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2008 prius sound when shifting into drive

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by nickyci, Oct 5, 2013.

  1. nickyci

    nickyci Junior Member

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    Washington state
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
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    Two
    Last night our prius started making a mechanical sound when we shift into forward or reverse. Has anyone experienced this before?

    HELP!!
    Nicky
     
  2. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Moved to the appropriate Gen II forum from the Prius v forums.
     
  3. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    What sort of mechanical sound Nicky. Is it just a clunk, or is it a whirring or whistling or grinding type noise? Can you try to explain roughly what it sounds like.
     
  4. nickyci

    nickyci Junior Member

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    The noise is like a clicking sound. We put it in gear and when the car starts moving forward or reverse it has started to sometimes make this mechanical clicking sound. Not all the time, only sometimes.
     
  5. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Is the clicking when you are turning or going straight ahead?
     
  6. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    No one ever puts the mileage of there car. But I do thank you for putting your location.

    Don't know the mileage of the car but clicking when moving usually indicates an issue with the cv joints
    which I think Dorun was chasing.
    If car has more than 125,000 miles usually that's beginning of end life for most suspensions parts and cv's especially in rugged territory.

    Here's some questions:

    How many owners?
    Has car ever been in an accident?
    How many times has the trans fluid been changed?
    Whats been replaced under there up front?

    I would spend $25 and have a tire place put it up in the air and check the cv's. CV's are scary they give you a warning with the clicking and then eventually fail sometimes catastrophically at speed creating alot of damage to the car especially to the transmission differential and or the wheel hub locking up one wheel while your driving.
    They sometimes fail prematurely by losing one of 4 rubber grease boots. They dry out and crack and expose the cv u-joint to dust and the joint fails. Very good idea to apply rubber conditioner periodically to these boots so they do not dry out and fail. Its easy just spray it on.Prius uses a very good boot but constant wet-dry like in your area will dry them out.

    Good Luck and report back.
     
  7. nickyci

    nickyci Junior Member

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    It is when its going strait. Our mileage is around 60,000. We are the second owners, and it hasn't been in an accident. Nothings been replaced up front that I know of. We have owned it for 2 years now.
     
  8. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    Is it still driving ok apart from the noise?

    See if you can narrow down where it's coming, eg front or rear, left or right. It's probably coming from either a drive shaft or a wheel. Let us know if it's proportional to road speed and independent of engine speed.

    Jack up the front wheels one at a time and (with the Prius turned on and in "N") give them a spin by hand. See if you hear or feel anything unusual.