Sound Turning Steering Wheel.
 

I definitely need some help.

The car is making this sound http://www.mediafire.com/file/7l5mnd.../Car_Sound.m4a
(Listen from 16 second mark to 38 seconds).

This recording was made placing the phone on top of the tire (drivers side) with the car off.

These are the circumstances.
1. It makes the sound with the car off or on.
2. The steering wheel needs turning only about 10-15 degrees either way (back and forth). Say from 11:00 to 1:00 on the clock.
3. When the car is running and I am driving it the sound exists if I turn the wheel as described above. If I turn the steering wheel faster or more the sound doesn't seem to be there.
4. When the car sits overnight and I get in it in the morning there is no sound with the car off or on.
5. I started the car in the morning (with no sound) drove it a bit - still nothing. Then let it idle for 20-25 minutes and then the sound occurred.
6. The sound appears to be coming from the drivers side only. And there is a vibration when touching the Spindle (drivers side only).
7. I jacked up the drivers side tire so it was off the ground and the sound seemed to disappear. Then upon lowering the car the sound was also not there.

I am not leaking any fluids and it doesn't feel like any binding is occurring. the wheel moves freely. Needless to say I am baffled. Anyone heard of this before and I appreciate any help.
Regards.

Sorry I thought the link could be clicked on and listened to without downloading. If there is a way to do this I am not sure how.

The pinion in your steering rack is going bad? Though, if that were the case I would believe it would be constant in all situations, not as intermittent as you describe it.

Thanks for the response. What kind of safety hazard is this - until I can get it fixed. I am still learning so not sure on the effects of this.
Thanks

Honestly I'm not sure. Steering is far from my expertise. I would say get it fixed as soon as reasonably possible.

Best case? It just makes that noise a lot and is annoying. Worst case? It seizes up in place and you can't turn left or right regardless of which way you're turning when it seizes.

I honestly have ABSOLUTELY 0 idea if that could happen so definitely get a different opinion.

Personally, I would drive if I had to but find out what's wrong from a professional. If it's something critical, you'll want to know asap. Even if you know it's something not critical (but needs to be replaced) at least you'll have peace of mind

Update
 

Update: I had it checked by a pro. They said it was not the rack causing this noise. They think it is either coming from the upper control arms ball joints (where the fit into the spindle) or most likely from the strut springs where they seat into the top and bottom. No safety issue and since the control arms are new as well as the shock mount and the entire strut except the springs I tend to lean where the springs seat at either the top or bottom.

There are no crack in the ball joints either and I doubt they would make that loud of a noise where I can see the springs doing so. I will at this point just keep an eye on it and see if it self corrects, remains the same or gets worse. And given it is not a safety concern and that it only does this with a small movement of the wheel. Since I cannot hear or feel it otherwise I think at the moment rather than tear it all apart not knowing what to target a wait and see is okay.

Thanks again for the input. Great help here.

Well I guess this noise is bugging me more than I originally thought. This is tough to determine as I can feel the vibration in all the control arms(top and bottom), spindle and spring (Spring being prominent) I have another clue to this mystery. With the car off if I push down on the drivers side fender even just a little I can hear the noise (without turning the steering wheel). Also when I turn the wheel slightly as before I feel it mostly in the spring as I mentioned (the center portion).

Any additional ideas would be appreciated. Could it be the shock mount (even though it was replaced - maybe a bad mount). Or the spring disc (top) - has anyone ever had to replace it. That thing is hard to find and expensive. Or could the strut assembly been put together poorly (I did not do it myself, had it done by a shop)

I guess the first place to start would be to lift up the drivers side, take the wheel off, and start feeling for play in any of the control arms or suspension pieces. Grab each one and see if you can move anything around, even slightly.

Well I still have not figured this noise out. I replace one of the upper control arms and the strut mount (which both were new). Still have noise.

Tell me if I am wrong - but if the noise can be made when just pushing down vertically on the fender (no turning of the wheel) I can eliminate the TRE and Rack as well as the Sway bar link (and of course sway bar). That leaves the control arms and the strut assembly. Is there anything else in the front end that could make the noise that I am not considering?

