2007 K12 Micra C+C Automatic

[stilomitch6]

Hello Everyone

I've owned this cute car since July last year. A month after purchase I noticed a clicking sound from the front suspension area. When the gubbins were inspected I was told both front springs were fractured. These were both replaced along with the n/s/f arb/drop link. I should have replaced the suspension top mounts at the same time, but couldn't get hold of them whilst it was being worked on.

Result: the clicking sound was still there. I did point out to the mechanic the sound seems to be coming from fairly high up - almost on the other side of the glovebox area. Both mechanics agreed - the sound was seemingly emanating from the other side (engine) of the bulkhead.

This is 90000-mile, well-maintained car fitted with relatively high profile tyres: 175/65/15. It rides surprisingly well, so I can't blame lowered suspension or ultra low profile tyres for causing steering/sus' damage.

To be specific it is intermittent on driving over bumps - but ALWAYS there when turning the steering slightly anti-clockwise and back to the 12 o'clock position.

I've since replaced the susp' top mount on the n/s/f front, but this has made no difference.

Any ideas?

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

Hello Everyone

I've owned this cute car since July last year. A month after purchase I noticed a clicking sound from the front suspension area. When the gubbins were inspected I was told both front springs were fractured. These were both replaced along with the n/s/f arb/drop link. I should have replaced the suspension top mounts at the same time, but couldn't get hold of them whilst it was being worked on.

Result: the clicking sound was still there. I did point out to the mechanic the sound seems to be coming from fairly high up - almost on the other side of the glovebox area. Both mechanics agreed - the sound was seemingly emanating from the other side (engine) of the bulkhead.

This is 90000-mile, well-maintained car fitted with relatively high profile tyres: 175/65/15. It rides surprisingly well, so I can't blame lowered suspension or ultra low profile tyres for causing steering/sus' damage.

To be specific it is intermittent on driving over bumps - but ALWAYS there when turning the steering slightly anti-clockwise and back to the 12 o'clock position.

I've since replaced the susp' top mount on the o/s/f front, but this has made no difference.

Any ideas?

Hello, I don't think you have the correct wheels. I think they should be 185/55/16, same as the 160sr.. The circumference of yours would be similar, but not sure about the offset, if they are not standard, which might give you issues.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

Hello, I don't think you have the correct wheels. I think they should be 185/55/16, same as the 160sr.. The circumference of yours would be similar, but not sure about the offset, if they are not standard, which might give you

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

The standard wheels give a comfortable ride.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

The standard wheels give a comfortable ride.

If your wheels àre incorrect, it could throw out the suspension geometry. Fractured springs sounds like something isn't right with the set up.

 

[stilomitch6]

Hi
Your 160sr has 16" wheels possibly a factory fit. Mine has had its 15" wheels since new. They are o.e. wheels as I've taken them off and seen the stampings.
Also had a look at the very few C+C's on sale in Autotrader and ebay.... all of them have 15"s as far as I can tell.

I also own a k12 1.4 5 door 'Spirita' model which very surprisingly has 15" wheels, but is fitted with 175/60/15 tyres........ Why Nissan would fit low profile tyres to a family hatch and put higher profile one's on a 'Sport' model like mine is a mystery... but I'm glad; the ride on the 60 profile tyres on the 5 door is far less compliant. About 9 mm less sidewall DOES make the ride worse.

Look at page 9-6 in the owner's manual - "Aluminium wheels 15 x 5.5j - offset 50 - Tyres175/60/15 or 175/65/15
- Aluminium wheels 16 x 6j - offset 55 - Tyres 185/50/16

The suspension set up is correct - no wandering or uneven wear on any tyre.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

Hi
Your 160sr has 16" wheels possibly a factory fit. Mine has had its 15" wheels since new. They are o.e. wheels as I've taken them off and seen the stampings.
Also had a look at the very few C+C's on sale in Autotrader and ebay.... all of them have 15"s as far as I can tell.

I also own a k12 1.4 5 door 'Spirita' model which very surprisingly has 15" wheels, but is fitted with 175/60/15 tyres........ Why Nissan would fit low profile tyres to a family hatch and put higher profile one's on a 'Sport' model like mine is a mystery... but I'm glad; the ride on the 60 profile tyres on the 5 door is far less compliant. About 9 mm less sidewall DOES make the ride worse.

Look at page 9-6 in the owner's manual - "Aluminium wheels 15 x 5.5j - offset 50 - Tyres175/60/15 or 175/65/15
- Aluminium wheels 16 x 6j - offset 55 - Tyres 185/50/16

The suspension set up is correct - no wandering or uneven wear on any tyre.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

Pretty sure yours should have the 185/50/16, as well as mine. I replaced mine with 185/60/14. Sold my originals, they were immaculate, to a C+C owner, as direct replacements for his scruffy ones.

