ticking sound when turning?

[ASpec818]

I'm not sure if this has been present in the past or not, but I just noticed that I have this ticking sound coming from the front suspension area during slow parking lot manuevers. It sounds like little pebbles dropping on a metal plate. A full lock from left to rgith would yield about 6 ticks or so. Is this normal?

[Silver B6 S4]

Wheel bearings. I have the same problem, and it also squeaks on uneven roads.

[zv211]

Depending on the volume level of 'tick' that you are getting, you may want to check the auto-leveling devices for the headlights that are attached to the front suspension. I was getting a pretty good 'tick' myself, sort of like a muted version of the sound that a dog-training clicker would make, and I determined it to be one of the auto-levelers.

Hope this helps.

[staticuxo]

mine does this too.

[aqs]

most likely wheel bearings... I took it to the dealer and to my surprise they replaced them under warranty, though the car had about 22k miles on it at the time

[amoujaffar]

another possibility is bad CV shafts from torn boots leaking the axle grease. good way to check is to stick ur finger into the inside of your rim and see if it comes out covered in black grease. if that's the case then u may wanna pick up another set and get it over with. its a simple swap but if u dont do it they will eventually become a noticable pain in the ass.

[mcimiluca]

wheel bearings.

[AndyGs4]

I always attributed ticking while turning to CV joints.

[Blackcoog]

I always attributed ticking while turning to CV joints.

Yup CV joints.

Bad CV joints: http://www.ehow.com/how_5558229_tell-cv-joints-bad.html

Bad wheel bearings: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_t...wheel_bearings

[Jdubya]

I've had to replace both front CV boots on both the Allroad and S4. Both under 70K miles.

[Patrick Bateman]

$hit,mine are original at 134k ! No issues.

[ASpec818]

is this a "problem" that needs to be fixed immediately? or is it just more of a nuisance?

[Blackcoog]

The sooner it's fixed the better. If the boot is torn and grease is getting out it could seize up.

[FWP!]

CV joints.

I have to replace my right front wheel bearing before this weekend's track event, making a humming noise at highway speed :(

[Fade2Black]

Mine was doing something similar and the cpo replaced the steering rack, I had to put in for the tie rods.

[handyvorb]

I'm not sure if this has been present in the past or not, but I just noticed that I have this ticking sound coming from the front suspension area during slow parking lot manuevers. It sounds like little pebbles dropping on a metal plate. A full lock from left to rgith would yield about 6 ticks or so. Is this normal?

Can you get it to make the ticking ever just turning the wheel while in park?

If so...

Sounds like you have the infamous Audi wheel bearing ticking noise. Yeah throw a CV joint at it and see you wasted your money (gotta love web forums). People have replaced their wheel bearings for this and fixed it, but this isn't necessary, let me explain. The wheel hub (steel) bolts to the wheel bearing housing (aluminum) and has an every *slight* gap between the two metals, this is evident by the rust buildup you'll see when you unbolt the wheel hub. What happens is a slight flexing of the aluminum housing around the steel wheel bearing is causing the ticking. The solution is to remove the wheel hub, clean the contact surfaces of where the wheel hub touches the wheel bearing housing free of rust, then apply a light film of high pressure grease, reinstall, and noise is gone.

Send me a video of the car making the noise in park (camera aimed at the suspect front wheel) and I can confirm it instantly.

[AndyGs4]

^^ In park?

I made the assumption he was rolling and could hear a 'tick tick tick' while rolling through a turn.

If it ticks while in park....likely not a CV joint. If it ticks while rolling through a turn, probably CV joint.

[handyvorb]

^^ In park?

I made the assumption he was rolling and could hear a 'tick tick tick' while rolling through a turn.

If it ticks while in park....likely not a CV joint. If it ticks while rolling through a turn, probably CV joint.

He said it happens in slow parking lot maneuvers, I was *asking* him if he's ever heard it stationary turning the wheel (most people don't turn their wheel when stationary very often to even know, so he'll probably have to go try this). This concern comes about during parking lot maneuvers in the real world though. It is very easy to assume it's a bad outer CV joint by the description (and even the first time you hear this in person). RARELY does Audi have an outer CV joint go bad (and the couple I've seen have been due to running with torn boots for a LONG time), and a VERY large percentage of B6-B7 A4/S4 and C5-C6 A6 suffer from this noise due to lack of lubrication on the wheel hub mating surface.

You'll notice it the most when pulling in and out of parking spaces.

[ASpec818]

Can you get it to make the ticking ever just turning the wheel while in park?

If so...

