FTO AUSTRALIA

for the past few days, when ever i have to turn i can hear small crackling noises under my car, the crackling is coming from everywhere, it sounds like im driving on small stone pebbles. It really only started after i shredded my power steering belt, but I cant see how that could have anything to do with it though? any ideas?

Mate I just started getting similar noises every now and then, as though there are stones rattling. I thought it may be my spoiling rattling but I've checked it out and it seems very tight...

Does it only happen to you when you are turning?

well i can hear it coming from under the car, id be guessing around the wheel hubs if i was to pinpoint it

yep it only happens when im turning and sometimes with moderate braking

is it the wheel bearing ?

Hmm I'm lost on that. I think I found out what mine was though. There was a stone sitting on my rear wheel hub when I went and had a look, so I think it may have been rattling when I went over bumps. Could check yours for stones too?

well i know my front left wheel bearing needs replacing

i had a better look inside my wheel hubs and found some small stones lodged in there, il take it for a drive soon and see if that was the problem

I have a sharp crack/popping sound coming from my engine bay somewhere that seems to be linked to an idling problem I also have. The car will idle terribly, then will crack and pop a few times, then come back to normal revs when I'm stopped occasionally. No idea if this is at all related to your issue.

Pete, does the word "clunk" better explain what you are hearing?

my money is on sway bar droplinks

Jack the car up & support with axle stands.. so that the wheels are off the ground & give them a good shake, turn them then then turn in opposite direction, turn to full lock both ways & you'll start to hear some noises if they're coming from that area, then just pinpoint it..

Then let us know if you find exactly where it's coming from..

pete_gpx wrote:I have a sharp crack/popping sound coming from my engine bay somewhere that seems to be linked to an idling problem I also have. The car will idle terribly, then will crack and pop a few times, then come back to normal revs when I'm stopped occasionally. No idea if this is at all related to your issue.

Yours is electrical to be sure, get it checked ASAP, you don't want a fire under there. Somethings arcing...

@Tippin

Does yours sound electrical too? If not get it on a hoist and man handle everything that should be solid. You need to isolate where it is coming from.

i found out that mine was little stones caught inside my wheel hubs after driving on a road that just had roadworks, i brushed out all the stones and then i went over the crap road and it started happening again

Mate EXACTLY the same stuff going on with me. I removed the stones and initially thought that had helped, but whenever I'm on a rough road or hit a decent bump, it starts rattling again. It isn't a sharp bang or anything, just a loose-sounding rattle. I swear it's my spoiler, but I've checked it and it seems secure?

Could just be a screw or stone fallen down into one of the body panels then..

It should be noticeable whether it's electrical, mechanical or just the above though..

Electrical? Hmm. Interesting. Anything I should check for/replace? I'm looking at new spark plugs soon.

The car still drives just fine at normal speed, although I experience some chugging and surging at lower speeds when cold, although I beleive this to be linked to a faulty O2 sensor.

if its at idle, pop the bonnet in the dark and look for electrical arcing

still sounds like droplinks to me FTO`s destroy them pretty fast they are a weak link they will make cracking noises over bumps if buggered as will bushes

petegpx o2 sensor could be at fault as could be leads/plugs etc
what sort of mileage are you getting?

Doesn't explain why it fizzles and pops at same time there is an idle problem...

Honestly, I would look at the coil packs