Thread: Azera Suspension Noise

My brand new Azera has a suspension noise on the passenger side. It is noticeable
at speeds under 30 mph when going over smaller road bumps. It sounds and feels like a bad strut or shock (hard to tell if it is coming from the front or back).

Anyone else have this?

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, a goodly number of folks have indicated a similar noise, a tennis ball bouncing inside a plastic bottle is a favorite description. There have been a number of attempts to solve it, some believed successful some not. Replacing the shocks does it for a while, but it may come back. Concensus seems to be that earlier shocks were marginal and that even replacement shocks from the Hyundai parts bin would go bad after only a few thousand miles.

There are now a couple of manufacturers who make Azera shocks and I've read that Sonata shocks may be a usable replacement...

Originally Posted by chooper786

My brand new Azera has a suspension noise on the passenger side. It is noticeable
at speeds under 30 mph when going over smaller road bumps. It sounds and feels like a bad strut or shock (hard to tell if it is coming from the front or back).

Anyone else have this?

No... everyone here is completely well-satisfied, in fact really thrilled with the ride, comfort, and handling of their Azeras... NOT!

... a bad strut or shock... ? Could be either, or both! Also, some owners reported that, on new car delivery, suspension fasteners were not tightened to factory torque specifications. Get your Hyundai dealer involved in checking the nuts & bolts right away. Struts are mostly total junk, made in India by the lowest bidder, and the warranty replacements apparently are the same garbage, but bearing different part numbers. A few hundred - to - a few thousand miles seems to be the 'useful lifespan' of the factory struts, although many have been reported to be worthless from mile #1.

The only hope seems to be that maybe Monroe, Gabriel, Bilstein, or some other decent manufacturer will decide to make replacement struts for the Azeras in the next few years. Guess the question is whether even the total number of Azeras sold constitutes a great enough potential market, in the eyes of the shock/strut manufacturers. I certainly hope so!

The original hard, low-profile Michelin tires don't help the ride either, unless you're traveling at high speeds it's said. Can't vouch for that since I haven't been over 105mph in our '07 Azera.

Nice cars, but not perfect. Worth keeping? I think so; time will tell. Best wishes with yours.

Well, whaddya know... just checked Rock Auto Parts http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php for Azera shocks & struts, again, and... Monroe now lists replacements for 2005-2008 Azera

front struts: Sensa-Trac # 72281
rear shock absorbers: Sensa-Trac # 5614

Oddly enough, these are the same Monroe models listed for the 2006-2008 Sonata V6, for which they also list KYB:

front struts: # 341476
rear shock absorbers: # 349060
*** NOTE *** Rock Auto Parts' and KYB's own catalog do not show those KYB numbers as applicable to the Azera, however! Interesting.

Neither Gabriel nor Bilstein currently list any Azera applications. Tokico has no Hyundai listings.

Obviously these Monroe units will physically fit the Azeras (as would the KYB part # shown), but will they work well for the Azeras. C'mon... who'll be the lab rat on this???

OK... I bit! Just got the Monroe struts/shocks, front & rear, from Rock Auto. Guess where they're made... South Korea! (compared to the genuine Hyundai OEM & replacement crap made by the cheapest bidder... in India).

Haven't installed them yet, but will post the results when installation & alignment are completed.

BTW the Inland Empire Hyundai dealer in Loma Linda, CA, sold Nexen N5000 tires http://www.nexentireusa.com/tires-2/N5000 for the Azera at $99. each, plus mounting/balancing. So far, these tires feel somewhat smoother than the original Michelins, and quieter also.

Ahhhhh, the experiment begins!

I suppose I'll have to replace my shocks someday, as I plan to keep the car for 15 years or so, and it's good to know that Monroe has (or seems to have) a better-than-OEM replacement...

I doubt that Monroe or KYB would create a shock that would create a "tremendous imbalance in handling", that would be crazy

Welcome to the forum!

I'll be replacing my front struts tomorrow, as when they put new tires all around, something happened to cause some noise on the passenger side and the dealer is citing the "knock" TSB and replacing them, under warranty...

Well, my struts were replaced (both sides) by the dealer (under warranty) about eight months back and recently the noise came back. Took it in and this time the cause was listed as "right front strut insulator fatigued."

The service rep. said that there is noise insulation associated with the struts and that the wear of this has become a known-to-the-factory issue. They replaced the strut insulator assy and added additional insulation in some form. It took a while (overnight) and they didn't have a loaner on hand, so they called for Hertz to deliver a rental and the dealer paid for the rental...

Originally Posted by chooper786

My brand new Azera has a suspension noise on the passenger side. It is noticeable
at speeds under 30 mph when going over smaller road bumps. It sounds and feels like a bad strut or shock (hard to tell if it is coming from the front or back).

Anyone else have this?

I have that same low speed chatter when:

1) traveling slowly on uneven pavement (such as in a parking lot at 5 mph , the car pitching from side to side)

2) pushing won on the corner of the car.

I do not hear it going over bumps at speed.

The dealer replaced the left side 'strut housing' about a year ago then the right side, and now the noise is back on the left front (driver's) side.

Has anyone priced strut replacement for at least the front end?

Do new struts being installed require alignment ?

H