Sounds like you have the infamous Audi wheel bearing ticking noise. Yeah throw a CV joint at it and see you wasted your money (gotta love web forums). People have replaced their wheel bearings for this and fixed it, but this isn't necessary, let me explain. The wheel hub (steel) bolts to the wheel bearing housing (aluminum) and has an every *slight* gap between the two metals, this is evident by the rust buildup you'll see when you unbolt the wheel hub. What happens is a slight flexing of the aluminum housing around the steel wheel bearing is causing the ticking. The solution is to remove the wheel hub, clean the contact surfaces of where the wheel hub touches the wheel bearing housing free of rust, then apply a light film of high pressure grease, reinstall, and noise is gone.

Send me a video of the car making the noise in park (camera aimed at the suspect front wheel) and I can confirm it instantly.

wow thanks for knowledge sharing! the tick is noticeable while the car is stationary and i just turn the wheel side to side. i can also slightly hear it when i turn the wheel while driving slowly. let me try to get a clip of the sound for reference.

[BODHi27]

How about when turning the wheel at slow speeds (mainly parking) or while being stationary I get sounds like I'm on some rusty ass haunted ship.

Power Steering Fluid?

[rockchalk1339]

same thing for me, it was the outer tie rod. Ordered the parts from MJM today, will have installed tomorrow or monday.

[handyvorb]

How about when turning the wheel at slow speeds (mainly parking) or while being stationary I get sounds like I'm on some rusty ass haunted ship.

Power Steering Fluid?

Haha... it's likely your power steering fluid level, if your unfortunate it's your power steering pump.

[S42005]

Haha... it's likely your power steering fluid level, if your unfortunate it's your power steering pump.

Hey Joel,
My 2005 s4 just started to make a metal clicking sound when I am moving slowly in and out of parking spaces as well as when I turn the wheel in a jerky right to left way at low speeds. It does make a metal clicking sound while I am parked. Do you think the solution is to clean and grease the area like you mentioned above? and if so do you think my Audi dealer will be familiar with the situation? I guess I can simply tell them thats what I think is going on? Thanks for any help you can give me.

[handyvorb]

Hey Joel,
My 2005 s4 just started to make a metal clicking sound when I am moving slowly in and out of parking spaces as well as when I turn the wheel in a jerky right to left way at low speeds. It does make a metal clicking sound while I am parked. Do you think the solution is to clean and grease the area like you mentioned above? and if so do you think my Audi dealer will be familiar with the situation? I guess I can simply tell them thats what I think is going on? Thanks for any help you can give me.

It sounds like you fit the description and that is the correction you need. I see you're in Birmingham, we have a few customers that travel from there to us for service, so taking your car to Audi of Huntsville is one option for you (I can personally take care of the repair). You you can also tell the Birmingham dealer you've spoke with a tech from Huntsville and the solution for the problem and see if they are aware of this (reading the forums some dealers have been replacing wheel bearings and even other suspension parts unnecessarily).

[handyvorb]

Also know that this noise does not come with a driveability or safety issue, it is simply an annoyance. Enough of one that I've serviced both my front left and front right wheel bearings to correct it on my S4.

[S42005]

Also know that this noise does not come with a driveability or safety issue, it is simply an annoyance. Enough of one that I've serviced both my front left and front right wheel bearings to correct it on my S4.

First thank you for the quick response and offering to handle the repair. Much appreciated! I took it in last week for routine maintenance to Audi and they thoroughly inspected the suspension and said everything was fine but they also said they couldnt get it to make the noise. I dont think they tried really. Now I know how to make the noise everytime so I am heading back in to Tom Williams Audi in the early morning. Its good to know its not a safety or driveability issue but sounds like this drive me crazy. Worse case my extended warranty covers wheel bearings,CVJ's,etc. If it for sure pans out to be the situation you describe what is reasonable cost for the fix if both are needed as in how many hours of labor?? I have made good buddies with the service manager so I hope they wouldnt try and replace things that dont need to be replaced. I obviously would hope for him to be honest but... Thanks again for your input.

[S42005]

I know its late but if you can respond tonight that would be fantastic. Im going in to Audi at 7. Either way thank you very much!!

[handyvorb]

First thank you for the quick response and offering to handle the repair. Much appreciated! I took it in last week for routine maintenance to Audi and they thoroughly inspected the suspension and said everything was fine but they also said they couldnt get it to make the noise. I dont think they tried really. Now I know how to make the noise everytime so I am heading back in to Tom Williams Audi in the early morning. Its good to know its not a safety or driveability issue but sounds like this drive me crazy. Worse case my extended warranty covers wheel bearings,CVJ's,etc. If it for sure pans out to be the situation you describe what is reasonable cost for the fix if both are needed as in how many hours of labor?? I have made good buddies with the service manager so I hope they wouldnt try and replace things that dont need to be replaced. I obviously would hope for him to be honest but... Thanks again for your input.

