absorber is a known flaw as per recall # Recall number R/2013/025
• The 2013 model year was largely affected and the shock absorbers were replaced under warranty
• Under normal circumstances, a vehicle would be due for a shock replacement only at 50K miles or so. In the case of the 2008, due to part quality issues, it would happen much earlier at, say, 25K miles.
• If the front strut shock has started leaking oil due to a failed oil seal, then it means that the shock will no longer be effective.
• One good way to tell if your shock has failed or not is to do a “Bounce Test”. Put all your weight on one of the front corners of the vehicle pushing it downwards. Keep oscillating the corner till you feel that it has reached its maximum height. Once you take your hands off the corner, observe how it settles. If it takes more than 2 oscillations to settle, that means the damper has failed.

Front Strut Top Mount Bearing Failure

Symptoms:

• Knocking Noise while going over Rough Road Patches
• Bumping/Knocking Noises when trying to lock the steering in parking maneuvers

Troubleshooting Front Strut Top Mount Bearing Failure

• The Top Strut Mount contains a bearing that allows the strut to rotate while steering
• When the Top Strut mount is damaged, the bearing also fails and restricts the strut from rotation during steering. This is what causes the knock and creaking noises.

Front Lower Control Arm Failure

Symptoms:

• The car seems to be drifting
• Steering seems vague while Lane Changing
• Uneven Tire Wear pattern
• Knocking Noises while going over Rough Patches

Root Cause:

• Due to a Tire wear issue, it can be inferred that the alignment of the front suspension is outside of the recommended settings. But this is still a symptom.
• The cause for alignment change points to the Lower control arm Bushings and Ball-joints that may have got worn or damaged

Troubleshooting Front Lower Control Arm Bushing Failure: Lower Control Arm Bushings

• The Peugeot 2008 has two identical Lower control arm bushings
• These Lower Control Arm bushings wear out over time and crack due to age
• When inspecting the Lower control arm after removal, it is clear that there are tears and cracks in the rubber portion

Troubleshooting Front Lower Control Arm Bushing Failure: Lower Control Arm Ball-Joint

• The lower control arm ball joints are also subject to wear and tear.
• The deterioration is usually initiated as a crack or rupture in the rubber boot around the ball-joint
• This leads to loss of lubrication and finally to complete wear out
• The wear out causes play or movement accompanied by knocking noise. The play in the ball joint is one of the reasons for the vehicle steering feeling value.
• The Peugeot 2008 has a two-piece lower control arm where the Ball joint is bolted onto the Lower control arm. Hence, for a ball-joint failure alone, it is not needed to replace the entire lower control arm.

Anti Roll Bar Drop Link Failure

Symptoms:

• Clunking Noise while normal driving
• The noise gets worse when going over a rough patch

Troubleshooting Anti Roll Bar Drop Link Failure

• Clunking noises, in most passenger cars, almost always point to the Anti-roll bar linkages
• The noise is due to the play in the joints of the Anti Roll Bar Drop Links.
• One good way to diagnose this problem is to hold the Anti-roll Bar and Push and Pull it hard.
• If you see the ball-joint separating and moving along with a knocking noise, then you have found the root cause for Clunking Noise
• Once you remove the Drop Link, you can check the ball joints by hand the see if they move with play

Conclusion

In this brief article, we have discussed the different Peugeot 2008 Suspension problems, what the causes are, and Troubleshooting Tips.

For any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with us.

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