Clicking noise when turning wheels when parking or reversing

[johnjohnliu]

Hi,

I get a clicking noise near my wheels when I am reversing or turning at low speeds (this mostly happens when I am parking or parallel parking). Any ideas?

[SanoSuKe]

are you on coils or stock suspension?

[AlexN09]

Hey so do I. Especially when I first start the car and back out of a spot. I've gotten this noise since it was brand new.

[Mr. Music]

I've been getting a clicking noise too after installing Eibach springs and new struts/shocks. Sounds like it comes from the passenger front suspension, is only audible at low speeds, and seems to only happen when the wheels are turned left. I went over the entire suspension this past weekend making sure that every nut and bolt is torqued to factory spec but I still get the noise so my search for its source will continue. I'll post here if I figure out where its coming from and manage to shut it up.

[stevewaclo]

Unlikely CV joints are failing but a simple test is to find an open lot, go to full lock and back up in a circle. Turn wheel to opposite side, repeat.

You'll know.

[AZhitman]

Sounds like CV joint failure to me too...

[Mr. Music]

Crap, I hope it isn't a CV joint. If they are failing, the axles would have to be replaced and each one is about $500 new. The CV joints are replaceable according to the FSM but I can't find them anywhere - only entire axle assemblies. I inspected the CV joint boots and they are all fine so I figured that the joints should still be OK too. For me, its not a constant, repeated "click-click-click..." like you'd expect from a bad CV joint, its just one click every so often as the wheels are turned. What kind of pattern do you other guys hear?

I know there have been several people reporting failing engine mounts that cause all kinds of noises so I was planning on checking that next. I really hope its neither the CV joints nor the engine mounts though.

[AlexN09]

That's what mine sounds like. Definitely not a cv problem, more like a spring moving kinda click. Sound wasn't affected after I installed eibachs though.

[AZhitman]

Hard to know for sure without a chassis mic (which some dealerships have). Might be worth stopping by a dealership just to ask their opinion.

Reman axles for Alty Coupes with CVT are under $50 at RockAuto, and new ones are $75 at autopartsexpress.com.

BTW, a CV sound can be intermittent... in fact, if it's constant, it's been ignored for too long.

These cars are 5-7 years old now, guys. Stuff's gonna need to be replaced, but the good news is that it's an easy job and the parts are cheap.

[BTUT5]

Ok well I guess I can add my name to the problem list too maybe? I just recently installed H&R springs and have noticed what I would call more of a wobble just when turning left on the front passenger side. I didn't notice the problem before the install which makes me think it might be the springs or an alignment because I haven't got one yet since the springs. Just wonder if you guys think it is a related issue or not.

[Mr. Music]

Made a video of what I hear; better than trying to describe the sounds. In the first part of the video, I'm just pushing down on the front end of the car to rock it a bit - that's the noise I can hear from within the car at low speeds with the wheels turned left. Is that what you guys are hearing? In the second part, I jacked the front end up and spun the wheels around. I don't hear that noise from inside the car but it does sound like the CV joints; both sides make the same noise as the wheels spin.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFXxCNMMGSA[/youtube]

I'm not sure if the two noises are related; they probably are. I'm also not too sure about whether the noise I get when I spin the wheels is normal. I've watched some other videos about CV joint failure and the noise in those videos I saw was a hell of a lot louder that what I hear from my car. I'm the weekend-warrior type, not a pro mechanic by any means, so I'll probably take the car to someone who knows what they are talking about to see what they have to say about it. Hopefully someone on here can chime in on this too. Thankfully reman or aftermarket axles can be had for much less than the Nissan parts as AZhitman pointed out above if they need to be replaced. My car has a little over 40,000 miles so I didn't really think that CV joints might become an issue at such mileage.

BTUT5, I hadn't ever noticed the noise before I installed new springs and shocks either. (Now I just wonder if it was always doing it and I never heard it before.) Have you checked to make sure than nothing is rubbing or anything? The alignment on my car was way out of whack after installing the lowering springs and the front tires were were close to rubbing on the inner fender liner at full lock.

[AZhitman]

I'll check out the vid when I get on a different computer, but know this - hell, put it in your signature:

Lowering a car without getting an alignment is a sure way to make your car handle and brake like crap, and destroy tires and suspension components.

[Mr. Music]

Thank you Greg. I want to learn whatever I can about this stuff and I know your pretty knowledgeable. In the video, the suspension was at full droop as I was spinning the tires around so I'm not sure what kind of effect that may have on the noises it was making.

Driving too much with the alignment out will definitely ruin stuff quickly. I got my car aligned about 100 miles after lowering it and then went back to the alignment shop to check it about a month later.


- Eric

[AlexN09]

Awe man that sounds so horrible. I don't think I would even drive like that.

[skiski329]

I was also getting a clicking noise like a rock was stuck in the tires or maybe the break and it kept happening at a certain point. I monitored it for a while, took off all my tires and de-rocked them, inspected the breaks and the cv boots (didn't see any issues there) and kept getting a clicking noise. after getting spooked when i pathy cv boot broke I then I thought it was an axel issue and was worried, so i took it to the dealer. At first they didn't hear anything so they asked me to come along and we drove for a bit but i didn't hear it in the passenger seat. I asked the mechanic to get out and listen to the front wheel as i just let off the breaks and let it roll and then we both heard the click. He pulled it apart and found the codder pin was bent and causing the noise. they showed me the pin and it was bent, but i did not see the location (i think it's on the axel). anyway they changed it out and i haven't heard any clicking since! they really are a great dealership and i drive the extra miles just to go there. So, maybe check your codder pin's and see if they aren't bent out of shape.
Cheers.

[AlexN09]

Wow man I can't believe that was the problem but that's really awesome that it's all fixed up now!