mtman74

I recently had the dealer replace my bearings due to an oil leak at the axle. Now after the work was done, I get a pop or a ping when I go around a corner and bring the steering wheel back to center. I can feel it in the wheel and hear it. It doesn't happen all the time, and only when moving.

I pulled the strut out and checked the bearing and re-wrapped the coil with insulation and it is still there.

Does anyone have any idea what this popping noise could be?

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

Only when moving lends me to think you've got a CV joint gone bad. The dealer did have the axels removed, they didn't take the strut out to do the bearing job. Rule the strut/spring out.

mtman74

I would think so too, but it is only a single pop, not a continuous clicking noise. Any other suggestions?

JeffesonM

iTrader: (5)

I get the same damn thing!!! I've had it since I got my car (~5000 miles ago). It's definitely somewhere between a "pop" and a "ping" and happens once the steering wheels has just about returned to the center position.

I had a few CV joints go on my old Maxima and this is not the same noise.

It almost sounds like its coming from the steering column or something.

njmaxseltd... you can listen to it at the NJ meet on the 4th

mtman74

That's it!!! You can actually feel a slight catch in the steering wheel almost at center. I don't think that it is anything serious and it doesn't affect performance, but it sure is annoying.

I would love to know what this is.

JeffesonM

iTrader: (5)

Like I said it's always been on my car, so I didn't even notice until my brother went for a ride and asked about it. At first I thought it was the wheel catching on my key (dangling off ignition) but this clearly was not it.

97GLE

Maybe it has something to do with the steering rack... but in any case if it appeared after you had the dealer work on your car you should get them to at least diagnose it... if they messed up you shouldn't have to pay for it.

mtman74

I already took it back to them once, the "technician" rode with me in the car and he heard it. I left it with them for the day and they said that they "put ears on it" in the shop and couldn't figure out what it was since it only made the sound while moving.

Their wonderful suggestion was to drive it around and maybe it will get worse to where it will be easier to diagnose. But believe me, I will definitely be taking the car back to them. I just wanted to see if anyone had a similar problem and maybe knows what the cause is.

JeffesonM

iTrader: (5)

thanks for the help, Nissan!

please let me know if you figure anything out here and I will do the same.

mtman74

Did njmaxseltd get a chance to hear it at the meet you referenced above?

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

Sorry guys I wasn't at the meet. After reading more of this post I'm leaning twards strut bearing / spring noise. There isn't much to our front ends, so it can't be that difficult to find.

Try this -

Spray A LOT of WD-40 on your spring coils. Get it up in there really good and then take your car for a ride. If the noise is gone, you've found the source.

mtman74

I already pulled my strut out after they told me to drive it around for a while so maybe the noise might get worse . . . that gets me so mad every time I think about it . . .

I rewrapped the insulation around the bottom of the coil and checked the strut bearing. The noise is still there. The only thing that I noticed was that that thin red gasket or noise insulator that goes between the strut mount and the housing had ~3mm crack halfway between two of the bolt holes.

Also, I did not replace the strut bearing, it was still greased and felt smooth, but maybe I should have.

Any other suggestions?