Clicking Noise

[blake918]

My '99 LS (168k miles) makes a loud clicking noise when I turn the wheel all the way to the left or right when I'm stopped or when I make a tight turn. The lower ball joints and tie rod ends are brand new with an alignment done by Lexus last Saturday. The car goes down the road perfectly--no wondering, pulling, etc. If I slam on the brake, I can hear an extremely soft "strut rod clunk" sound from the passenger's side. It sounds like the clicking comes more from the passenger's side than the driver's, and it only clicks when I make a very tight turn or when I am turning the wheel while I'm stopped.

Here's a link to the video of the clicking noise as I back out:

After some searching, I found this thread: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...83&hl=click where the poster says that new strut rods cured the clunking and clicking. I would have ordered the strut rods already, but my previous LS's strut rods were almost completely disintegrated, but it never clicked when making a tight turn (although the clunk from slamming on the brake could be heard two and a half miles away). Should I change the strut rods any way? Any thoughts?

[blake918]

Ok, I think the problem is solved. My power steering control valve was leaking pretty badly. I bought the valve from Sewell, and I was going to change it myself, since it was a piece of cake (took 5 minutes) when I did it in my '95, the '99 should be easy too, right? Wrong. The power steering pump is a different design, and it it a very tight fit down there. We tried a number of times to get the valve off, and it just wouldn't budge. I can only assume that some clown glued it in with the world's strongest loctite or something.

I suck it up, and I call Lexus of Shreveport-Bossier City, a small but wonderful dealership (maybe the best of the 3 dealers in Louisiana), and they pencil me in. I was tired of messing with it, and I was tired of wondering when the special day going to come when the p/s fluid dripped down to the right spot to fry the alternator. I can only assume that Murphy's Law would apply when it would fail. I went in on Friday, and they changed out the valve for me, for a small fortune of course (you know the drill, list price for parts + 110/hr = $465). They told me that they had to remove the p/s pump, and put it in a vise to really wrench on the valve to get it to break free, which didn't surprise me since it wouldn't budge when I tried to remove it myself. They assured me that the threads on the p/s pump were unharmed. They cleaned out the pump, put a fresh valve in, and sent me on my way.

I leave, and I make a series of tight turns, and the noise in the video is strangely absent. Saturday, I drive some more, make more tight turns, and no noise, same goes for Sunday. I think I can say that it's cured since I used to be able to make it produce the sound on demand. I'd love to know how changing the power steering control valve and cleaning out the p/s pump fixed this strange noise. Maybe the rack wasn't getting enough fluid and something was binding up. This added bonus almost makes the bill they stuck me with bearable!

In trying to cure this noise (obviously, I thought it was suspension related), I replaced:

Lower ball joints and tie rod ends = fail.

Replaced strut rod bushings = fail, but it did improve drivability.

Replaced upper control arm = fail.

Replaced p/s control valve and cleaned pump = problem solved! :D :D

[amcdonal86]

I think your binding explanation is logical. Without having read your thread and watching the video, it didn't sound like a suspension issue to me, but I probably wouldn't have guessed steering. Glad you fixed it! If I ever run into that problem, I'll know what to do!

[blake918]

I think your binding explanation is logical. Without having read your thread and watching the video, it didn't sound like a suspension issue to me, but I probably wouldn't have guessed steering. Glad you fixed it! If I ever run into that problem, I'll know what to do!

Thanks, I'm soooo happy that it's fixed! :D I was shocked that it was steering related because I never felt anything through the steering wheel when it would make the creaking/popping noise....I guess that means my rack grommets are still in tip top shape! LOL

[blake918]

I decided it might not be a bad thing to change out my alternator too. It was the most complicated alternator change I've ever experienced, but after seeing the old one, I guess it wasn't a total waste of time. The car didn't seem to lack any electrical power before (like dimming lights when the brakes are applied), but it seems to start with more gusto with the new alternator.

[amcdonal86]

Did your car make that noise when driving forwards instead of reverse? Was it worse going one direction vs. the other?

[blake918]

I wouldn't say it was worse going in one direction or the other. Do you have video of what your click sounds like? Is it exactly like mine?

[amcdonal86]

I have no idea what the popping noise sounds like from the outside, but it doesn't seem like it's as loud as yours was.

[amcdonal86]

By the way, you say the power steering control valve is very easy to change on a '95-'97. Does this mean that I could do the same modification you did in 5 minutes?

[amcdonal86]

I am a little confused as to what the "power steering control valve" is, or even where it is on the '97. I believe you also called it the power steering air control valve.

[blake918]

I am a little confused as to what the "power steering control valve" is, or even where it is on the '97. I believe you also called it the power steering air control valve.

I'm referring to the same thing even though I didn't use the same terminology, sorry about that. It's on the bottom, right side of the power steering pump; you'll see two small rubber hoses connected to it. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, you just unscrew the old one and put the old one in its place. As I've experienced, it'll either take 3 minutes, or it will take a trip to the dealer to have them remove it. I'm not sure how much fluid (if any) will come out since I changed the ps air control valve on my former '95 in the midst of replacing the rack (I had already drained the fluid before working on the valve).