I have a strange sound coming from the front end of my 2000 Chevy Malibu. What could it be????

Question

I believe it is coming from the front end and it sounds like a ratcheting noise. I was thinking the CV joints on the axles but the boots seem to be in good shape with no leakage and it doesn't have to be turning to make the noise, just going down the road.

It seems to be coming from the front end and is a ratcheting or popping noise when I am driving down the road. I was thinking it could be the CV joints but the boots are ok and it does it just driving at normal speed and not when turning at low speed.

Answer 1

i own a repair shop ,and it still could be a CV joint bad in it,i have a Nissan that will do it going down the road strait,but when you turn it it stops doing it,i let the local vocational school borrow the car because the teacher wanted to see how many of his students could figure it out,and over half of them actually got it right on a test,but they will do weird things,and the only way to know for sure with those is to try and replace them,because you cant raise them,and let them run ,they wont do it when the wheels are in any other position,just in my opinion id take it and let a local mechanic look at it,and see what he thought about it,you never know,a hands on opinion may be a good one to have,good luck,i hope this help,s.

Answer 2

It could still be a CV joint, if the Malibu is a front wheel drive car. It could be a wheel bearing, though they usually make grinding noises. You need to check it out before driving it any more if you possibly can. If something turns loose, you could easily be without direction control.
If you can jack up the front end (both sides) and put the car in drive and have someone else listen and watch. Make sure the car is chocked and the parking brake is set. Don't depend upon the parking brake as the sole means. You need to stay inside the car or have someone inside the car in case it should come off the jacks or jackstands.

Answer 3

You're right, generally cv axles pop when going around a corner but that's not *always* the case. It could also be a wheel bearing as they will make a similar noise. It would be early for one to go out on your 2000, but not unheard of.

Answer 4

If it quite is extra of a clicking sound (and is 4x4 ) it could be an axle.If it quite is louder it quite is a strut,ball joint,or maybe a tie rod end.without listening to the sound for myself it quite is puzzling to diagnose jack the truck up ( the two front wheels off the floor and verify for unfastened play in tie rods and ball joint factors.) if that's not the undertaking attempt rotating that side and see in case you are able to duplicate the sound. If the axle does not make the noise then verify the strut via using up and down action on the truck. additionally another element to benefit and could make a noise like something would be a sway bar linkage ( aka stabalizer bar linkage)i'm hoping this enables.

Answer 5

here a little trick that work for me i had a noise in a wheel and i try every thing to find out where it was coming from just by luck one day iwas driving down a street with driveway and curbs with my windows down i would go pass the driveway than a long the curb as soon as the right would go pass the i could hear the noise witch tood me were to start looking come to find out it was a beutring on the rim

Answer 6

could very well by the CV joints- my mom has had a strange sound coming from the front end of her 1998 monte carlo.

Answer 7

Check for loose inner fender liner, the plastic cover inside the wheel well. Also, pull off the wheel covers and try driving it again, It could be rocks or the wheel cover itself.