Clicking Noise From Front Wheel

[My first toyota]

Hello. I hope some of you guys can help with a problem I have with my avensis. Well, I say problem; what I mean is annoyance.

The front nearside wheel is making a constant clicking noise. Doesnt matter how fast or slow Im driving. It can only be heard when the passenger door window is down. Its really annoying but from what Iv been told its not dangerous.

I had the front discs and pads changed just before christmas and the bearing on that side was changed a few months after that. The noise has only started recently though.

Iv taken it to three local mechanics who have taken the pads out and cleaned them. Taken the slider pins out greased them and also put some new clips in the calipers where the pads meet the calipers.

All to no avail. Luckily Iv not been charged for anything but Im just curious what else could be wrong.

Any ideas?

[Raistlin]

Possible problem with the wheel hub.

[t-spiritpete]

Might sound silly this but something maybe stuck in the tyre?

[My first toyota]

The tyres have been checked by all the three mechanics. Ill check them again in the morning just to make sure.

What problem could there be with the hub?What I mean is how do I check the hub.

Thank you.

[avensisd4d786]

Take the wheel off-check the wheel weight- I had clicking on a Vectra due to cheap pads so I stuck to GM or Mintex- check that the plate behind the disc is not touching the disc- spin the hub by hand see if you get any clicking or roughness- or maybe even drive the car whilst in the air obv jacking other side up too (axle stands for safety or ramp if your in garage). id even be tempted to swap two wheels around- Have a look at cv joint although the clicking would be more apparent on full lock.

[korat102]

You didn't say if the rate of clicking changed to match the vehicle speed.

[ToyotaAuris]

cv joints.

[My first toyota]

Take the wheel off-check the wheel weight- I had clicking on a Vectra due to cheap pads so I stuck to GM or Mintex- check that the plate behind the disc is not touching the disc- spin the hub by hand see if you get any clicking or roughness- or maybe even drive the car whilst in the air obv jacking other side up too (axle stands for safety or ramp if your in garage). id even be tempted to swap two wheels around- Have a look at cv joint although the clicking would be more apparent on full lock.

I dnt think its the CV joints because the car has recently passed its mot. Tbh I was hoping the mot test would find the fault but when it went straight through its test without a single failure I was rather surprised.

Iv taken to a local garage who have had the car on their ramps. We've tried to listen to the sound by turning the wheel but we got nothing. Same when the wheel was off so it seems it only makes a sound when theres some weight on it.

Might try swapping the wheels and see if that makes a difference. Thank you.

[My first toyota]

You didn't say if the rate of clicking changed to match the vehicle speed.

Yes it does change to match the speed of the car. Above 35mph its hard to hear it but less than that, the clicking noise is easily heard.

[ToyotaAuris]

does it happen when you turn the steering wheel right and then turn it back straight again?

[gazza1286]

The disc guard may be catching on the discs - this is generally more evident when going round a roundabout. Just needs to be bent away slightly near the bottom at the ball joint area.

[My first toyota]

does it happen when you turn the steering wheel right and then turn it back straight again?

Yes. Well it happens all the time but when steering right the noise does get louder so Id say yes.

[My first toyota]

The disc guard may be catching on the discs - this is generally more evident when going round a roundabout. Just needs to be bent away slightly near the bottom at the ball joint area.

Im sure we've checked that but just to make sure Ill check it again. Thank you.

[My first toyota]

Taken it to a fourth mechanic who thinks it could possibly be a fault with the drive shaft. Still no closer to getting it sorted.

[My first toyota]

It seems as though something called brake pad shims can help with this sort of clicking noise. But there seen to be two different types.

It appears that theres one sort that go on the back of the pads and one sort that are sometimes called brake caliper fitting kits which attach the pads on the caliper.

Does anyone know which I need? Or would any of them be beneficial for my car. Thank you.

