My car began making a rough sound today. It’s a clicking and grinding sound, almost like that of metal on metal. The sound is worse when I’m turning, shifting gears and at high velocity. At first, I thought it may be the rim of the wheel scraping asphalt, but all of the tires have air. Could it be a joint problem? If so, how serious is this?

4/27/2007 3:43:45 PM

check your lugs nuts if it makes the noise constantly. CV joints usually start to go gradually... just when you turn tight and then progressively getting worse and at lower steering angles as time goes on.

[Edited on April 27, 2007 at 4:09 PM. Reason : d]

4/27/2007 4:08:07 PM

make/model/year

4/27/2007 4:12:01 PM

It’s a 98 Ford Escort ZX2. This car has definitely seen its fair share of wear and tear.

Yesterday, I heard a very light clicking sound at turns, but I mostly just ignored it. Today, it’s very loud. It was almost as if there was one instant that it got loud and stayed loud. At that point, I became aware that there was a problem.

From the description of the CV Joint problem, it seems to match my scenario. The grinding sound is very constant. It’s, more or less, the clicking sound that comes and goes.

Clicking may not be the best description of the sound. Clacking is more apt.

4/27/2007 4:33:21 PM

hub bearing or loose lug nuts

4/27/2007 7:53:30 PM

4/27/2007 7:56:14 PM

hub bearing is not a big deal... shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred to get fixed, at the most. If its the lugs you better check BEFORE you drive again... By hand doesn't count. Pull out the lug wrench and tighten them. If you get more than a half turn giving it all you got then they were loose.

4/28/2007 3:59:45 AM

My car made those sounds on my way back to work yesterday. After work, I drove the car home, and it made no noise whatsoever. So I'm not sure what to make of it now.

4/28/2007 5:24:57 PM

im still going to vote for the CV joint


a quick visual way to inspect for this potential problem is to look at the boot on the end of your axle that meets the steering knuckle right behind your wheel. if this boot is torn open at any spot, no matter how large(although its usually a pretty good tear by that point) that is an indicator that the CV joint could be damaged due to debris and water getting in throught the hole in the boot. at the same time, if there is no hole in the boot that doesnt mean that the joint just hasnt worn out from the inside out.

[Edited on April 28, 2007 at 6:55 PM. Reason : dskfjgn]

4/28/2007 6:55:04 PM

jack up the car and see if the wheel has any play at 9 and 3 or 6 and 12 and post results

4/28/2007 8:10:54 PM

back of carburetor and disconnect accelerator pump arm from throttle body. Just pop it out.

4/28/2007 8:11:16 PM