Hey guys, once again back still sorting out problems with my 99 TH V6 Manual. had this problem for a while and it is finally doing my head in.

If i am to accelerate heavily (Such as over taking) and i apply the brakes after i get this horrid steering shudder like everything is about to come undone. but then it goes away and then nothing until the same thing happens again (It's temperamental with it)

Also when i back out of my drive way i start moving back and lightly touch the brakes as it's a blind driveway and i slow right down. i hear a single click or tick and it sounds metal on metal coming from the drivers front wheel. but that is the only time i hear it.

Anyone have any thoughts at what i should be looking for on this? or exactly what the problem is.

Also when i got the car when ever the front wheels went over a speed bump or they had any travel they would have a loud rubber on rubber screach and it was horrid. but i got both lower control arm bushes replaced and it stopped all of that noise. and i dont know if it's just me but from time to time my steering goes from really light to heavy and back and forth. that normal for a TH magna with 270,000. klm?

Cheers guys.

Not sure re the shudder, but the click when braking in reverse is possibly the brake pads moving about. This is most likely to happen if your shims are missing (common, brake places tend to chuck them out and new ones don't always come with new pads). They are rubber backed and normally stop this movement. Generally you'll hear another similar clunk the first time you brake moving forwards again. Maybe the shudder is also due to the shims being missing (if they are) but I'm not sure on that one. Whether your shims are in place or not I'd have a good check over of all suspension and brake components, make sure nothing's loose or moving excessively, and make sure all your wheel nuts are on and torqued correctly. If you're not sure what to look for take it to a pro, brake and suspension problems are too dangerous to ignore.

Re steering load, it could be related to a suspension fault or possibly a problem with your power steering pump, belt or fluid. My steering seems to be heavier on very hot days, not sure if it's due to sticky tyres, hot & thin fluid, or just generally feeling knackered from the heat!

It's normal for a 270,000 km car with totally shagged ball joints.

Load on the ball joint changes direction from accelerating (wheels pull the car forward) to braking (wheels push back on the car), that's when they flop about.

Get them checked and replaced ASAP, if one breaks you will have major difficulty controlling the car to a safe stop.

Had this problem on a 2nd gen at 220,000 km. New ball joints fixed it.

i know i need it looked at, hopefully i can get it done soon. i don't drive much anyway and no highway driving so i'm okay for now but i need it done. so the ball joint could agree that it's knackered but what about the heavy shuddering after acceleration?.

I had a similar problem that turned out to be engine mounts.

i had a feeling it might be something like that, cause when it's cold and it labors when i go to go down the street there is a fair bit of shudder from the engine. i'm curious why it's only bad when i'm breaking after accelerating.

yer, dont know how i haven't seen it before but, the right hand engine mount completely collapsed and broke the insides out of it. so it's kinda just sitting there on the bolt sleeve. should be done next few days. cheers for the info on the ticking sound.

Mine would do it on the freeway between 80 and 100kph and occasionally at other times. It felt like the front end was going to fall out when it got bad and all 3 of my engine mounts turned out to be stuffed.

If i am to accelerate heavily (Such as over taking) and i apply the brakes after i get this horrid steering shudder like everything is about to come undone. but then it goes away and then nothing until the same thing happens again (It's temperamental with it)

Brake rotors need machining. Every Magna I've owned has done this at some point at varying levels of severity - machining the rotors fixed it.


Also when i back out of my drive way i start moving back and lightly touch the brakes as it's a blind driveway and i slow right down. i hear a single click or tick and it sounds metal on metal coming from the drivers front wheel. but that is the only time i hear it.

Sounds like the handbrake shoes breaking free after sitting... could be out of adjustment, or worn. Could be a loose brake pad, or worn + loose, or the caliper is loose on its slider pins? Needs to be inspected, could be something else.

Needs to be inspected.

+1
Lots of things will show wear and play at 270,000 km unless you detect each problem as it arises and deal with it during the life of the car. A car that has been "just driven" with only normal servicing for that distance gets like that. Lots of them on the road.

i do have to agree Max, i'm trying to get back on top of it. i don't think this Magna has ever missed a service but it has been neglected some in the mechanical side of things. Also Skapper i thought the handbrake was in the rear of the car? and it makes the clicking sound if i drive go back and lightly press the brake and if i go forward again it'll bake the click again. somehow i don't think it's the handbrake but more the ball joint. but i get very little if any at all play or movement when i shake the wheel side to side and up and down when it's jacked up. why i'm curious of what is going on under there.