2008 Impreza 2.5i Clunking noise

Everytime i turn on my 2010 (not sure why i put 2008 in the title) impreza and slowly drive away i hear a clunking sound coming from somewhere in the front. it happens almost everytime i start it up, even if it is warmed up

Went to the dealer (car is 4 weeks old) did a test drive and it only did it once for them of course even though we tried almost 10 times. they had no idea what it could be and will take it in for a full day to let it get cold.

anyone have any ideas?

also, does anyone else experience a slight rumbling when the car is cold and the blue cold engine light is on? i know the car being cold would help to explain that but you'd think that a brand new car would be free from things like that.

thanks in advance?

I have the same problem with my Impreza it's a 2009. I have about 12,500 miles on it and it has been making the clunk since new. You can even feel the clunk through the gas pedal. I have not taken it to the dealer because the closest dealer is real bad. Do you also get a loud vibration at 40 – 45 going uphill? I also get a noise when accelerating after a stop it sounds almost like a valve tap but I think it’s a loose heat shield because it does not make the noise if I rev the engine or if cold. Is your Impreza auto or stick? Hopefully someone can help us out with this......I'm seriously thinking about selling the car.........
:mad:

A rough idle when cold is pretty normal for any Subaru. The design of any boxer engine doesn't really make a smooth idle easy to attain. As for the clunk, it sounds like it may be a slight gap in the brake pad and caliper bracket. I haven't had any Subarus with this problem yet. If it only make is it briefly when taking off, probably nothing to worry about. Loud vibrations usually are due to a mis-aligned engine mount. I've had a few that the nut was a bit loose on and let the engine move ever so slightly. And rocks can get into those heatshields and cause all kinds of racket sometimes. I'm workin on an 08 impreza with a 5spd that has 4th gear locked to the mainshaft. I don't have any idea why it froze to the shaft but the shaft is fine and it is the first time in a few years that i've had to open a subaru manual transmission, let alone one newer than 01-02.

Do not be alarmed. That clunking noise you all hear is completely normal and all of the cars are supposed to make that sound. My 08" does it too. The clunk is also stated in the manual in the breaks section. It's the ABS computer breaking system kicking in. You'd be amazed how much money you can save reading the manual. I just got a quote of $95 to change a silly filter behind the glove box in my new 08'-10' STI and paid $15 for the filter and installed it myself in about 5 minutes. Manual shows you all kinds of cool stuff.

I have the same problem, I just got '10 impreza wagon. It is brand new and is making that noise when i put it into dirve and start driving it, like right away when i just accelerate. I can Hear this "clunk" sound in the back and sometimes in the front. Took it to the dealer and they did not find anything loose or wrong, I am afraid it has something to do with the transmission or the 4wd system. It happens almost everytime i start it up, even if it is warmed up

any ideas on your experience?

I have the same problem, I just got '10 impreza wagon. It is brand new and is making that noise when i put it into dirve and start driving it, like right away when i just accelerate. I can Hear this "clunk" sound in the back and sometimes in the front. Took it to the dealer and they did not find anything loose or wrong, I am afraid it has something to do with the transmission or the 4wd system. It happens almost everytime i start it up, even if it is warmed up

any ideas on your experience?


The guys at the dealership must be total morons. Read the manual. It states that it's supposed to make that sound as you drive off. It's simply the ABS system kicking in. It's supposed to make that sound. I can't believe the mechanics don't even know that.

I read the manual, but they describe it as a vibration on the pedal....sometimes I hear " clunk" loud in the front or back...took it 3 times to the dealership...they want to do an extensive check up and leave it in the mechanic for a couple of days...I am thinking on calling 1800 my lemon, because this is brand new car...only have 700 miles by now. I dont know what to do

It would only be a vibration in the pedal if your foot is on it during a real abs stop. The self test engages when you are rolling without your foot on the pedal. It happens once per key cycle. I have heard several with the same noise and there is nothing wrong.

I have been freaking out for weeks!! I have had my subaru for a year, traded in my 07 and got the 09. I do tons of driving, got the car at 11200 and have it at 35000, so when I heard this noise I totally freaked out. I had not had my 30000 maintainence and figured I was going to regret getting the car. After the noise, which seriously sounded like WW3, this was in start up mode, it was 12 degrees outside and icy, thought maybe it was ice under the car. Scared to drive it anywhere, I tensed up, drove it 12 feet, the sound stayed...then it was gone. Never happened again. I took it in, I had it towed to the nearest dealer, and they have run every test imaginable, (did my 30000, for the fee of $800), and nothing they couldn't find a thing wrong with the car. Well, it has been ready for pick up since Monday, and I called today, did you check the transmission, test drive it, put it in all gears, hows the center bearings in the diff?, are the cooling fans running, I have hounded them every day because I was so freaked out and thought I had blown the engine, the transmission, you name it all I was thinking is I should never have gotten the car!!! The service tech kept telling me that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the car, guy says he would love to keep driving it around, he would take it in a heartbeat. But I was concerned about this mysterious CLUNK CLASH BANG, noise that it made me sick to my stomach to even think about picking the car up and driving it the 100+ miles home...
THANK YOU
I so needed to hear that others have had this same noise and it is NORMAL?

I actually made them keep the car til Thursday, so that I can have a tech in the car while I drive so if I hear any weird noises I can point them out, mostly because I thought the car would break down. I have lost more sleep than you will ever know! Look it's 1:30 am and I am looking all over the net for answers! Again, thank you, now I can get my car and my son can have life instead of driving me around.

Don't worry this sound is 'normal' as far as I experienced. My Impreza does it, the Forester I had while they checked a transmission problem made the same noise, and the brand new 2011 Impreza I had for 2 weeks after a collision (yeah I'm very lucky with my car :\ ) did not stand apart. It was more noticeable on my car when it was newer and it was kind of loud on the 2011. I guess it differs from one car to another.

Thanx!! I have had the car back, and the sound has not reappeared, yeah! They did recalibrate the brakes and that is the most likely cause of the problem. I can understand the difference in the noise if you take into account elevation, climate and so on...
Good to know that there is nothing wrong, I love this car and it drives great through the snow and ice, and that is exactly what I was looking for...
now on to the "how come my gas mileage is horrible?"
husband says that gas mileage drops in the winter, so that's one reason
take into account the warm up period for the "blue light" to go off
averaging 21-23 better than some people, but not good enough for a subaru owner