Something is wrong with your set up, to have fractured the springs. They rarely brake.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

I replaced mine last year. There was a c+c just around corner from me. Exact same spec wheels as mine. I didn't like ride, so changed. Asked the owner what ride was like, she said very comfortable. I put it down to the c+c being heavier.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

I also had entire suspension replaced prior. Had it lowered by 35mm with eibachs. Bloody horrible/harsh ride, so had it raised back up.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

I'd take yours to a suspension specialist to get it checked out.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

Sorry, you are correct. Looks like 1.4 has 175/60/15.

The older 1.6 had the 185/50/16

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

That's ones I had and sold to a c+c owner. The c+c around the corner from me had same ones. Looks like that's what the early 1.6 had.

 

[stilomitch6]

I took the car to a garage with a ramp, and after some poking around was shown a bracket/hanger that attached to the subframe at the bottom and the chassis at the top. The top & bottom were secured with nuts about 18 or 19mm. The bottom bracket was easy to see, secured with the rubber in the bush seemingly ok. The top bush was extremely difficult to see, even with 2 inspection lamps; with the aid of a large pry bar, I thought I could see some movement.

The movement, tiny though it was, didn't warrant further investigation I was told, so I left it at that.

I instead had the n/s/f drop link and track rod replaced as some perishing of the rubber was seen. Once again no difference.

So we lived with clicking and sometimes creaking sounds for another 8 months.

Last month, with an MOT almost due, I told the MOT tester about the problem BEFORE the car went up on the ramp.

I fully expected the car to fail.

It passed with 2 unrelated advisories. When I asked why there was no mention of clicking sounds anywhere on the pass sheet, this explanation was given: " The subframe is secure as there is no visible rust or distortion evident anywhere. The rubber ( on the support/hanger bracket bushes ) hasn't perished or split, and any movement is within tolerances. The clicking is probably because of a slight weight transfer on the steering rack when turning the steering wheel. The rack and its bushes are all good. "

I might be one of the few sane people in history who WANTED the car to fail. But only to pinpoint a minor but slightly annoying problem.

In fact, I'd set aside £100+ or so to fix the problem.

So I drove off not knowing whether to laugh or cry, but at least I still had the £100+ in my pocket. And the clicking sound.

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

You may well have identified the issue then, the steering box. I had a look at previous posts, one was similar, and a replacement steering box sorted it. Would be good if you got one from a low mileage one?

 

[Lovemy160srtobits]

Some things drive you mental. Lowering my car last year did me in. Spent a fortune. Had to put original springs back on. Sometime later, someone said I should have had different size/adjustable drop links fitted as well, when lowering. I've tucked the thought away, as quite a few mechanics said often people lower cars, then come back to have it put back to stock. No lying, I only lowered by 35 mm, had lower bilstein shocks as well. It bloody well bucked over pot holes. Someone called it bump steer. Would like lowered, but think you need a specialist to do correctly, and I don't fancy laying out again. Am happy with my 14 Inch wheels. They poke out a little more and look fab. Have 185/60/14. Old stool, prefer a fatter tyre look.

 

[Mach1]

I can only confirm that I suffered with similar problems, and after completely stripping the steering and suspension out of corroded parts that I was able to narrow the problem of creaking and knocking from the front.
1) generally any clicking noises whilst steering and turning are down to the front CV joints on the end of the driveshafts.
2) knocking and creaking noises on my car were due to the torsion bar bushes, and as I replaced these with polyurethane instead of the naff rubber ones it has cured the problem for good. diesels and the CC models seem to suffer the most from this!

 

[stilomitch6]

Found the problem!

There is bracket/hanger which connects into the subframe at the bottom and the chassis leg at the top. This was creaking badly - I have a foto of this which shows the bracket/ hanger with a long, thick bolt that connects thru a rubber bush directly into the metal of the chassis..... this is about 8 inches away from the bulkhead; just on the other side of the glovebox. Exactly where I'd been telling various mechanic's the clicking was emanating from.

All that time and money spent on track rods & ARB links.....

The next part was obviously replacing either the bolt and/or the bush from the top end of the bracket.

Watch this Youtube clip:

Nissan Note subframe mount / suspension removal part 1​

 

[stilomitch6]

Thanks so much, COOL HAND LONDON for posting this so valuable clip!

The prospect of replacing the M12 90mm itself or the bush assembly whole was dismissed when i saw the real possibility of the captive nut inside disappearing into the chassis leg.

The only thing i could do now was spray WD40 everywhere - which worked.
The clicking has disappeared and the creaking over bumps as well.
400 miles and all is still quiet on the subframe front.....

 

[stilomitch6]

Mach 1 - Hi, are Torsion bars the same as wishbones?

 

[stilomitch6]

I now have a redundant subframe bush and a drum brake rear cylinder. FREE TO COLLECT!

If I'm breaking any rules please feel free to remove this post - I AM NOT OFFERING THESE 2 PARTS FOR SALE- if you're close by, come and collect them for free, otherwise I will bin them.