Why Is My Car Making A Clicking Noise When I Turn?
- Tyler Ellis
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
A clicking noise when you turn the steering wheel can feel like a small thing—until it gets louder, turns into a vibration, or starts happening every time you pull into a parking spot.
That sound is usually a warning that something in the drivetrain, steering, or suspension is wearing out & no longer moving smoothly under load. Turning puts extra stress on joints & bearings, so problems that stay quiet while driving straight often announce themselves the moment you crank the wheel.
If you’ve been wondering, Why Is My Car Making A Clicking Noise When I Turn?, this is one of those symptoms that’s worth diagnosing sooner rather than later—because the “click” phase is often the early, cheaper phase.
Why Is My Car Making A Clicking Noise When I Turn? Here’s What That Sound Usually Tells You
A click while turning is typically a part moving through a range of motion it can’t handle cleanly anymore. The most common scenario is a rotating joint that’s supposed to glide smoothly, but instead “steps” or snaps as it rotates.
A few clues help narrow it down:
If it clicks more when accelerating while turning (like leaving a stop sign), that strongly points toward a drivetrain joint like a CV axle.
If it clicks mostly at low speeds with the wheel turned far (parking lots), that’s still often CV-related, but can also be steering/suspension hardware.
If the click happens even when you’re not moving, it may be a steering component (like a strut mount) rather than something that spins with the wheel.
If it’s a single clunk/click per turn rather than rapid clicking, that can point to loose hardware or worn suspension joints.
What Causes This Problem?
There’s a short list of usual suspects that cover most “clicking while turning” complaints.
Worn CV axle joint (most common)
Front-wheel-drive vehicles & many AWD vehicles use CV axles (constant velocity axles) to deliver power to the wheels while allowing steering & suspension movement.
When the outer CV joint wears out, it commonly makes a rapid clicking sound during turns—especially when you’re on the throttle. The protective boot can crack or tear, grease escapes, dirt gets in, & the joint wears quickly.
Signs that fit a CV joint issue:
Clicking gets faster as the wheel speed increases in a turn
Noise is louder on one side (often the side that’s failing)
You may see grease splatter on the inside of a wheel or around the axle area
Wheel bearing play or damage
Wheel bearings can make different noises—often a growl or hum—but in some cases a bearing with excessive play can click or clunk when cornering load shifts.
Clues:
Noise changes when you turn left vs. right at speed
You feel looseness or vibration in the steering
There’s play detected at the wheel during inspection
Loose or worn suspension/steering components
A worn tie rod end, ball joint, or control arm bushing can “shift” under turning load & make a click or pop.
Common signs:
Clicking/popping paired with wandering steering
Uneven tire wear
Clunk over bumps combined with clicking during turns
Noise when steering back & forth at a stop
Strut mount or spring issue (click/pop when steering at a stop)
On many vehicles, the strut mount includes a bearing that allows the strut/spring assembly to rotate smoothly with steering input. If that bearing binds, you can get popping/clicking while turning the wheel—even when the car isn’t moving.
If you can reproduce the noise while parked by turning the wheel left/right, this becomes a stronger suspect.
Brake hardware or backing plate contact
Sometimes the “click” isn’t from the steering at all—it's from brake components shifting slightly.
Possible causes include:
Loose pad hardware
A bent dust/backing plate contacting the rotor
A small rock caught between shield & rotor
This kind of noise is often more of a light scrape or intermittent click, sometimes changing with bumps.
Loose lug nuts or wheel seating issues (rare, but urgent)
If lug nuts aren’t properly torqued or a wheel isn’t seated correctly, you can get clicking/clunking that changes with turning. This is less common, but it’s a safety priority because wheel hardware issues can become dangerous quickly.
How to Fix It?
The right fix depends on what’s clicking. The important part is confirming the source before replacing parts—because “clicking while turning” can be CV axles, but it’s not always CV axles.
Here’s how a proper diagnosis usually goes:
Pinpoint which corner is making the noise
A road test helps confirm:
Left vs. right side
Only while moving vs. also while stationary steering
Only under acceleration vs. also coasting through a turn
Parking-lot figure-eight tests are great for making CV noise repeatable.
Inspect CV axle boots & joints
A visual inspection can reveal torn boots, grease loss, & contamination.
A hands-on inspection checks for:
Excess play in the joint
Roughness through rotation
Click reproduction under controlled movement
If the CV joint is the cause, the usual fix is replacing the CV axle assembly on the affected side (sometimes both sides depending on mileage, wear, & overall condition).
Check wheel bearing & hub condition
Wheel bearings are tested for play & roughness. If needed, we verify with a road test & listening/diagnostic tools.
If a bearing is failing, replacing it early often prevents collateral damage to the hub assembly or wheel speed sensor components.
Inspect steering & suspension wear points
This step matters because loose parts can mimic drivetrain noises.
Typical checks include:
Tie rod ends (inner & outer)
Ball joints
Control arm bushings
Sway bar links
Strut mounts & spring condition
If a worn steering/suspension part is found, replacing it not only fixes noise—it restores stability & protects tire life.
Verify brake hardware & wheel mounting
If the noise doesn’t clearly match a CV or suspension pattern, we check for:
Loose brake hardware or pad movement
Bent backing plates
Debris in the shield area
Proper lug torque & wheel seating
For more info on the types of inspections & repairs we handle daily, you can check out https://www.marblefallsautocenter.com
Why Act Now
Clicking while turning is often an early warning. Waiting usually turns “clicking” into “banging,” “vibration,” or “loss of safe control.”
Here’s what delaying can lead to:
CV joint failure can progress to severe vibration & loss of drive to that wheel (the car may not move).
A torn CV boot can take a joint from “still usable” to “toast” quickly once grease is gone & dirt is inside.
Worn suspension joints can become unsafe, cause poor handling, & destroy tires fast.
Wheel bearing issues can worsen into overheating, noise, wobble, or in extreme cases, wheel/hub damage.
Also, intermittent noises tend to become harder to diagnose when people wait too long—because the car starts doing three weird things instead of one. Catching it at the “single clean symptom” stage is usually cheaper.
A simple, honest truth: Why Is My Car Making A Clicking Noise When I Turn? is often the sound of a part running out of tolerance. Fixing it early usually means fixing one thing, once.
Schedule an Inspection at Marble Falls Auto Center
If your vehicle clicks when turning—especially if it’s getting louder or happening more often—bring it in & let Marble Falls Auto Center pinpoint whether it’s a CV axle, wheel bearing, steering component, or something else entirely.
Schedule your visit here: https://www.marblefallsautocenter.com/contact-us
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