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clicking noise in steering

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Kenny3, Jun 23, 2013.

  1. Kenny3

    Kenny3 Junior Member

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    I have a 2011 Prius 2, with 35K miles, and have noticed a clicking sound in the steering when hitting a small bump or hole in the road. If the car is parked, I can rock the steering wheel back and forth, and hear a clicking sound. I do not remember the noise being there until recently.
    Also the radio reception seems to have gotten weaker. If I am on a trip out of town, it now seems that I am looking for stronger stations frequently, as static interferes. I had the car to the dealer for this a few months ago, and they said they could not duplicate the problem
    Does anyone else have these issues. This car is about ready to drop off the warranty, and would like to have Toyota pay for the repair if it is needed.
     
    #1 Kenny3, Jun 23, 2013
  2. Jonny Zero

    Jonny Zero Giggidy

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    I had a clicking noise in the steering once, then I found a little rock about the size of my thumb above the bottom cover under the engine. It was rocking back and forward as I turned. I threw it away and problem fixed.
     
    #2 Jonny Zero, Jun 23, 2013
  3. philliphs

    philliphs Junior Member

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    I recently bought mine second hand under warranty, had to keep going back to dealership for 5 times before the recognize the problem is power steering motor. They ordered the parts from Japan and replaced it and the noise is gone.
     
    #3 philliphs, Mar 18, 2014
  4. Kenny3

    Kenny3 Junior Member

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    My clicking turned out to be a coupling in the steering shaft, just above the level of the carpet. The mechanic increased the tightness of the bolt that goes through the coupling, and the noise has stopped.
     
    #4 Kenny3, Mar 19, 2014
  5. R1CH13

    R1CH13 Member

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    I'm having the same problem.
     
    #5 R1CH13, Oct 22, 2014
  6. Siward

    Siward Active Member

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    My clicking noise turned out to be the two silver plastic pieces that hold the buttons on the steering wheel. I heard light creaking noises when I turned and clicks when the wheel vibrated over bump.
     
    #6 Siward, Oct 22, 2014
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there is a steering shaft recall on some models.
     
    #7 bisco, Oct 22, 2014
  8. R1CH13

    R1CH13 Member

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    I hear clicking noise when I turn left and right when parking or driving at low speed but it goes away when I drive at high speeds. Do you guys think it is the drive shaft, the steering shaft, or something else?
     
    #8 R1CH13, Oct 22, 2014
  9. P-Danny22

    P-Danny22 Junior Member

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    Mine sounds like a loose washer rattling around somewhere in the steering column. Anyone had this issue before or is this what is being described above?
     
    #9 P-Danny22, Feb 14, 2015
  10. Kenny3

    Kenny3 Junior Member

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    I have a 2011 Prius 2. At 35K miles, the car developed a clicking in the steering, and on a trip, I had to constantly find another station, after the previous one faded. I took the car in before the warranty expired, and the dealership could not duplicate either of the two problems. I then looked for the clicking in the steering myself, using a 2 foot length of heater hose as a stethoscope. After quite a bit of looking, I was sure that my click came from the steering shaft coupling, located just above the carpets. There is a bolt that secures the coupling to the steering shaft. I put a wrench on this bolt and did not believe that I wanted to tighten it more than it was, for fear of breaking it. I again took it to the dealer after 36K miles. They agreed that the coupling was loose on the shaft, and tightened the bolt some more. The Prius has 58K and the steering is still without the clicking. They charged $60 to tighten the bolt. I did not feel it was worth the time and upset to dispute the charge, claiming it should have been repaired under warranty.
    When took the car in for the radio reception issue, I was not precise in the explanation. The mechanic drove the car a few miles tuned in to a station that played satisfactorily. Had I explained that in a period of 2 hours driving, I might have to find another station every 20 minutes or so, I might have had a better result. This forum suggested the antenna mount where it comes through the roof, be checked for tightness, insuring a good ground.
    Ken
     
    #10 Kenny3, Feb 15, 2015
  11. dame3780

    dame3780 Member

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    I've got the same thing going on. Had it looked at by Toyota. They said it wasn't a safety concern. So basically they didn't find anything. The tech did tell me that the steering pump is mostly likely going bad. I have a few more years of warranty, so we left it at that. He lubed and tightened the steering components under the hood. I'm going to look at the steering coupling others have mentioned. Have you figured your problem out?
     
    #11 dame3780, Jun 4, 2015
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2015
  12. Kenny3

    Kenny3 Junior Member

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    I found my clicking to be the steering shaft coupling, just above the carpeting. I used about a 2 ft length of 5/8" hose as a stethoscope that I placed near the coupling. The clicking noise was loudest at the coupling. The bolt that secured the coupling to the shaft seemed tight. I took it to the dealer, and they told me they tightened the bolt more. I have 62K and the noise has not returned.
    The noise was noticeable when stopped, rocking the steering wheel back and forth, or at low speeds, especially low speeds on bumpy surfaces.
    Ken
     
    #12 Kenny3, Jun 5, 2015
  13. miso03

    miso03 Junior Member

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    Hi Ken, could you please compare the clicking sound that appeard on your Prius to mine?
    Clicking noise from steering wheel | PriusChat

    I have tried to tighten the bolt above the carpet but it was really tight and therefore I was afraid to tighten it more.

    Thanks
     
    #13 miso03, Jun 8, 2015
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