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Thread: Clunking Noise when turning wheel SOLVED (floor mat + steering column)

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    Senior Member Wynter's Avatar
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    Clunking Noise when turning wheel SOLVED (floor mat + steering column)

    For a couple of months as I turn the wheel sharply to park or turn at a stop, I'll hear and feel a 'clunk-clunk' under the drivers side floor, sounds as if the tire is rubbing on something. It comes and goes. It's not hitting the OEM mud guard, as it happened before I put snows on, with no snow. Of course it didn't do this when I took it to Nissan. While coasting on a slant, I turned the wheel one inch left/right a few times, it made the same sound both ways. Nissan said bring it back when it does this. Any one else experienced this gremlin??



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    Could be a wheel bearing. Jack the one wheel off the ground, grab the wheel top and bottom and side to side and give it a pull push. If it wobbles or feels loose during this pull push it's a bad wheel bearing. Youtube search for how to.

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    Wynter (01-13-2017)

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    Senior Member Wynter's Avatar
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    Thanks eddy. Even if I wasn't 'incapacitated' right now, I still physically can't do that. It's under warranty, next time I'm near the dealership, I'll let them deal with it, but thanks for that idea, makes sense. I remember packing bearings in auto shop 'many' years ago! That's when I got lost! (being a girl)!

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    Administrator Daox's Avatar
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    Bearings usually make grinding noises well before you can wiggle the wheel. If its under warranty still I'd just take it in and let them deal with it. Sounds like something could be loose, but if you can't do work on it there is no use in trying to diagnose it over the internet. But, please let us know what they find.

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    Wynter (01-13-2017)

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    Senior Member Wynter's Avatar
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    I'll update the results after I take it when it's doing it again, and thanks also Daox. When it shifts from 1st to 2nd in very cold weather, I've heard it 'grind' twice. I just dismissed it to the extreme cold and I 'baby' it until the tranny and engine warm. It's just over 1 year old and around 8 thou. klm's. No turning of the wheel in those situations though. It will be a while before I take it in, new drugs, can't drive, can barely walk.

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    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    Yeah, if you had a bad wheel bearing, typically you will hear a growl/roar as you're driving, and its loudness is proportional to road speed. I'll be surprised if it's that.

    Also I agree it's unrelated to the "grind" in the trans. If the trans fluid is super cold & thick, it's more prone to grinding. Use of synthetic in the gearbox can make that problem go away (if it's not already filled with synthetic from the factory). Double-clutching will also avoid the problem until the trans warms up.

    Please let us know what you find out!

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Micra S manual: 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.5 mpg (Imp) ... 20.0 km/L ... 47.0 mpg (US) ...


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    Could be a few things. if you never had it to the dealer yet, it could be ball joints, swaybar links ( am guessing), strut mounts/struts or the rack and pinion itself. I am going to rule out bearings as you would know they were failing long before a clunk.

    I have just about 15k on our micra sr, and I have noticed a small clunk in the same general area while going over the speed bump in our driveway.( YES, I have a speed bump in my person driveway to slow customers down if my son is playing outside.

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    Did this ever get resolved? I would second strut mounts/struts or rack and pinion. You would definitely feel a worn ball joint or tie rod end but they shouldn't clunk unless they're about ready to snap off.

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    Senior Member Wynter's Avatar
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    Thanks for the input above, and one from far away, Yukon, neat spacewolf.

    The noise comes and goes, not so much lately, and of course, is never present when I have the oil/tires changed. It made this noise frequently in winter. If the dealer ever hears this, I'll update you.

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    Senior Member Wynter's Avatar
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    Answer to this noise solved! I heard the noise today, hadn't heard it in a while. I went to Nissan and you won't believe the cause of the noise.
    The mechanic turned the wheel, heard the noise, then pulled the generic floor mat back...it was right up against the steering linkage at the U bolt, and with each turn of the wheel, it caught the floor mat. Unbelievable. No gremlin as I thought.



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    MetroMPG (01-28-2018)

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