Terrible noise under cold temps

[marcposada]

2006 mazda 3 with a 2.3 engine. I live in Northeast PA and we had had some cold weather lately. I have started my car in the morning, and sometimes is in the single digits temps outside, I am late for work and do not let the car warm up. So from the left front tire/fornt end, there is this horrible clunck like noise when I turn left, slightly make the car go to the left. Nothing happens when I turn to the right...

What can this be?

 

[tsunami]

not 100% sure here is your car stock? i am thinking tie rod but it could be lots of things.... any issues with your brakes? could be build up there cuase usually when you are turning you are also into the brakes... is it only the first time you turn left? or every time until the car warms up?

 

[marcposada]

no mods, all is stock. only whe it is cold this happens. once the car warms up it is not that bad. On warmer weather, above the frezzing mark, there is no problem.

 

[tsunami]

could be something with the sway bar as well "clunking" noises are famously related to sway issues with mazdas if you are still under warranty i would deffinatly take it in and see if they can repeat and diagnoss the problem (i.e take it in when its going to be cold the next morning if you can leave it over night)

 

[Goosegimlet]

I have also notices the same problem in below freezing temperatures. A friend suggested the limited might be acting up. I was thinking that maybe the tires were actually spinning on the rim. Is that possible? They are summer tires. Is that the problem?

 

[freydo]

depending on how cold it gets in your area during winter, a lot of this is probably pretty normal. most of the time it's the suspension, transmission, etc that's frozen. you do need to let your car warm up a bit.

up here where the temps can be a consistent -25F during january and february, and windchills of -50F, your car would always be a block of ice. that's why block heaters are standard, and you wouldn't dream of having summer tires on.

i always let my car warm up until the tach reads 1K or the air coming out of the defrost is warm'ish. or wait until i can't see my breath anymore