Hoping this rings a bell with someone since the dealer hasn't found it yet. The noise and pop happens when you first drive the car after sitting for a long time like all night or all day while at work. It's my wifes car. It started happening when she made the first right hand turn out of the subdivision. It doesn't happen on minor turns. Does it once then it's done until the car sits again. You hear a pop and you feel it in the floor on the drivers side. You don't feel it on the passenager side floor. I'm thinking subframe or maybe suspension. I was thinking about checking the torque on the subframe bolts it I knew the torque specs. Anyone had this or heard of it?

 

Not an unusual problem actually. My max does the same thing and I have spent more than a few hours under the car trying to locate something that is loose but to no avail.
I did purchase a left lower control arm from another member so once the weather warms up a bit and I have some spare time I will replace it and report back on whether the pop issue was resolved.

 

Are you sure that you aren't hearing and "feeling" the ABS self check? Mine does it every morning when I hit right at 30mph...

 

No I'm not sure. I did some reading here on the ABS self check. I'll check with the wife and see if it fits.

But I forgot to add that lately it started doing it when she drives about two blocks, no turns, stops and then accelerates it pops. This is after it has sat all day at work. After it pops it doesn't do it again until it sits a long time.

 

If this is connected to the ABS check, it is not related to turns, but to speed. When my car passes somewhere between 15 and 22 MPG after having been parked a while, I hear the ABS check. If I happen to be coasting (and gently picking up speed) on a downgrade at the time, I hear it fairly clearly. But if I am accellerating, I usually don't notice it.

This noise was pronounced when my '09 was new (five years ago), but the noise seems to have subsided over the years, or I am so accustomed to it that I don't notice it anymore.

 

My issue is definitely not the ABS check or "click". It is a sound more like a clunk or dull pop which can also be felt through the driver side floor, similar to what the OP mentioned.
I back out of my driveway and putter down my street (ABS clicks now) make another turn and stop. It's at this point when I give it some pedal to enter the main roadway that it does the "clunk". As I mentioned I'll see if the control arm swap-out resolves the issue.

 

My wife says she hasn't noticed it lately since it's gotten colder. Thing is the garage has been 45-50 and she hasn't noticed it after leaving the garage either. Suppose it still could be the colder weather since it didn't do it for a block or two which would allow parts to get colder.

 

Sounds like it could be an engine mount that gets warm and the rubber gets warmer and it goes away etc .

 

Sounds like a bad strut mount to me. My previous max had one fail at around 60k. When I turned or accelerated it made a dull "clunk." It was a relatively cheap fix

 

It's probably your steering bump stops. My Frontier produces this popping sound when I lock the steering in a left or right hard turn. Bump stops, most are plastic caps and wear out, can be replaced cheaply or a smear of heavy grease also works to quiet the pop.

 

Same problem here...it happens when i back out of the drive way, put it in drive then go. Like others it usually only happens when car has not been driven. Hopefully nothing major...

 

I had this problem which was corrected by replacing the lower control arm

 

I have a replacement left lower control arm ready to go. Plan on doing it during the holiday break.

 

I'm having this same issue whenever I make a sharp turn or U-turn I get a popping noise ( like something is snapping? Or a loud pop. It sounds like its coming from my Eibach Springs but front or rear I have no idea....

 

Initial drive clunk is no more. Changed out the left side lower control arm and problem solved!

 

Good for you. I remember speaking to you a few months ago about this issue.

Replacing my control arm fixed my clicking-popping noise I had on certain turns and while parallel parking. But I still have the initial clunk sound which I totally stop investigating where its coming from since I don't hear it anymore since the temperatures are cold now.

 

Thanks Shook, I have driven it twice since the change and haven't heard the sound. I hope that it doesn't come back when the temps rise as it's been in the mid 20's to lower 40's here. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

Yeah remember when I first had the job done I initially thought it fixed the problem and told you it was fixed, only to hear it again a few hours later.

 

Oh well, my car went a few days and now the clunk is back. Gonna just live with it for now.

 

Does this go under the 3/36k warranty? I have Lowering springs so I'm kinda scared to take it to the dealer. I have 35925 miles on my car lol a quick response would be very much appreciated!

 

Perhaps it's something else you temporarily affected taking it apart to do the lower control arm?

 

Either your lower control arms, strut/strut mount.

 

Yeah after replacing the lower control arm and inspecting the engine mount attach locations for anything that might be loose I've actually been leaning towards the strut as the next item to check. Nothing obvious, the upper mount and everything else is tight.

 

Noticed the clunk in the steering wheel lately and the floor on the driver's side at the same time. Still only once at the first turn which is to the right at a stop sign two blocks away. Dealership did find it because they said it didn't do it for them of coarse. They let is sit all night and tried it in the morning. They need to come to our house and ride with us. :-)

 

So we still haven't found the clunk but I'm thinking of trying something. The dealership couldn't get it to do it so I'm thinking about having a automotive service guy who comes to your house, to service your car, take a ride and see what he thinks.

 

Check your endlinks. Is the car lowered but still on OEM/stock endlinks? I'm betting it has something to do with the suspension

 

I might need to check mine as well. My 2011 "pops" when going over uneven ground. Picture a high, thin speed bump or a driveway with a steep grade that levels to the street. I thought it was the chassis flexing and since it seems to come from above and behind me I believed it to be the sunroof. Then at other times, I think it's perhaps some molding popping back into place.

It happens whether it's hot or cold, but I've been more preoccupied with my tires losing pressure to investigate more thoroughly.