When driving slowly and turning the steering wheel hard to the left there is a thumping metallic noise that seems to come from the front passenger side of the car. The noise is more pronounced when driving in reverse. The suspension and brakes were inspected and no problems were found. Any ideas about what the root cause could be?

 

wheel bearing?

 

Have you tried shaking the tire up and down, side to side? Also using stock strut mounts and if so how many miles on em and are the rubber cracked on em?

 

The strut mounts on the front were replaced maybe 4 years ago. They could be bad already. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Any sort of testing you think can be done to determine if that is the issue?

 

Get your front passenger tire, where the noise is coming from, in the air and place your hands on the tire at 9 and 3 and shake back and forth, then put them at 12 and 6 and shake up and down. It shouldn't move. If it's moving you typically have a bad wheel bearing.

 

What the Canadian said ^^