OK, 05 6MT, 28,000 Miles

With the weather here in the midwest getting colder, this has become very prevalent in my car.

After the car has been sitting for a while, when stopped and making a right or left hand turn, there is a constant clicking sound coming from somewhere in the car, front and rear depending on direction of turn, angle, and changes in surface. As I drive for a bit, the noise gets quieter and quieter, but is still there.

Took it in today, the tech came with me in the car, heard the noise. Called me 5 hours later, said they checked all suspension components to make sure they were tight, sounded like it was coming from the front passenger, so he lubed the brake pad shims or whatever, could not replicate again because the car was in the shop and warm. Picked up the car, didnt really notice anything. Went out to the bars, just got home about 20 minutes ago, and lo and behold, as I was leaving, it was as loud and clear as ever.

I am stumped, and will be calling the dealership back to drop it off overnight on monday so they can really hear it tuesday morning, but I just dont know what this is. It has only come about with the cold weather, so it's gotta be something that is undergoing undue stress and is amplified by the cold contracting everything.

Any suggestions?

 

It could be a small screw lodged in one of your tires. Small enough not to give you a flat, but with the rotation of the tire/s, each time the screw contacts the pavement you will hear the clicking noise. This has happened to me a couple of times on my 4Runner and both times, it was a screw. It can also be a rock lodged between the treads.

The first time it happened, I couldn't figure it out for a long time. Second time, I knew where and what to look for.

Not sure this helps, but good luck.

 

Thanks. Not a screw, I know what hat sounds like....I've had plenty. This clicking noise only happens when turning and accelerating from a stop, coming from front right suspension, and only when cold. The past 2 days have been 50+ degrees, and it's gone, so I have to wait till it gets cold again.

I did take another tech for a ride on saturday, and he heard it as well.....just cant seem to pinpoint the noise.

 

It could be your CV joints, they are on either end of the drive shafts, if they are going bad they will start to make aclicking noise whenever you are driving and turning the wheel. This usually happens when the CV boot which is a rubber boot that protects the joint is broken and dirst gets in the joint and wears the parts

 

I thought about that, but the tech looked at it once, and said everything underneath was tight and sealed.........

It's not a CV click, it's really hard to describe. It's almost like the pad click on the brembo calipers, but it's repeated multiple times, and only when cold.....like an icecube popping when you put it into warm soda.

 

try tightening the upper control arm bolts. they may feel tight even when there's a small gap between the bushing and metal bracket. I've seen this problem several times, never temperature related, but it might be worth a try.

 

You can have someone sit in the back seat -- or YOU sit there, and have someone drive your cold car around for a few blocks.. a few left and right turns.. and poke your head out and listen in the rear wheel wells and the front wheel wells...

I installed my Aspec suspension myself and now realize some of the places where a suspension can make noise .. and place where it shoudnt make noise (if that makes sense).

The fact that it goes away after it warms up seems to lend credence to a lubrication issue... b/c if it was a poorly seated or bolted suspension component, it shouldn't really matter how warm the metal is ... it'll still click...

 

thats what I keep saying, but now that it's cold again, Im taking it to the dealership for that and a few other things.