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my car has developed a creak from the steering when turning. Only really noticeable at low speeds or stationary. Sounds like it's from under the car or in the engine bay. Like a low pitched creak or groan type noise.

Update - so today the car passed it's MOT no problem. Drove the car quite a lot today and after maybe an hour the groaning noise started. It seems to happen under suspension travel or less noticeably when turning at low speeds/stationary. So it must be something that moves under both situations or at least is flexed during both.

No play that I or MOT found. Shocks aren't leaking and have been pressure checked about a year ago. I'm at a bit of a loss. Short of re greasing all ball joints and bushes.

I would inspect all the ball joints VERY closely to see if any of them have splits in the rubber boots.

Nick

That thought had occurred to me. Particularly as the problem seems to occur when the car is hotter. I had an E39 M5 that would creak when hot and it was because the ball joints were dry and heat from the engine was making it worse.

Any other suggestions?

With the car stationary, gently start applying load to the steering wheel so you load up the pump without the wheels actually turning. Does it make the noise then?

No it definitely seems to be when the steering physically turns. I thought maybe something was hitting another part but no sign of it. Definitely only once the car is hot. I wouldn't say there is anything to feel through the wheel. Just a noise. Almost like what you would get if you moved something serated across an edge but a dull sound so like plastic.

Hmmmm, at a bit of a loss. I think you'll have to get underneath it. Where are you? I have a lift in Essex but the Lotus is currently on it while I wait for fittings for the new slave cylinder.

I'm in Edinburgh but I appreciate the offer. It has it's MOT on Saturday so will see if that flags anything up. Recently changed the power steering fluid for genuine Audi stuff. If not I'll get under it again at the weekend. I would of thought too mounts normally but they are only a year old and genuine lemforder ones. So decent quality.

Do you mean top mounts? They can be a problem with macpherson strut front suspension, but this is multi-link / double wishbone, so it's just the ball joints that articulate (lots of them), not the spring/damper unit. I would look at the ball joint at the outboard end of the lower track control arm - the one that the strut bolts to. If the ball joint has gone, the MoT will probably find it.

Nick

Apologies yes, top mounts (bloody auto correct on my phone). That is a valid point though that it doesn't really articulate on them. I'll check the ball joints again but all look and feel OK.

Update - so today the car passed it's MOT no problem. Drove the car quite a lot today and after maybe an hour the groaning noise started. It seems to happen under suspension travel or less noticeably when turning at low speeds/stationary. So it must be something that moves under both situations or at least is flexed during both.

No play that I or MOT found. Shocks aren't leaking and have been pressure checked about a year ago. I'm at a bit of a loss. Short of re greasing all ball joints and bushes.

Front sub-frame mounting bolts? My B7 makes a creak from the front when turning the wheels once the exhaust gets up to temperature (one of the bushes is close to the down-pipe).

Pretty sure it does it more in winter when the temperatures drop.

To me it has to be something that moves under suspension travel though.

Aways feel I should update topics once the issue is solved.

It was the ball joint on the front lower suspension arm. The straight arm which the shock connects to. Tiny split in the boot had obviously allowed water in. Easy fix although the ball joint did put up quite a fight to remove. Also it is a wide taper on the joint so some ball joint splitters won't get in and even the wider ones foul on the hub assembly. I ended up just hammering up on the threads which obviously ruins the threads but in his case that didn't matter.