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: 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?