Paranormalchef

Hi Iam new to this forum and just want to say what an excellent site and wealth of information. I am an avid Subaru fan having owned many over the last 25 years of driving everything from L series to outbacks and touring wagons, we currently own a 2012 forester diesel which has been flawless and  2016 xv. My issue is with our xv it has only 41000 klms on it and is just on its extrended warranty which ceaes in 2021. Its a manual and is an excellent littile car. The problem is with the front struts it has a popping/cracking noise over small undulations in the pavement and of course is more pronounced on dirt or grass each of which it has rarely been driven (wifes Town car)

Its always there especially at low speeds and is louder when the suspension is cold as expected . The problem is its really annoying and quite loud if it was just a suttle knock id be happy to live with it. Ive had passengers in the car asking What that noise? Its been there since new and we have had it in the dealer 3 times in Canberra the last been for 2 weeks while they were trouble shooting the issue. By the way they have been excellent in trying to fix it .

The first time we took it in a year and a half ago they admittied that it had an issue and was too loud to be normal strut dampening operation and they replaced both front struts and strut mounts, That didnt fix it so a few months later they said the noise was the EA power steering rack which they also replaced under warrany . 4 months after that we took it back in and they admitted that the suspension was noisy and there was something wrong with it so they replaced the front struts again after taking the front of the car apart trying to find the issue. A subaru area manager came down from Sydney to drive the vehicle after multiple attempts to fix it , His conlusion was that the loud cracking/popping suspension was a normal charecteristic of the vehicle and that that type of strut makes that noise.

After we wrote a letter to Subaru Australia they replied saying that the area managers decision was final and it was normal operation noise of that model. even though the dealer was saying there was something wrong with it.

My question is how can a strut make this noise if its new. Also does anyone know what OEM Subaru uses for struts I was going to replace them when the extended warrany expired with KYB but someone said Subaru uses KYB do you think the factory strut would be the exact same strut as a KYB retail one hence having the exact same issue. or could Subaru be wrong and it possibly be something else.

Cheers

Dan