01 Sebring about to make long journey, needs help
 

Hi, I'm new here and glad I found this place. I am the proud owner of an '01 4 door Sebring LXI. I've had the car since '05, with no major problems.

I'm writing because something's got me stumped. The car just passed PA state inspection 3 days ago; after the rotors were replaced, it had a clean bill of health. However, before inspection I noticed that that the car made a single (or, rarely, 2, but no more) squeak, like a hurt dog, when I went over a bump, braked hard, or hit a sharply uneven piece of road. The squeak is unquestionably coming from the front passenger side wheel area. The sound never occurs when at a stop, starting from a stop, turning the wheel even at extreme angles, or when the car is rolling on a flat surface. To add an additional wrinkle, I have never been able to get the car to make the sound simply by shoving down hard on the front end, and I'm a pretty big guy.

I don't think it's the bearing (unless you're really sure it couldn't be something else) because that was just replaced last year, and as I said, it just went through state inspection, so if it's something mechanically wrong, it is something they don't check during that.

If you can help me out, I'd appreciate it. This car is supposed to carry my wife and I 11 hours to Maine in 3 weeks, and I want to be sure that we're both safe and comfortable for the trip. I also have two videos of the noise on my phone that I can put on youtube if it would be helpful. Again, we're talking about a single, high pitched chirp or squeak, like a dog yelping or an old bed-frame being bounced on.

u will need to let some on in your area look at it a noise over the internet is not something that most if any will help with.

MIGHT be, emphasize MIGHT, the sway bar link or bushing. Could be lots of other things too, Try spraying in some water with dish detergent on the various bushings and connections up there one at a time and see if you can get it to go away. Obviously, don't do all at once or you won't learn anything. Don't use WD-40 or any petroleum based stuff or you'll risk ruining the good ones. This will take some time and patience, but it's better than throwing parts at it willy nilly.
If you can isolate it you'll be able to discuss it more intelligently with your mechanic and get a firmer price for the repair.

Thank you so much.