I checked online and had noticed alot of people advising it was the 'CV joint' but as I was due to have my MOT anyway, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and ask that they take a look into it.
The mechanic eventually put me out of misery by telling me the problem was quite common as I had a broken 'Coil Spring'. He said they replace these on cars every single day so it won't take long to fix. In terms of cost he said I was looking at £85 which included my retest and MOT pass certificate.
1. Check if you hear a loud metallic clunking sound when you turn the wheel. On my car after the clunk it would resonate a little as the broken spring vibrated.
2. While stationary full lock the wheel to the right and go to the wheel arch where the sound is coming from. Take a powerful torch and shine it up into the wheel arch.
3. Directly above the wheel you should see the bottom of a large spring. It is tricky because of the lack of space but try to look up the spring as much as you can. If the crack/break is on the bottom of the spring it should be easy to spot.
4. Full lock the steering to the left and repeat if you don't get a good view the first time.
5. If you still can't get a good view and have access to a home jack, Jack the car up and take the wheel off to take a closer look.
At this stage if you can see a break and have the knowledge and tools to fix it yourself then this is recommended, however, if you are like me and have neither I would suggest taking the car to a reputable garage and ask them to put it up on the ramp and confirm the issue.
If this article helped you or would like to share your own experiences, please leave a comment below.