Your welcome! I understand them not being able to duplicate the noise, we've use to have a guy (who was a decent technician!) unable to duplicate this very concern on a customer's car the first time they were in (he was told it happens when turning at slow speeds). The technician is required to duplicate the concern for warranty repairs. Well the next time he was in it was doing it more frequently and was able to duplicate it but only every now and then (turning at slow speeds). He could not pinpoint the cause, ended up replacing a CV axle, didn't fix it, replaced controls arms, didn't fix it (mind you this was all under warranty). Finally he asked me to ride with him. I told him to stop the car, turn the wheel lock to lock. Boom the noise happening at a standstill. Told him about this repair I learned while at training, and the noise was fixed.

This is the kind of counter-intuitive repair that you usually see a Technical Bulletin about and I was actually told there use to be one out several years ago, but has ...vanished? Nonetheless, this is how you fix it.

Using the Audi labor guide, the approximate charge would be 2.2 hrs per side to remove the wheel hub, clean the mating surfaces of it to the wheel bearing housing, and apply anti-seize grease.

I recommend you duplicate the noise for the service adviser (have him stand outside the car while you turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine running so he can hear the tick noise), then you should get taken care of.

[S42005]

I genuinely appreciate your help!!! I cant thank you enough. Ill let you know how it goes. Have a great night!!

[05 B6 S4]

this is a very informative thread and very good advice about the wheel bearing's. I was wondering if you could give me the fix to the infamous "can not replicate the noise" problem.

[Xyber]

Recently cured this problem on mine after hunting high and low for the cause. Grease the caliper spring clip things, everywhere they contact the caliper. Problem solved

[handyvorb]

I was wondering if you could give me the fix to the infamous "can not replicate the noise" problem.

Easy, ask to have the technician ride with you on a test drive so you can show them what you are talking about. They will be more than happy to!

[Fade2Black]

I just started getting a similar noise but only turning left and it comes from the passenger side front.
It's very faint but as soon as I turn the wheel slightly off center to the left I hear it.
Could this be bearings?

[KissTheRings]

I posted last week or so about this begging for a tech to share some knowledge but all I got were the same cv and wheel bearing repairs...I spoke to an audi shop foreman while they were programming my key and he told me to remove the wheel hub, clean the mating surfaces of it to the wheel bearing housing, and apply anti-seize grease. Thanks handyvorb for clarifying this and sharing the right fix. As a Tech myself, I know there are all kinds of tricks and secrets to specific vehicles as most of them break the same but some of us don't like to share.

[Fade2Black]

I posted last week or so about this begging for a tech to share some knowledge but all I got were the same cv and wheel bearing repairs...I spoke to an audi shop foreman while they were programming my key and he told me to remove the wheel hub, clean the mating surfaces of it to the wheel bearing housing, and apply anti-seize grease. Thanks handyvorb for clarifying this and sharing the right fix. As a Tech myself, I know there are all kinds of tricks and secrets to specific vehicles as most of them break the same but some of us don't like to share.

Where in NJ are you and what shop do you use?

[KissTheRings]

Where in NJ are you and what shop do you use?

I actually work for Land Rover in MAnhattan but my buddy just opened up a shop in Little Ferry. Hope to get it busy so I can quit fixing cars and start tuning them.

[Fade2Black]

So what did you clean exactly,behind the rotor and adn the face of the hub?

[KissTheRings]

Actually I didn't do it yet as I haven't had time and it doesn't really bother me since it doesn't affect anything on the vehicle but you would have to remove the wheel hub itself and clean it off. http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B7_S4-...earing/ES3463/. I would use a wire brush to get all the rust off then grease it down with anti seize. Or just roll your windows up like me and enjoy the ride.

[Mr. Corey]

Just got both of my CV axles replaced this week under warranty. I had a slight clicking and a tiny vibration above 45mph

[JimmyBones]

Actually I didn't do it yet as I haven't had time and it doesn't really bother me since it doesn't affect anything on the vehicle but you would have to remove the wheel hub itself and clean it off. http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B7_S4-...earing/ES3463/. I would use a wire brush to get all the rust off then grease it down with anti seize. Or just roll your windows up like me and enjoy the ride.

Yep and there is a bulletin for the A8s about this issue for those techs (Joel) that want a printout. It is the same problem on both car lines, the A4/S4/RS4 and A8/S8, and I have seen it on A6s before too. Just don't get the loose power steering rack bolt noise mixed up with the wheel bearing noise on the older A6s because it can be enough to piss you off fast.