Hearing an annoying popping noise when turning?
Don’t ignore it, as it’s not a minor thing.
This sound often points to a worn suspension or steering component, which can lead to safety issues or costly repairs if left unchecked.
We’ll dive into the possible reasons you may be hearing a popping sound and how to spot the failing part. We’ll also discuss the potential costs of fixing the problem so you can budget accordingly.
Let’s get popping.
This Article Contains:
- What Causes a Popping Noise When Turning?
- Can You Continue to Drive a Car that Creates Popping Noises?
- How to Diagnose and Fix the Popping Sound Issue
- How Much Will It Cost to Stop the Popping Noises?
- How to Prevent Your Car From Making Popping Noises
What Causes a Popping Noise When Turning?
Numerous car parts can create a popping sound when they fail, let’s look at the most common causes:
1. Damaged CV Joint
A constant velocity (CV) joint works with CV axle assembly to rotate your wheels and help you steer. Typically, a grease-filled rubber boot protects this joint from dirt and grime.
However, the rubber boot can degrade from moisture and road salt exposure. Once it’s damaged, the CV axle joint follows suit. Eventually, the bearings inside the bad joint start moving erratically, creating popping and clicking sounds when you turn or reverse.
2. Bad Lower and Upper Strut Mount
A strut assembly, which includes a spring, acts as a shock absorber to reduce road vibrations. It’s usually attached to your vehicle’s frame with a lower and upper strut mount, which helps absorb road shock and reduces noise while driving.
With time, water or debris can damage these rubber mounts, making the strut shaky. When you turn your car with an unsteady strut, it grinds against other components, creating a clunk or pop sound.
3. Steering Gear Issues
There are two steering gear types: a steering rack and a steering box. Depending on your vehicle’s age and design, one of these will be found in the front end. Both help transfer the steering wheel’s movement to turn your front tires.
Yet, like other components, the steering gear is exposed to road debris and moisture, which can lead to internal rust buildup. Once corroded, these metal components generate a popping or knocking sound when your car turns.
4. Faulty Steering Column Parts
When you turn the steering wheel, the column sends that movement to the steering gear, which then turns your front tires. To keep everything running smoothly, the steering column depends on bearings and a joint coupling to transmit this input accurately.
But over time, regular use and rough roads wear down these parts. As they start to fail, the steering column weakens, and worn bearings can create a popping sound when you turn.
5. Failing Ball Joint
Typically, the ball joint connects the upper or lower control arm to the steering knuckle, helping it pivot when you turn the steering wheel. But when these ball joints fail due to wear and tear, you’ll hear a slight clunk or pop sound, especially while driving over bumps or potholes.
6. Malfunctioning Tie Rod Ends
As tie rod ends corrode and weaken, they create an unsteady connection between the steering gear and steering knuckle. This tie rod instability can lead to play in the steering system, resulting in imprecise steering responses.
Eventually, this wear leads to failure — and that’s when you hear those strange sounds while steering.
7. Loose Wheel Hubcap
Car wheels come with a plastic or metal hubcap in the center to keep the wheel assembly clean and add a polished appearance.
However, if the mechanic installed the hubcap poorly during your last repair or maintenance service, it’ll start making a rattling or popping sound from the front.
8. Underinflated Tires
When tires aren’t inflated to the right pressure, they wear out faster and can develop uneven tread. If you keep driving on them, these underinflated tires might start making loud popping sounds, regardless of whether you drive at high or low speeds.
Now that you know the possible causes, let’s explore if you can safely drive while you hear these noises.
Can You Continue to Drive a Car that Creates Popping Noises?
You could, but it’s not advisable.
While the popping noise may seem to come from the wheels, it often indicates failing steering or suspension system components. These issues make it difficult to steer and result in a bumpy ride.
Additionally, an underinflated tire can further reduce stability, especially when turning or braking. Ignoring these issues creates a significant safety hazard, putting you and others at risk. So, it’s essential to have a mechanic inspect your vehicle as soon as possible to ensure safe driving conditions.
Now, let’s explore how to effectively diagnose and fix that popping sound.
How to Diagnose and Fix the Popping Sound Issue
Since multiple parts can generate popping sounds, a misdiagnosis is very likely. For a proper inspection and repair, call a professional mechanic.
Here’s what they’ll do:
- Check the tire pressure using an air pressure gauge to verify if it’s underinflated.
- Test drive the vehicle at high and low speeds to assess the noise.
- Park the car and raise it using jack stands.
- Inspect the steering and suspension system for damaged bushings or bearings.
After identifying the cause, here are some possible fixes your mechanic will perform to resolve the problem:
- Swap out the CV boot and joint.
- Install a new strut assembly.
- Replace the steering gear’s worn bushings.
- Switch the steering column components with new ones and apply a lubricant.
- Check the upper and lower control arm for wear and install new ball joints.
- Replace the tie rod ends and perform a wheel alignment.
- Tighten the lug nuts with a wrench to secure the hubcap in place.
- Inflate the tires to the right pressure as per your vehicle’s requirement.
Wondering how much this list of services will cost you?
Let’s have a look.
How Much Will It Cost to Stop the Popping Noises?
Here are your likely expenses to get rid of that pesky popping noise:
- Wheel alignment: $50 to $180
- Ball joint replacement: $150 to $350
- CV boot replacement: $175 to $350
- Tie rod replacement: $200 to $500
- Steering column replacement: $590 to $1,550
- Strut replacement: $900 to $1,050
- CV joint replacement: $1,120 to $1,170
- Steering gear replacement
- Steering box replacement: $980 to $1,160
- Steering rack replacement: $710 to $2,420
To avoid such hefty repairs in the future, there are some proactive maintenance tips you can follow.
How to Prevent Your Car From Making Popping Noises
Take these steps in advance to prevent your car from creating popping sounds:
- Check your tires frequently for grease marks usually caused by a damaged CV boot.
- Avoid stop-and-go traffic to reduce strain on the strut assembly.
- Avoid water puddles and bumps to prevent damage to any steering component.
- Don’t drive rashly or overload your car to protect suspension components from premature wear.
- Watch out for a power steering fluid leak near the front wheels.
- Get each moving part of the suspension and steering systems checked every 50,000 miles.
Drive in Peace and Quiet with AutoNation Mobile Service
Whether it’s a clunking or popping sound, driving with these annoying noises is anything but enjoyable. Moreover, pinpointing the source of this noise isn’t a simple thing you can handle as a DIY project.
Fortunately, you can call AutoNation Mobile Service to inspect each moving part in your car.
Our mechanics can fix popping noises and any other steering or suspension component issue from the comfort of your parking lot.
You’ll receive a 12-month, 12,000-mile repair warranty and we also offer after-hours customer support to provide answers to your car-related queries.
Reach out to us today to silence that pesky popping noise.