And, can I remove the strut assembly from the control arm mounting plate on both the drivers and passengers side and reverse them. Currently the yellow and brown markings on the springs face out and if I switch them I am thinking they might face in (I am not sure) - is that okay or not. I am thinking if I reverse them and the noise reverses it is the strut assembly - if not it is something else.

Could the shock make this type of noise.

Thank you.

If you're stopped and it's making this noise, I'm not sure how it could be anything related to the suspension. There's nothing to move the car up or down like driving down the road or hitting bumps. It would HAVE to be something in the steering assembly. Anything from the tie-rod ends to the rack (which apparently has been ruled out).
...That being said, you mention you CAN make the noise by pushing down on the fender (I'm assuming the drivers side only, pushing down on the passenger side does not make the noise?), it couldn't be anything with the steering system and it would HAVE to be something with the suspension.
The only time those two pieces overlap is with the TRE's or the inner tie rods.

Just to make sure, the sound I'm listening for is the 'grinding' noise from :16 to :37 in your clip right? That sounds a LOT like two gears grinding together, but you said you had it looked at and they said it wasn't the rack?

Thanks for the reply. First, yes the noise is from "16 to :37. I agree it does sound like gears. Yes the shop said they did not think it was the rack.. also the rack does not engage when the car is off and I am pushing down on the fender (correct?)... and yes only the drivers side. And wouldn't the rack make noise even cold - just after starting it.

Also as I mentioned before the car must get hot. Not just hot from running it needs to be hot enough outside too. 80+ degrees. When it was less than 70 degrees it was almost impossible to hear it. And with it the car cold (just after starting) and even if it is warm out it takes a bit of time to start making the noise enough to hear it. And what is also weird as I am trying to diagnose it the longer the car sits eventually the noise diminishes.

My plan is to run the car to get the noise to be made.. then park it and disconnect the TRE and see if it still makes the noise pushing down on the fender. (As you say it is the common overlap). Depending on the result - unbolt the sway bar link ( I dont think this is it - but want to eliminate it. There is more noise turning the wheel but it makes the same noise pushing down on the fender only.

I am open to suggestions - I cannot think of anything else that is unrelated to the steering or suspension.



I will update ones I try the TRE disconnect.
Thank you again.

Update: I got an idea - if the noise is loud after the car is hot I thought maybe I could still feel the vibration with the car cold even though there is no audible noise. And I thought maybe the vibration would be minimal - enough to feel it where the problem is bit not so much that it could be felt everywhere. I think (hoping) it worked. Since I felt the greatest vibration in the front lower control arm, sway bar link, shock and coil spring I decided first to disconnect the sway bar link.

Result - still had vibration - but much less in the control arm but same in the shock body, and stem (where it connects to the control arm). Also the same in the coil spring. I don't feel much if anything in the upper control arms either. So I concluded that the problem is in the strut assembly.

In the strut assembly prior to making any changes there was no issues. The items replaced were the shock, bumpers, plastic cover and strut mount. The strut mount was replaced a second time so I can rule that out - Unless it is rubbing inside the mounting plate - could that be (thoughts?). That leaves the spring seats, coil spring and shock. I am leaning toward the shock as there was no issues before replacing and I was told it is very unlikely it is the coil spring. Being unfamiliar with exactly how the assembly articulates I am not sure if the spring seats could cause this. Can the shock make that kind of noise with small slow turns in the steering wheel. Pushing up and down I would think it is possible.

Anyway thanks for reading and the help.

It sounds like you're close, but I personally have never touched my suspension outside of control arms so I can be of no help. Good luck!

Thanks, but a couple things you mentioned got me thinking and that is always good.

Update in case your curious. I replaced the Shock and when I installed it back into the car I put a very thin coat of silicone grease (the same used for the brake guide pins) on the shock mount. After driving the car I barely heard, just a couple times, the noise. The conclusion I have come to at this point was that it was either the shock or the shock mount but I am leaning toward the shock mount. If it makes more noise as time goes by then I will remove and add more grease and see if that stops it.

Glad you at least found something to make the sound change for the better (diagnosis is 90% of the problem imo), if not fixed it completely!

Update- well the noise is louder than ever.. as it is hotter than ever too here.. which makes it louder. Very odd. Doesn't seem to affect the steering or suspension but it is so very annoying. Will at some time bring it in to see if someone can identify the source.

Others hearing the noise say who cares - but for me it bugs me.