I have a 2003 Chevy Impala with 77,000 miles on it. WHen I turn there is a single click and when I bring the?

Question

wheel back around there is another small click click. Is this a bad cv joint?

It has been doing this since May.. And sometimes when I go to sit down in the car it makes the clicking noise. But just a single click. I don't think that the cv joints are bad because its been 5 months of acting this way and I have been driving it like this. And 2 mechanics have not been able to find the problem..

I have had the steering rack, brakes and struts replaced to try and fix the problem.

It almost sounds as if there are 2 marbles together on a pole and one slides down and hits the other one and makes a loud clicking noise if that helps.

Doesn't always click on every turn. Sound seems to be coming from the left side. There is a burning smell when I get out of the car and smell down by the wheel. ideas?

I know some more people have ideas on what this could be. Come on Help me out!

I just took the car out again to test it. It is a single click noise and then when I bring the wheel back around there is another clicking noise. I can't feel any thing bad in the steering wheel or anything like that. It almost sounds like 2 marbles are hitting eachother as I have mentioned before. As if there were some type of marble (I know there isn;t on a car) That slides one way when I turn and then slides back when I bring the wheel back around. It;s that type of clicking noise. Like something is maybe going out of place and then clicking back into place. I know someone has to have a good idea. It's been 5 months of trying to figure out this problem, and I have been driving it this whole time thats why I dont think that it is the cv joints because they would have been shot totally by now. Keep responding with ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was able to turn the wheels and see the cv boots. I felt all around both boots and didn't feel any cracks or anything like that.. I am still waiting for more ideas guys! Please Help!

Additional Notes. There seems to be a lot of brake dust on the outside of the wheel cover. Could something in the brakes be causing the clicking noise when I turn?

Answer 1

The smell is nothing to worry about, that is normal for a car that has just been driven. You are smelling the brakes, and the dust on the wheel is from the metalic pads on the front brakes, which is normal unless you change to different pad that are more semi-metallic. The clicking noise is probably the brake pads doing it. If you have checked the CV joints then its not them. Put the car on a rack or some place someone can watch it while you get in and out to make it do the clicking sound. Problems like these can run you crazy to find and one could speculate to no end as to the cause, so the reason you have gotten no answers is nobody can tell you what it is without visually checking the car. Try putting it up on jack stands and running it while someone looks around for the noise. Watch out for the wheels spinning as they will KILL you. I have saw brake pads do this exact clicking noise, and the only thing that could be done was to make the pads fit the caliper tighter by bending the ears on the outside pad. The one that goes to the piston side doesn't need it, as it is held in place by a retainer clip. The outer pad is allowed to flop around and the only way I have ever been able to deal with that problem was to put good quality pads such a Raybestos or NAPA brand on there. Get the semi-metallic with the shims and use the brake anti squeel lube on them at all contact points of metal to metal, but not on the pad surface as it will grab and throw you through the windshield. This might be an idea, find the area the clicking is coming from, and spray WD-40 around the area to see if it makes it go away!! Good Luck!!

Answer 2

I doubt it's the CV joint. You have to be moving to hear those when they're bad. have someone turn the wheel while you have the hood open and try to locate the general area it's coming from. If the sound is inside the car it maybe a steering wheel u-joint clicking. try using the tilt steering and see if it goes away when in a different position. If it's outside the car look and see is the plastic cover on the steering wheel shaft may be hitting the shaft. If you see it jump a little when you hear the clicking you've found the problem. It won't hurt anything but at least you've found it. Another thing that it could be if your car has it Is a link pin. It attaches the sway bar to the control arm. It looks like a small rod with 2 tie little tie rod ends.This will also cause the sound your describing. Narrow it down with 2 people. you can't follow the sound sitting in the car by yourself.

Answer 3

Sounds like a wheel bearing especially if you're smelling grease burning. The bearing is going and its getting hot which in turn melts the grease. It too will make a grinding or clicking sound. Usually you can just jack up the wheel and either spin it and listen or grab the wheel on bottom and top and rock back and forth, you will feel the play in the wheel if the bearing is shot. Not a very expensive repair either. But don't keep going because one of these days you'll either have a fire or you'll have to replace a lot more than just the bearing itself!

Answer 4

there are a lot of things it could be, from ball joints to a strut mount, a strut.... it would just have to pulled up on a rack and examinded.... a set of ears would help (mechanics place these at certain areas around the noise and then try to recreate it, in your case, sitting in and turning the wheel lock to lock, but depending on the mechanic he may not have this handy lil tool.. I would suggest taking a lot of time with it, i had a rattle in my 2005 f-150 since it was new, dozens of dealerships looked at it to no relief, finally figured it out that it was the latched on tailgate, oiled it and that was it.... since you have been driving it for a while, i would not worry until something breaks, if it ever does, cause replacing a part when you dont really know if that is what wrong is stupid... you end with a bunch of new parts and still a click... it is possible that it is one of your c/v joints, but usually you get a bad vibration while driving if your joint goes out

Answer 5

Your car has front support called an "sub frame". Its the part that holds the entire suspension and all the mounts for the engine and transmission. It is bolted at four corners under the front of your car. If these bolts are not tightened properly the sub frame will make a snapping or a clicking noise as it moves against the mounting surface. It not hard to check and can be done is just a few minutes. They should be loosened and reinstalled with a air impact wrench.

Answer 6

The easiest way to tell is, after you park get a flashlight and look on the inside of the wheels . You should be able to see if the boot is torn and the grease is getting on the inside of your tire or rotor.. be sure and check both sides ... If you see that the outer CV boot is torn on either side then have it replaced immediately or you could be stranded in the road one day...

Answer 7

start your car up and turn the wheel as far as you can 1 way hold the brake while in gear. and listen for popping in that side and do the same to the other side. that will tell you if you have a bad cv joint.

Answer 8

A single click may not be anything to worry about. but if there is any type of difference in your sterring since this started you should probally take it to a mechanic because it may be the rack and pinion. Thats a commin problem on front wheel drive cars.

Answer 9

Sounds like either a steering component has gone bad or (even though it is too early) the CV joints have called it quits. Was the car a taxi or a police car in its past life? If so, the wear and tear have taken a toll.

Answer 10

If you have had the brakes worked on it could be a loose brake caliper. Or if the brakes are needing repair it could be a fracrured brake pad snapping together. I hope you find the culprit.
Jim