[gazza1286]

These items won't solve your problem. They are necessary and will be fitted to your vehicle. Even if worn or rotten away the noises related to these would be random rattling or a knock when the brakes are applied. That said the disassembly and refitting of your existing pads may solve the knock you have as this could dislodge a small stone which could be lodged in there.

[My first toyota]

These items won't solve your problem. They are necessary and will be fitted to your vehicle. Even if worn or rotten away the noises related to these would be random rattling or a knock when the brakes are applied. That said the disassembly and refitting of your existing pads may solve the knock you have as this could dislodge a small stone which could be lodged in there.

I see. Well I had the wheel brearing changed on that side not so long ago. Iv taken it back to the same mechanic who has ordered a replacement bearing on guarantee so Ill be getting that changed. Lets see if that makes a difference. Will keep posting.

[My first toyota]

Wheel bearing has been done. But the noise is still there.

Gone back to get the shims looked at. They've also been changed but thats not made any difference either. Im getting rather fed up with it now.

[PitVital]

Hi, just found this thread and I'm currently having the same problem as of yesterday evening. I have an 11 plate Auris 1.33 TR. I reversed out of a space last night, and drove about a mile home. As I reached my house and began to depress the clutch, so the car was free wheeling, and it slowed down, I began to hear a clicking from the nearside front wheel. Drove to work this morning and it's still there.

Had a look under the bonnet whilst it was running, cannot see anything getting in the way of any moving parts. Had a look behind each wheel whilst on full lock, and cannot see anything hitting the wheels. After work this evening I will double check the tire pressures although they were filled on Monday.

Did anything ever get solved on this?

Cheers.

Luke.

[Mike169]

Hi, if the clicking noise is always there and varies with the speed of the car and it get louder when the wheels are turned it is more than likely the drive shaft.....................the only thing i'd say is made double sure there isn't a stone stuck in the tread of the tyre, this would be a 'tap, tap' noise, but if it's a 'click, click, click, click, click it's probably the driveshaft.

Mike.

[james.s]

I had a similar issue. I could hear this clicking noise with the window down on the drivers side. It wasn't a loud click but I could still hear it. Took it to a mechanic who couldn't hear but I still could. He said it was possibly the air going through the wheel trim. I thought not a chance but since then I've changed the wheels to alloys and the noise is gone . I don't know if any of yours have wheel trims but if they do take them of and see if it's still there. Sounds stupid but it done away with a clicking noise that was driving me mad

Sent from my iPhone using Toyota OC

[PitVital]

Over the internet its hard to distinguish the difference between tap tap tap and click click click :) On my lunch break to day im going to whip off the wheel I think the noise is coming from and pop on the spare, see if its anything in the tire. I've had a look at the tire this morning, but it was dark and I was doing it by torchlight.

As for the driveshaft, I didn't remove any boots or anything but I did take a gander at 'em and they are not broken as in snapped, but I cannot see up as far as the gearbox. The car itself has covered under 10k miles and hasn't ever been hammered just used to commute.

Anyway, will post back later on after lunch.

Luke.

[avensisd4d786]

If the car has only 10k miles, hopefully it will something stuck in tyre or between disc and guard, or check the wheel weight is not loose.

plus the car will be under warranty wont it?

[Mike169]

Ah, if the car has only covered 10,000 miles a drive shaft is less likely, how old is this car?

[PitVital]

Hello again, just been out and changed over the nearside wheel for the space saver. It looks like the wheel at some point has lot/removed a weight, but that wouldn't explain the click/tick happening now.

I put the space saver on, however, didn't manage to test drive it as someone in our office car park has blocked my car in and I don't know who it is ><

Will drive the car home tonight (2.1 miles) and see weather or not it is still doing it, and I'll report back my findings.

PS, I spun the drive shaft by hand and nothing seemed alarming, tiny bit of surface rust but that's about it. the CV boot has it's metal clip on it, and could feel any breakages in it or the rubber. There was no wet oil around any part of the wheel arch anywhere, and, there didn't seem to be anything caught between the disk and the disk guard, nor anything in the pads.