Bushing/crunch sound on deep dips

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by pasadena_commut, Mar 22, 2025.

  1. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2019
    2,059
    613
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Normally the front end on our 2007 is pretty quiet. However, there are a some deep dips in the streets, perpendicular to the direction of traffic (to allow the torrential rain we sometimes get to move downhill across the street without flooding it) and if the car goes through one of those at more than a crawl there is a sort of combination crunch/rubber bushing moving on metal sound. My impression is that the sound is when the wheels hit the far side of the dip, not when they hit the bottom. Anybody care to hazard a guess as to what might be making this noise? Is it normal for these cars to do this?
     
    Tombukt2 likes this.
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    11,462
    2,004
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    What is your steering wheel trying to do when this is going on the scrape crunch metal on rubber sound what have you The steering wheel trying to go to the left or the rider You feel something in your hand?
     
  3. Phreak

    Phreak New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2025
    14
    4
    0
    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    LE

    The question isn't whether or not it's normal for the car
    The behavior of not modifying how you drive in order to not crunch those things is not normal.

    If you get outside and get on the ground, Just look at the car with your own eyes until you see what looks to be the lowest points.
    Then examine the things at the lowest points for extreme rash etc.

    It could be anything but only you can do the work and due diligence needed in order for you to get proper help.
    I had the same model that would do it because the suspension was old and lost a lot of its "support"
    Saw that just under the radiator there were large scratches/gouges on a low piece of metal in that locale.

    Could be that the rubber has something to do with suspension.
     
  4. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2019
    2,059
    613
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Steering at that point is always straight ahead and it doesn't do anything corresponding to that sound.
     
  5. Phreak

    Phreak New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2025
    14
    4
    0
    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Yea that was kind of the point of what I was mentioning.

    If you don't do dips at angles, you're doing it wrong unless your car can clear dips without angling.

    My suspension was shot to the point that my close friends same year/make could clear the same places mine could not. Mine was considerably older in comparison(parts). I got new suspension all around and back to being able to clear dips without needing to angle.

    There's a lot of factors that could describe your issue but still driving straight at dips is only going to worsen things once you know that there is indeed and issue
     
  6. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2019
    2,059
    613
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The dips are not all marked with signs and they are hard to see looking forward, so I sometimes hit a new one without knowing it was there. The ones I know about before the front wheels hit them are traversed at a crawl.

    I was under the car a couple of weekends ago and did not notice any obvious scrapes on the lowest components. Have to do some more work soon, so will look more carefully then.
     
  7. Phreak

    Phreak New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2025
    14
    4
    0
    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    LE

    I can understand that completely. I drive all day and most cities are fine but certain ones are littered with potholes and some deep enough to sink the whole rim and just kill your car.

    There's a few extra low spots up front, but I remember when I saw what was scraping on mine i was kind of like "meh" about it and felt reassured. And i had hit those bumps rather.. a lot harder than a normal driver should so hopefully it's in a "don't worry about it" spot.
    Although I never recommend not worrying about things lol.