Weird rhythmic clunking noise

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
Messages
4,464
Location
Guilford, CT
My girlfriend has a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser, N/A 2.4, manual trans, 32k miles. It just developed a weird clunking noise. It seems to be coming from the front driver's side. It kind of makes the same sound a flat tire would make. The sound is directly related to vehicle speed (the faster the car goes, the faster it clunks). I was thinking it could be either a CV joint or a hub assembly but I'm not sure. I looked underneath and the CV boots look fine. And it does it when the car is going straight too, not just when turning. Any thoughts?
 
If you're daring you can jack that wheel up and run it in gear, clutch out in 2nd should do it, and see if the CV joint or axle is shaking all around.
 
I'd put my 2 cents on a drive shaft (I assume its a FWD), and a penny on the wheel bearing.

either way rather disapointing @ only 32K miles.
 
Pretty disappointing indeed. This car already had a steering rack and a PS pump put in about 2 months ago ( thread about that ) and it now has a check engine light on for some evap emissions thing (P0441). I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this car...

When I get some free time, I'll try jacking it up and letting the wheels spin and see what I can find.
 
I had a similar problem with an '86 Golf. Final analysis was a subtle bad cv joint. Sounded like a distant Huey helicopter (thump-thump-thump-thump) and progressed to shaking the dash. Two different VW mechanics got stumped checking it out, because there was never any popping or cracking while turning, and never showed any play while tugging on the shaft. Replaced the whole shaft (both inner and outer joint) and it went away.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom