MajorCommonSuspension

Honda N-Box: Front Strut Top Mount Bearing Failure & Clicking

Front Strut Top Mount Bearing Failure & Clicking is a common suspension fault on the Honda N-Box on the 2011–2017 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $480 to $1,350 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 27 documented faults on the Honda N-Box.

Vehicle: Honda N-Box
Years: 2011–2017
System: Suspension

This page covers the Honda N-Box as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Honda N-Box faults27 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Shock absorber / strut yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The front MacPherson strut upper mount on JF1/JF2 N-Box models incorporates a needle-roller or ball bearing that allows the strut to rotate with the steering column during cornering. The bearing cage is underspecified for the weight-distribution characteristics of the tall-body kei van layout, and the bearing race is exposed to road spray contamination through the dust seal. Bearing wear results in the race running metal-on-metal, producing a sharp clicking or knocking sound transmitted directly through the strut tower into the cabin when traversing bumps, speed humps, or during low-speed steering lock maneuvers such as parking. The noise is most pronounced at low speed and may be absent at highway speeds. The complete upper mount assembly including bearing must be replaced; the bearing is not serviceable separately in most cases. Both sides frequently fail within a short interval once one is symptomatic.

What you would notice

Sharp clicking or knocking from front suspension over bumps
Clicking when turning steering wheel at low speed or during parking
Noise most prominent at low speeds over rough surfaces
Clunk felt through steering wheel or footwell over speed humps
May worsen in cold conditions

How to check it

Where to look. Front left and right strut top mount bearings, engine bay strut towers

Drive slowly over a speed hump or rough surface and listen for clicking from either front strut tower. Apply full steering lock slowly while stationary or at walking pace and listen for clicking. Have an assistant rock the vehicle front-to-rear while you place a hand on each strut top mount to feel for movement or noise. Inspect dust seal condition at strut tops.

Parts involved: Shock absorber / strut.

What it costs to put right

$480 to $1,350 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Do you notice any clicking or knocking from the front when going over bumps?”
“Has the front suspension been inspected, and have the strut mounts been replaced?”
“Has any suspension work been carried out in the vehicle history?”

Now check the Honda N-Box you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Honda N-Box buyer questions

Is front strut top mount bearing failure & clicking serious on a Honda N-Box?

We rate it major and common on the Honda N-Box. The front MacPherson strut upper mount on JF1/JF2 N-Box models incorporates a needle-roller or ball bearing that allows the strut to rotate with the steering column during cornering. The bearing cage is underspecified for the weight-distribution characteristics of the tall-body kei van layout, and the bearing race is exposed to road spray contamination through the dust seal. Bearing wear results in the race running metal-on-metal, producing a sharp clicking or knocking sound transmitted directly through the strut tower into the cabin when traversing bumps, speed humps, or during low-speed steering lock maneuvers such as parking. The noise is most pronounced at low speed and may be absent at highway speeds. The complete upper mount assembly including bearing must be replaced; the bearing is not serviceable separately in most cases. Both sides frequently fail within a short interval once one is symptomatic.

How much does it cost to fix on a Honda N-Box?

$480 to $1,350 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Honda N-Box years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2011–2017 Honda N-Box. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.