Santa Fe (CM - 2007-12) :: Front End Knocking Noise

I have a 2009 AWD Santa Fe with a little over 43K miles. Over the past few months it's developed a knocking noise that is most audible from the front drivers side area. The knocking speeds up or slows according to the car's speed, and appears somewhat louder when the steering wheel is turned. My initial suspicion from my surfing here is either a CV joint or wheel bearing.

I took it to the dealer that sold it to me and am getting increasingly frustrated with their work. The first irritation was yesterday when the service advisor called to say the problem was corroded rear rotors and brake pads; both wear items not covered under warranty. Though skeptical (since I was hearing the noise coming from up front, not from the back) I authorized the $300+ for turning the rotors, replacing brake pads and flushing the brake system.

When I showed up to retrieve the car I was told it'd been test driven and the problem was fixed. I asked the tech specifically whether he'd checked the CV joints and he assured me he had and they were fine. Upon driving away it was immediately obvious the knock was still there. Back to the dealer. I had the tech drive it with me in the passenger seat. He acknowledged he could now heard the knocking, but claimed he previously couldn't hear it over the horrible loud squealing from my rusted rotors; nor had he heard it on his alleged post-fix test drive. The problem with that is I've never heard this claimed horrible loud squealing, nor has my girlfriend, nor have any other regular passengers.

Back at the dealership the situation escalated when the service advisor, in defense of his tech, also claimed the horrible squealing rotors had drowned out any other noises. The problem with that is he admitted he'd not come along on any of the previous claimed test rides, and claimed to have heard the horrible squealing rotors only while the car was in the shop and/or up on the lift while the tech was turning a rear wheel by hand. Err, if the car was not driven any for distance or speed, of course you wouldn't have heard any knocking up front.

Yesterday evening I got a call from the shop advising the problem had now been diagnosed as a bad wheel bearing, front driver's side. I was assured it'd be fixed and ready this afternoon. All well and good. I showed up this afternoon and the service advisor stated the car was just getting buttoned up and we're going to test drive it. Fine, I'd like to come along on the test drive I said. He agreed, asked me to sit in the waiting room. In a few short minutes though - not long enough IMO - he came back out to advise the tech had just test driven the car (without me?!) and the knock is still there.

As of this writing I have no info from them as to what it might be. I left the car with them and asked the service advisor to have the tech(s) double check the CV joints. He got huffy with me and declared that if if the tech said he'd check them, there's no need to do so again. At this point I'm not sure whether I can trust this dealers' service department. I don't think the service advisor is being honest with me - I think he's been caught in a minor fib re: test riding and is compounding the situation by sticking with it.