Noises
Noise when turning the steering wheel: what a click or a creak means
A rhythmic click-click when turning on full lock and accelerating is usually a worn CV joint (the joint of the drive shaft), often because its rubber boot has split. Creaks when turning while stationary point to the suspension, and a whine to the power steering.
See a garage soonNoises
Reviewed by Daniel Morales, founder of Reprorace SL, on
Is it serious? Can I keep driving?
Carefully, and only as far as the garage. Have it checked soon: a badly worn joint can break and leave the car without drive. If you feel play in the steering, sharp knocks or the car changes course, drive slowly to the garage or call for assistance.
A careful, general answer: only someone who inspects the car can say whether it is safe to drive. When in doubt, stop somewhere safe and call for assistance.
Most likely causes
- CV joint: with the boot split, dirt gets in and grease gets out; the click appears in tight turns.
- Suspension top mounts or bearings: creaks when turning the wheel while stationary or at low speed.
- Ball joints and drop links: sharp knocks over bumps while turning.
- Hydraulic power steering: a whine when turning usually means low fluid or a worn pump.
Listed from more to less common in general; on your car they may be different. A fault-code reading and a check at the garage confirm which one it is.
To understand it better: How often should you run diagnostics on your car? Can I diagnose my car myself?
Car system: Steering and suspension
What you can check yourself
Test in an empty parking lot: turn to full lock and drive slowly both ways to hear which side it comes from.
With the car parked and the wheels turned, see whether the rubber boot behind the wheel is split or has grease around it.
If your car has hydraulic steering, check its reservoir level with the engine off.
Safe checks only: with the engine off and cold whenever you look under the hood, without taking anything apart and without touching hot or moving parts.
Related fault codes
This symptom is usually mechanical and does not always store a generic fault code. Even so, reading the faults of every control unit helps to rule out other problems and to reach the garage with data.
How the ECO-LITE helps diagnose it
Plugged into the OBD socket, the ECO-LITE reads the fault codes of the control units that answer, with the freeze-frame data captured when the fault happened, and shows live data on your phone or computer. With your permission, your garage can see them remotely before you bring the car in.
What to look at here: this noise is mechanical; the reading rules out faults in the electric power steering or the stability control.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep driving with a noisy CV joint?
For a few days, gently, to get to the garage. The louder it gets, the closer it is to breaking.
Is replacing the boot enough?
If caught early and the joint is not noisy yet, sometimes. Once it clicks, the joint or the drive shaft usually has to be replaced.
Does this noise store a fault code?
No, it is mechanical. Even so, if a steering or ESP light comes on, a fault reading tells you which system it is.
Keep reading
- Steering and suspension: how they work and what fails
- Heavy steering or steering warning light on: what to do
- Car pulls to one side: causes and what to do
- Vibration when braking: why the steering wheel or pedal shakes
- Car symptoms: what they mean and what to do
- Check engine light on: what to do
- How to read and clear your car's fault codes
- OBD fault codes: what each one means