Forester clicking sounds when making turns

[chuck]

I have 99 Forester. Recently it has clicking sounds when I just start and
make turns out of parking lot. After the car warms up, there is no such
sound. The sounds come from the rear. Does anyone know what is wrong?
Thanks.

 

[strchild]

Maybe a CV joint starting to go bad?

If you inspect the half-axles extending from the rear differential to each
wheel, do any of the rubber, flexible boots near each end of each half-axle
have rips or tears in them, maybe even small holes?

~Brian

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I have 99 Forester. Recently it has clicking sounds when I just start and
make turns out of parking lot. After the car warms up, there is no such
sound. The sounds come from the rear. Does anyone know what is wrong?
Thanks.

This is often a bad CV joint.(actually 'going bad' is a better term -
they can last for hundreds of miles after they start clicking)

But, do you 'feel' any jerking motion in the car when making sharp turns
on pavement/parking lots? if so, ask us about 'torque bind'

I suppose it could be a brake issue of some kind.

good luck

Carl

 

[Todd H.]

I have 99 Forester. Recently it has clicking sounds when I just start and
make turns out of parking lot. After the car warms up, there is no such
sound. The sounds come from the rear. Does anyone know what is wrong?
Thanks.

Clicking during a turn is a textbook symptom of a constant velocity
joint (CV) joint gone bad. This typically happens when the rubber CV
boots crack, throw all their grease out of these universal-joint like
areas, and then the joint is open to the road and contaminants that
get in and cause the joint to wear.

Replacing the half shafts with something remanufacturered is the usual
remediation.

Best Regards,

 

[chuck]

Thanks for all the responses! I inspected CV joint boots. It seems to me
that there is no leaking grease or oil around them. The rubber looks O.K.
The clicking sounds only happen when I make right turns. If the CV joints go
bad, what is the consequence of that? I am thinking if I need to get someone
look at it right away. Thanks.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Thanks for all the responses! I inspected CV joint boots. It seems to me
that there is no leaking grease or oil around them. The rubber looks O.K.
The clicking sounds only happen when I make right turns. If the CV joints go
bad, what is the consequence of that? I am thinking if I need to get someone
look at it right away. Thanks.

Clicking during a turn is a textbook symptom of a constant velocity
joint (CV) joint gone bad. This typically happens when the rubber CV
boots crack, throw all their grease out of these universal-joint like
areas, and then the joint is open to the road and contaminants that
get in and cause the joint to wear.

Replacing the half shafts with something remanufacturered is the usual
remediation.

Best Regards,

Some Impreza platform soobs have had issues with rear wheel bearings.
You may have detected it early. Often there is a roaring sound at
highway speeds, worse when sweeping one direction over the other.
Putting the car on a lift and testing the wheels by shaking the bottom
or rear back and forth may reveal too much movement. It's extremely
unlikely, not impossible though, for a sealed CV joint to go bad. I
suppose you inspected the inner boots too?

Sometimes a brake pad will knock, often just once when changing from
reverse to forward or fwd to rev.

I dunno

Carl

 

[chuck]

Hi Carl,
Thanks for your response! I had rear wheel bearing replaced half year ago.
The clicking sounds on right turns happened even before that. So I suspect
it may not be rear wheel bearing. I am not good at cars. What are inner
boots? Thanks.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Hi Carl,
Thanks for your response! I had rear wheel bearing replaced half year ago.
The clicking sounds on right turns happened even before that. So I suspect
it may not be rear wheel bearing. I am not good at cars. What are inner
boots? Thanks.

The axles (half-axles) that connect the wheels to the driveline (front
and rear differentials) flex at both ends. The front inner boots I know
can split or have other difficulties(one is near the hot exhaust) -
though the outer (at the wheel) boots are more prone to problems -
especially on the front.
I would not discount the wheel bearing. It is tricky to install properly
and the original unit MAY have been the old ball-bearing type. many
folks were putting Legacy style needle bearing type in. I THOUGHT it was
years earlier than yours in which that was problematic. Sorry my memory
is not good about the details.
You might consider taking it back to who did the wheel bearing and see
if they can test drive it. put it up on a lift and eliminate that
possibilty at least. When were the brakes last inspected?

Carl

 

[chuck]

Hi Carl,
Thanks for your quick response! I had the brakes inspected half year ago.
The front pads had 70% left. The rear pads had 50% left. They have slight
"brake pulsation". That means the wheels kind of vibrate when I hit the
brakes. The mechanic said that it needed resurfacing. But I can do it when I
had the brake pads replaced next time.