If your car makes clunking noises when driving, it could indicate suspension, steering, transmission, starter, or brake system troubles. Common components that cause this sound include sway bar links, transmission sensor, calipers, and more.
Here’s a detailed breakdown:
A. Suspension Troubles:
- Faulty sway bar links and bushings: The sway bar controls body roll when turning. When its links and rubber bushings wear out or loosen, the sway bar moves and strikes other parts, causing a clunking sound.
- Bad shocks and struts: These components absorb road vibrations and keep the tires constantly in contact with the surface. However, frequent overloading or corrosion can reduce their effectiveness. As a result, when you drive over bumps, you’ll hear tapping or clunking noises due to metal-on-metal contact.
- Worn control arms: These arms connect the wheel hubs to the car’s frame and maintain wheel alignment. When their bushings give out, they create clunking or knocking noises when driving over uneven terrain.
- Faulty ball joints: Ball joints connect the control arm and steering knuckle, allowing for smooth steering and suspension movement. When ball joints lose lubrication, they rattle or clunk, particularly when taking turns.
- Damaged leaf-spring shackles: Leaf spring shackles, found mainly on trucks and older vehicles, connect the leaf springs (suspension component) to the vehicle’s frame. If the shackles become rusted or broken, the leaf springs shift incorrectly, leading to clunking or creaking sounds when turning.
B. Steering Problems:
- Worn tie rods: These components allow the wheels to turn when you rotate the steering wheel. However, frequent impact from rough surfaces loosens these rods. This causes steering trouble and clunking noises at low speeds.
- Bad steering rack: The steering rack converts your steering wheel input into wheel movement. Over time, worn bushings or internal wear cause clunking or knocking noises, especially when turning or hitting bumps.
- Low power steering fluid: Without ample hydraulic fluid, the steering pump may strain and jerk while operating, creating whining or clunking sounds when turning.
C. Other Possible Causes:
- Damaged body mount: These mounts secure the car’s body to its frame. When body mounts fail, the car’s body shifts or moves during acceleration or braking. This movement often causes clunking or knocking sounds, as metal parts clash against each other.
- Loose exhaust pipe: A car’s exhaust pipe can loosen due to wear or constant road impacts. As it becomes unsteady, it creates clunking sounds when it hits the vehicle’s underside while driving.
- Locate the sound source: Listen to whether the sound comes from the car’s front or rear. You should also consider whether the noise is prominent while starting, driving, or accelerating the vehicle.
- Look for leaks or loose parts: Check for grease or fluid leaks around the ball joints and struts, or an unsteady exhaust pipe.
- Hire a professional technician: Since clunking sounds can occur unexpectedly and are tricky to pinpoint, it’s best to call an experienced mechanic, like those at AutoNation Mobile Service, for thorough troubleshooting.
Wondering what you can do about clunking noises?
In this guide, we’ll learn how to fix the noisy problem and why you shouldn’t drive when you hear them.
This Article Contains:
- How Do You Diagnose and Fix Your Car’s Clunking Noise?
- What Other Driving Conditions Cause Clunking Noises & Why?
- Is It Safe to Drive a Car with Clunking Noises?
- How Much Does It Cost to Stop Clunking Noises?
How Do You Diagnose and Fix Your Car’s Clunking Noise?
Fixing a clunking sound in your vehicle requires experience; otherwise, you risk overlooking less obvious culprits like a loose exhaust pipe or body mounts. So it’s best to consult an experienced mechanic.
Here’s how they’ll troubleshoot and fix the issue:
- Park the car, check the sway bar links and bushings for tears or cracks. They’ll replace them if needed.
- Perform a bounce test or listen while turning. If the car bounces or emits odd noises, they’ll look for worn struts or shocks and replace them.
- Inspect the control arm bushings for cracks or play, and change the arms if they are damaged or loose.
- Lift the wheel, use a pry bar to check the ball joint for excess movement or noise, and change it if it’s too loose.
- Swap out rusted, cracked, or bent leaf-spring shackles.
- Inspect all body mounts for cracks or wear and change any damaged ones.
- Jack up the front, shake the tires side-to-side, inspect the tie rods and rack for excessive play or leaks, then install new parts as needed.
- Secure the exhaust pipe by tightening its bolts if there’s excessive movement.
- Once done, the mechanic will test drive to confirm there are no odd car noises.
While the above steps will fix the obvious suspension and steering system problems, your car can still clunk in other situations.
What Other Driving Conditions Cause Clunking Noises & Why?
Here are a few more scenarios where you’ll hear clunking sounds:
1. When Accelerating or Shifting Gears
Clunking during acceleration or gear changes often points to transmission-related issues like:
- A lack of transmission fluid: Poor lubrication and friction amongst internal transmission parts can cause grinding or clunking.
- Damaged transmission mounts: Loose mounts can allow transmission movement, causing clunks during shifts or acceleration.
- Failing transmission sensors: Faulty sensors send inaccurate data to the engine control unit, leading to poor gear shifting and clunking noise.
- Faulty flex plate and other components: Found in automatic transmissions, the flex plate connects the engine to the torque converter. If cracked or warped, it can cause clunking or grinding sounds.
2. When Starting the Engine
If you hear clunking sounds while starting the car, the culprit could be an improperly installed or a bad starter. When a faulty or loose starter gear doesn’t disengage properly with the flywheel, it can cause intermittent clunks during startup.
3. When Braking
Clunking while braking typically happens due to poorly aligned calipers. A misaligned caliper can shift during braking or over bumps, producing clunking or knocking sounds.
Since several critical systems cause clunking noises, should you keep driving?
Keep reading to find out.
Is It Safe to Drive a Car with Clunking Noises?
Absolutely not.
Clunking sounds often indicate issues with key stability and safety systems.
While low transmission fluid may not pose an immediate danger, issues like worn ball joints or misaligned calipers can lead to loss of control and brake failure while driving. Such conditions can risk your safety and may result in costly repairs.
It’s best to have a mechanic service your vehicle before driving further. Let’s explore your estimated expenses for getting the issue fixed by them.
How Much Does It Cost to Stop Clunking Noises?
Depending on the malfunctioning component that needs repair, these are the possible costs:
- Transmission fluid pressure sensor replacement: $50 to $200
- Power steering fluid change: $60 to $125
- Sway bar link replacement: $75 to $305
- Exhaust pipe repair: $95 to $220
- Transmission fluid replacement: $120 to $510
- Ball joints replacement: $180 to $550
- Sway bar bushing replacement: $200 to $280
- Control arm bushings replacement: $200 to $420
- Body mount repair: $220 to $800
- Transmission or vehicle speed sensor change: $280 to $360
- Struts and shocks replacement: $300 to $1,340
- Brake caliper replacement: $300 to $1,500 per caliper
- Flex plate replacement: $370 to $1,730
- Tie rod replacement: $650 to $1,200
- Steering rack replacement: $710 to $2,420
- Leaf-spring replacement: $815 to $970
Quiet the Clunk: Get Help From Mobile Auto Repair Experts
Clunking noises while driving might seem minor, but they often signal serious problems. If the cause is a worn steering or suspension component, you could risk unexpected, expensive repairs.
Annoyed by the noise but don’t have time to visit a shop?
Let AutoNation Mobile Service technicians come to you. They can examine each car system and fix the problem, right from your driveway.
With convenient service, upfront pricing, and a 12-month, 12,000-mile warranty, you can say goodbye to car noises without any hassles.
Book your appointment to enjoy a quieter ride free of clunks and worries.