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Clicking noise when turning corners - normal?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by prius4fun, Oct 18, 2017.

  1. prius4fun

    prius4fun New Member

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    I noticed my Prius makes a noticeable clicking noise when turning corners. The conditions for the clicking noise are:

    1. Lightly apply brakes to turn the corner (so I'm slowing down)
    2. Turn the steering wheel to make more than a lane change, like a 90-degree turn around a corner
    3. The noise goes away once I start to accelerate and turn straight again

    It doesn't sounds like a grinding noise or anything really bad, and so far I've assumed that it is normal, although I don't know exactly what it would be.

    Does everyone's gen3 Prius do this? Any ideas on what is causing the clicking noise?
     
    KylesPrius likes this.
  2. 5 Speed

    5 Speed Member

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    Sounds like one of your CV joints is starting to go out. Any feedback of the clicking through the steering wheel? How many miles? Can you look at your CV joints to see if a boot is split and it has thrown out all the grease? If you turn the wheel all the way you can see one side and they turn all the way to the other side and see the opposite boot.
     
  3. prius4fun

    prius4fun New Member

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    Hi 5 speed. Thanks for the help :) I guess you are saying that you don't hear this clicking noise when making turns?

    I don't feel any steering wheel feedback when I hear the clicking noise, or any vibration elsewhere.
    The car had the clicking noise when I got it with 34K miles.
    I should also note that the clicking noise occurs for both left and right turns.

    I'll have a look at the CV boots for splits.

    But the fact that the noise disappears when accelerating out of a curve contradicts the theory that it is a CV joint problem, doesn't it?
     
  4. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    I get the same faint clicking or ratcheting sound. I think it has something to do with the brakes cycling between generative braking and hydraulic application during slow down in at turn. It’s possible it’s the brake caliper and/or brake pads taking and releasing the tolerances in the mechanism. Ever since my car was new, it’s always had an annoying brake snapping noise when contacting Boss Dots or small inclusions in the road surface. In any event, I wouldn’t be too concerned.
     
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  5. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

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    Just out of the blue......multiple threads show up about the same obscure subject.
    This time it's clicking noises.
    There is another active thread about it right now.l
    Some of the posts there might be helpful.

    Another thread about "clicking" probably will pop up in the next few days. ;)
     
    Grit likes this.
  6. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    DO check that the wheel nuts are properly torqued.

    Pearl S doesn't "click" when turning, and I tend to like to go around corners fast. ;)
     
  7. orie

    orie New Member

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    I've noticed it on my 2013 when I go down my parking garage ramp at work. I'm not accelerating, just coasting and just as I get to the bottom and turn right, I hear a click/wining sound.
     
  8. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    My 2010 has this clicking noise when turning left and braking. Can only hear it with the windows down. Everything feels fine, so I am not concerned with it.
     
  9. High Mileage

    High Mileage Active Member

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    My 2010 has the same clicking noise when turning left and braking. Can only hear it with the windows down. Been doing it since I got it, 222K miles now without a problem.
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Clicking during turns is a classic symptom of CV joint going bad. Is it turns in one direction only? IIRC that could be clincher, and indicates which CV joint is bad.

    Totally winging it now, but it might be noise during left hand turns means right CV bad, and vice versa.

    And yeah for sure, the low hanging fruit is to check for split boots, flung grease.
     
  11. dame3780

    dame3780 Member

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    CV issue like everyone is saying. Mine looked perfect underneath with no leaks or tears but were clicking. Replaced both axle assembly's with CV included. Click free for 25k miles. Check if it's clicking in Neutral under same conditions. Def covered more in depth in another thread. Try to find it.
     
  12. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    How far can a typical car still be driven safely with clicking noise? And what's the worse thing that can mechanically happen or damage if not taken care of? Thanks.
     
  13. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    You’ll get tired of the noise before it breaks.
     
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  14. KylesPrius

    KylesPrius New Member

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    Did you ever confirm that it was the CV joint? I'm hearing this now after getting my Prius a few months back.
     
  15. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    Mine has clicked like that on right turns ever since I got it, 60k miles ago. It does not seem to be worsening. My 1981 Mazda did the same thing.
     
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  16. JBarleycorn

    JBarleycorn Junior Member

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    Same here. Mine has been making that noise for the last 62000 miles.

    You can experiment and see that the noise goes away if you put the car into neutral as you make the turn. I stopped worrying about it a long time ago.
     
    CR94 likes this.
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    65,000 miles, no clicking