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Creaking rear suspension over speed bumps, etc....in cooler temps...2021 Limited

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19K views 45 replies 17 participants last post by  CRAZYHAWK  
#1 ·
I have this wierd noise, which sounds like creaking, coming from the rear on both sides of my '21 Crosstrek. Whether it does it on both sides or just one of the sides depends on the road. I first noticed it when the temps started to get a bit cooler. It only seems to do it when driving over abrupt types of road irregularities, like speed bumps or hitting manholes not adjusted correctly to grade. Speed bumps it will make the noise on both sides....manholes just the side I'm driving over the manhole on. We have one intersection by us that has a pretty aggressive dip in the middle of it and it will do it over that as well when the suspension compresses.....on both sides. I never noticed it before it started to get cooler outside. I'm aware of the TSB on the rear emergency brake cable and have performed the grease and ziptie "fix". That did nothing. I just got in from spraying silicone grease on all the rear bushings and sway bar bushings. Doubt that will do anything, but won't hurt to try. Already removed spare tire, jack and all that....although I knew it wasn't that. Tried jumping up and down on the rear bumper to load/unload the suspension and I could not get it to make any noise. I suspect it's not abrupt enough movement.

Has anybody else heard such noises in cold weather? The car is mouse quiet outside of that occasional noise when driving over the right irregularities. I don't want to have the dealer mess with it quite yet. If it's just a bushing creak in colder weather I can live with it, but if it's an actual mechanical part that's failing that's different. I will probably wait till summer and see if the warm weather takes care of it.....or if it gets worse as time goes on. The closest dealer is also 45 minutes away.
 
#9 ·
Yep same thing 21 limited. 23 degrees F yesterday. I was thinking it was the spare tire cover making the noise. I noticed it over sharp bumps. If there is a hatch latch I have not engaged it. I might start with eliminating that possibility with some cushioning.
 
#10 ·
#13 ·
yeah, could be. I've had squeaky sway bar bushings on past vehicles after I went to all poly bushings. Those squeaked more often. The spraying of the silicon lubicant was more or less a fast/easy shot in the dark. I figured the chance of any of it creeping where it needs to be is slim.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I ran across the following thread, sounds like they are having the same noise, however, the fix he said the dealer did (which is now a TSB) did nothing for me. Also seems it may be a bit common.

Later in the post he states the dealer loosened and retorqued all rear suspension bolts and that took care of the issue.

 
#17 ·
No I haven't. I'm going to wait till the weather warms up and see if it goes away. If it does, I'm just going to chalk it up to suspension creek in cold weather and I'll live with it. Heck, it may even go away on it's own all together over time if it goes away once the temps warm up.
 
#19 ·
I first noticed this creak the day I picked up my new Trek in December and continued hearing it most days I drove it. I've got 1,000 miles on it now and haven't heard that noise in a while. It's been down to single digit temps (Farenheit) here recently, so I think mine got worn in and stopped creaking on its own!
 
#23 ·
My car is in the shop for the same reason. Dull creaking sound from the right rear when going over bumps or just loading the suspension when turning.

Upon visual inspection the dealership says everything looks normal which of course makes sense - it’s a brand new car. They’re continuing to diagnose but maybe it will go away on its own with time.

It’s just very strange that Subaru would design a car this way. I don’t understand buying a brand new car and it creeks and groans like an old car from the 80s or something right off the lot. I may just leave it there and use their loaner until they’re forced to figure it out - I shouldn’t have to spend time worrying about this.
 
#35 ·
Mine just recently started doing this but front suspension instead. I also notice it much more when driving over speed bumps head on similar to what you mentioned. Don't really hear it over train tracks or when turning either. It hasn't been too cold where I am so I'm wondering if it's worth having it checked at the dealer. Will wait for warmer temps and see I guess. Has anyone else had this in the front?
 
#37 ·
There has to be a manufacturing/assembly glitch somewhere. It's been the 3rd winter of my car being exposed to -30C/F without a single squeak from any suspension part whatsoever. Either there is a variance in the chemical composition of all the parts/bushings/o-rings, or there has been a "bad" production batch.

I doubt that manufacturing tolerances result in gap/tightness variations which would create all these squeaks and squeals. Or maybe I'm wrong.
 
#38 ·
My 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited 7000KM is having the same issue creaky rear end, at full suspension travel, I did not hear the sound when I picked the car up brand new in the summer. But now that it’s been cold out I thought it was just ice build up as it sounds like a wheel rubbing ice in a wheel well, but now that it’s all melted and ice free the sound is still there, I’m going to the dealer later today. Hopefully it’s just the emergency brake cable TSB 🤞🏻
The outback’s have bad sway bar end links from what I’ve read in the 22 OBW forum, another thread I read said that the strut mounts needed to be replaced, and after replacement the noise was gone for a few weeks but then returned, and I guess subaru knows about the issue and is trying to find a fix but the engineers don’t know what the cause of the mount failure is… so maybe this applies to the Crosstrek as well? as said from Subaru North America this is not a specific issue to only the outback. :(
 
#39 ·
My noise is getting less and less as time goes on. It's on it's second winter and the bumps it used to always do it on it will no longer make the noise. Sometimes it still happens but definitely reduced. I have 12,800 miles on it now.