A clicking noise when you turn can make every corner feel suspicious. At first, it might be faint. Then you start noticing it every time you pull into a parking spot or take a tighter turn. It’s one of those sounds that makes you wonder if something is about to let go.
The important part is that clicking usually follows a pattern. If you can pin down when it happens, tight turns versus gentle curves, accelerating versus coasting, warm versus cold, you can get close to the cause before anyone even puts the car on a lift.
What Clicking While Turning Usually Points To
Most clicking-on-turns complaints come from parts that move under the steering angle. That includes CV axles, steering joints, suspension joints, and sometimes brakes, with slight changes in their hardware. The sound can be rhythmic, like click-click-click in a circle, or it can be a single click as you start the turn.
We see CV axle issues most often when the clicking is rhythmic and louder during tight turns. We also see steering and suspension causes when the clicking is a single pop or when it happens during steering input at low speeds.
A Symptom Timeline
Many drivers notice the sound first in a parking lot. Tight turns put more load on CV joints and suspension joints, so that’s where early wear shows up. Over time, the clicking can become louder and start happening during normal turns, not just the tight ones.
If it is a CV axle, drivers often notice it more when accelerating through a turn. If it is a suspension joint, it may click when the car’s weight shifts or when you turn the wheel while rolling slowly over uneven pavement. That timeline helps because it tells you whether the problem is becoming more load-sensitive.
CV Axles: The Most Common Reason For Rhythmic Clicking
CV axles transfer power from the transmission to the wheels while the wheels are turning. The outer CV joint handles the steering angle. When it wears, it often clicks during turns, especially tighter turns under light acceleration.
A torn CV boot is a big contributor. Once the boot tears, grease escapes and dirt enters. The joint then wears quickly. If you see grease splattered inside a wheel or on suspension parts, that’s a strong clue. Many people miss it because it hides behind the wheel.
Steering And Suspension Joints That Can Click
Not every clicking noise is a CV axle. A worn ball joint, a loose tie rod end, or a worn sway bar link can click or pop as the suspension shifts during a turn. Strut mounts can also create a clicking or popping sensation, especially when you turn the wheel at a stop or while creeping forward.
A helpful clue is whether you feel anything through the steering wheel. If there is a small knock you can feel during the click, steering-related joints become more likely. If the steering wheel feels normal and the sound is more of a rapid ticking while turning, CV axle wear moves higher on the list.
Brakes And Wheels
Sometimes the noise is caused by brake components shifting slightly. Loose caliper hardware, worn pad clips, or a caliper that is not sliding properly can create a click, especially when you first apply the brakes while turning into a spot.
Wheel bearings typically growl or hum rather than click. Still, a severely worn bearing can create odd noises during turns because load shifts from one side to the other. If the noise changes with speed more than steering angle, it is worth checking the wheel bearing and tire condition too.
Driving Clues That Help Narrow The Cause
- Clicking only on tight turns in a parking lot often points to outer CV joint wear.
- Clicking that is louder during acceleration through a turn points toward a driveline joint under load.
- A single click when you start turning the wheel can point to a loose joint or mount.
- Clicking combined with vibration or steering wander can point to suspension wear.
- Grease near the inner wheel or on suspension parts points toward a torn CV boot.
Those details are usually more useful than just saying it sometimes clicks. They guide the inspection in the right direction.
What To Avoid Doing If You Hear Clicking
Avoid putting it off for months. Wear tends to progress, and what starts as noise can become looseness that affects handling. Also avoid replacing a CV axle based on sound alone. A proper inspection should confirm the source so you do not replace a part that was not actually failing.
If the noise gets louder suddenly, or you feel a clunk along with the click, stop driving and have it checked. That can indicate more severe play in a joint or a component shifting out of place.
Get Steering And Suspension Repair in Aberdeen, WA with B & B Automotive Inc
We can diagnose the clicking noise, inspect CV axles and boots, and check steering and suspension joints for play or looseness. We’ll explain what we find and recommend the repair that fixes the cause, not the most common part people replace.
Call
B & B Automotive Inc in Aberdeen, WA to schedule an inspection and get your turns quiet again.
