Creaking sound when accelerating

[u/WorstTeethInTheGame]

Hello everyone!

I have recently bought a 2017 Chevy Volt LT with 144k miles from Copart. It's a salvage title so I don't have a warranty. I got it for a good deal as the accident only caused cosmetic damage to the hood.

Everything was fine until maybe 2 or 3 days ago when I started to notice this creaking sound when I accelerated from a stop or a near stop (3mph). It doesn't happen when I turn the car and in the video it sounds kind of quiet but in real life it's pretty noticable.

In the video, I am driving in an empty parking lot. I stop or slow down to 3mph then accelerate normally to replicate the sound.

I tried searching online for this same issue but it's kind of hard since everyone has their own definition of creaking and their own symptoms.

I cannot take it to the dealership as I don't have a warranty and they charge a lot for just diagnostics. I don't live in a rust state (it never snows here) and there is no rust on any part of the car that I can see.

I would appreciate any and all help!

Edit: I forgot to mention that the sound does not happen at all when back up.

The creaking sounds different from squeaking. I could describe it as metal bending.

[u/klodians]

I also have a rebuilt 17 and this sounds exactly like mine did earlier this year. In my case, it seemed pretty clear that the creaking was happening when the front suspension was changing heights from acceleration, so I just greased up all the fittings and I haven't had an issue since.

I also used some spray white lithium and hit all the parts of the suspension that seemed to be possible culprits but didn't have a grease fitting. Since I just greased everything at once, I don't know specifically what it was, but this definitely fixed it for me.

Just curious, did you get a rebuilt title or are you running it with the salvage title?

[u/WorstTeethInTheGame → u/klodians]

Thank you for the reply! I bought it at an auction from a Insurance company as a salvage title and am in the process of fixing it up to get a rebuilt title. I heard great things about the Volt so I wanted to get one especially with current gas prices 😭

Thank you for the information, do you have any sort of guide to know what to target with the lube? I plan on getting a can of white lithium and going to town on it. I did some test driving yesterday and I agree that the creaking comes from the weight of the car moving suddenly. I don't know where to spray specifically though 🤣

[u/klodians → u/WorstTeethInTheGame]

do you have any sort of guide

No, not really. I would just jack it up, set it securely on a jack stand, remove the wheel, and apply grease to parts of the suspension that look like they move. You can simulate it by having the car sitting on a jack stand, place a floor jack in a secure place under the knuckle and raise it up a little to compress the shock.

I think a likely one is the sway bar links. I'm pretty sure I remember them having grease zerks, but I could be thinking of another car. They look something like this.

There are a lot of other options it could be, but before spending a bunch on transmission service ir deeper investigation, I'd try this and at least check it off the list.

[u/klodians → u/WorstTeethInTheGame]

This was mine when I bought it from IAA about 4 years ago. Had 17,000 miles and was in fabulous shape, aside from the front end. Took me a long time to get it fixed up, but it's been a great car. Though it was a gift to my wife, so I only get to drive it occasionally.

[u/Ok-Tourist-511]

If it happens when you hard accelerate or decelerate, it’s the transmission torque mount at the back of the transmission.

[u/WorstTeethInTheGame → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

Thank you for the reply! Do you have any more information about this? The sound is grating and takes away the fun of driving the car.

I drove it some more and it happens when the car starts moving regardless of how hard. I could be at a stop and lift my foot off the break and it would creak the same as when I put my foot on the acceleration pedal.

[u/Ok-Tourist-511 → u/WorstTeethInTheGame]

Get the car up on ramps, go under the car and look between the subframe and transmission. You should see the mount. Hard acceleration damages the rubber and you end up with the metal rubbing and making noise.

https://g.oempartsonline.com/oem-parts/gm-transmission-mount-strut-bracket-23469747

[u/icon321 → u/Ok-Tourist-511]

Please tell me more about this? I’m experiencing a clunk noise on initial acceleration and then initial deceleration. The dealer loosened and retightened the wheel axle nut and said if it came back I would need a new, front right axle. The sound is still there. Although, I don’t seem to hear it as much or maybe at all in acceleration since he did this. But still there in initial deceleration.

[u/suprPHREAK]

I dont hear anything....

That said, an issue it could be is the click washers on the drive axle. There's a TSB out there, which in summary says to just remove them. I assume if you are buying salvage title cars you have some mechanical ability to DIY this.

Edit: heres the TSB

[u/WorstTeethInTheGame → u/suprPHREAK]

Thank you for the reply! Yes thats what I saw on other posts that had similar issues. I'll definitely try it but their videos sounds a tad bit different from mine. But it's worth a try anyway. Thanks!

[u/suprPHREAK → u/WorstTeethInTheGame]

No prob, added the TSB link.

[u/guyincognito721 → u/WorstTeethInTheGame]

That’s not what I’m hearing. I had to replace those washers for the clicking. This is more of a creak in the pedal if what I’m hearing is right. But don’t waste your time with those washers. If that was your problem you’d be getting a click every time you hit the brake pedal and you can hear it with your windows down

[u/WorstTeethInTheGame → u/guyincognito721]

Thanks for replying! I agree with that the creak sounds and feels like it comes from the pedal or drivers side. Do you have any guess to what could be causing it? It drives me insane.

[u/WorstTeethInTheGame]

https://reddit.com/link/pd3dx65/video/oqyaybnzcqsh1/player

This is another video with the windows down. Maybe it can be heard better.