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Popping front end sound during left turn of wheel

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by bfeinzimer, Apr 18, 2018.

  1. bfeinzimer

    bfeinzimer Junior Member

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    Hello all-

    Coming to you here with a mystery noise. My 2007 with about 149k miles is starting to make a weird singular pop sound while turning the wheel to the left....imagine you popping a bone joint....more audible than felt in the wheel. It only seems to happen once when first using the car after it's been sitting awhile and doesn't really repeat during a drive. It can be heard when moving slowly or stationary. The frunt struts were replaced about a year ago...mechanic had it up on the lift today and I took a peek too, he thought the boots/ball joints/CV all looked decent. The stabilizing link bar was a bit dirty around the bottom connector and from some searching, it seems it's not a bad idea to replace this at 100k which I'm well over. The car has some separate creaks/groans from the front end when going up and down driveways so I imagine THAT is from the stab links or motor mounts....any clues to my my intermittent pop sound and where I should scrutinize?

    I have done a few searches and some ideas are the CV joints or stabilizing links....what y'all think?
     
    #1 bfeinzimer, Apr 18, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2018
  2. hoppymd

    hoppymd New Member

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    I would bet money that it is a CV joint. I’m very familiar with type send laundry and you’re really isn’t much of anything else on the front that sounds like that. A worn out CV joint will usually be very pronounced as you accelerate on a sharp turn. I have been in the used car business for 50 years and I am very familiar with that problem.


    iPad ?
     
    #2 hoppymd, Apr 18, 2018
  3. hoppymd

    hoppymd New Member

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    I would bet money that it is a CV joint. I’m very familiar with type of problem and there really isn’t much of anything else on the front that sounds like that. A worn out CV joint will usually be very pronounced as you accelerate on a sharp turn. I have been in the used car business for 50 years and I am very familiar with that problem.
     
    #3 hoppymd, Apr 18, 2018
  4. bfeinzimer

    bfeinzimer Junior Member

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    Thanks Hoppy - anyone else want to comment on weather it might be anything else, esp if the CV joint *looks* like it is a fair condition.
     
    #4 bfeinzimer, Apr 18, 2018
  5. Erik Owens

    Erik Owens Member

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    Check your steering shaft,... the intermediate shaft which is between the column and the steering gear. Every now and again they will pop something fierce but CV Axle would be my first choice since it is only when turning a certain direction. Next time get a sound clip or if you can video as much in on the left side as you can without hurting yourself, video equipment and / or vehicle.
     
    #5 Erik Owens, Apr 18, 2018
  6. bfeinzimer

    bfeinzimer Junior Member

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    Mechanic recommended just leaving it for now and not spending the money on CV joints based on our visual inspection. Am I risking breaking the wheel/tire off at some point?
     
    #6 bfeinzimer, Apr 19, 2018
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it will probably get much worse before it totally disintegrates, but i wouldn't travel too far from service.
     
    #7 bisco, Apr 19, 2018
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've always heard CV joint failure would make a rhythmic sound, with each revolution. We had that once with an Accord, and yeah it was a repeating sound, turning in one direction.

    A single pop as you go into a turn sounds different, something in steering or suspension? I think there are microphones you can get, sort of high-tech mechanic's stethescope, might help isolate the source.
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Apr 19, 2018
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