I get an intermittant"thunk" noisewhen turning (mostly) left but sometimes right. This happens in both forward as well as reverse. Mechanic has looked at it but cannot find where it is coming from. Any ideas?

 

If I remember correctly this is a front wheel drive vehicle, if I am right here are some things I have seen. The cv joints on the front drive axles may be starting to go bad, there are a couple of things to look at tthat you can check in your driveway. First see if the rubber boots are leaking any grease out, if they are that is usually a fore warning that the joint will self destruct soon. The second is to grab hold of the shaft and try to slide it from side to side, it should not slide, if it does the mounting or retaining bolts are coming loose. The last self check is actually a driveing check. Find an empty parking lot where you can drive in a continuos circle without stopping. Start with a fairly large circle and keep driveing into smaller circles until you here the clunk if you only here if while turning to one side and only here it once then it is probably in the steering not the driveline. Hope this helps

 

Thanks! I will check those out.</P>


As far as the turning, I will try what you suggest but I can tell you that it will only clunk once until you either change steering direction or driving direction. For example, it will clunk once while turing into my driveway (more often when I turn left) then clunk again when I back out no matter which way I turn the wheel. Anytime it clunks it clunks once.</P>


My mechanic keeps checking it but cannot see anything obvious. I also had my cousin who is a mechanic check it and he cannot find anything obvious either. They both have heard the clunk. I was worried it may be a ball joint. I don't know, I am just getting frustrated.</P>


</P><edited><editID>MJwrabbit</editID><editDate>38489.5243171296</editDate></edited>

 

it is very odd...let us know what you find!

 

you may want check your cv joints

 

Take a look at NHTSA Campaign #02V286000 RE:recall on Steering: rack and pinion. Just click the link at top for recalls. Good luck.

 

Mine does the exact same thing, exactly the same way! Our local chevy dealer cannot find it either, but it is definitely in the front end, and exactly as the other guy says; when going into or our of the driveway or going from forward to backward. Any help on the matter would be greatly appreciated, as I've literally spent hundreds at my useless chevy dealership, who cannot diagnose anything right, only for the problem to remain........haunting me!!!!! The last time they charged me $75 to look at it, and told me it was the right outer tie rod end. They wanted $225 to do it! I bought the tie rod end for $15 at autozone, and it took no more than 30 minutes (including cleanup!)Measured to the exact same length prior to removing the old tie rod end, there is no need for an alignment either. Don't even ask me about the first time; that was over $400......

 

could even be a worn motor mount.

 

I have a 2000 Venture and am experiencing the same mysterious clunk.. my husband looked all over the front end, found nothing.... then he struck gold. The spring in the front passenger side is twisting... it's not loose, just twisting around the boot.