Weird noise from wheel

[YZracer]

My front right (passenger) wheel is making a weird noise. When I start driving, it makes this on and off clicking noise. It is like a card stuck in bicycle tire spokes except in a deeper tone and slightly longer. When I put the car up on the lift and spin the wheel it makes the same clicking noise just a lot quieter (I am assuming from lack of weight and pressure on the wheel).

Is this a bad wheel bearing? I had a bad bearing in the rear before but that sounded different. Is this still a bad bearing I guess with just different damage?

[IamEzraM]

could also be a failing ball joint on one of the control arms or failing cv joint

[The_Jerbel]

The ABS sensor and track comes to mind...

[YZracer]

^^^What do you mean exactly? I don't fully understand. How can the ABS sensor be an issue when the car is off and I am just spinning the wheel? Also, what is Track? I haven't heard this term before.

[s42k5b]

could be your brake setup...

[tbone5446]

unbelievable, my wife called me this afternoon to tell me the EXACT same thing was happening with our S.
I only drove it for a half mile or so to hear it before dinner and that is why I came on here to see if anyone else might know what it was.
It does sound like a wheel bearing issue to me but then again I haven't had a chance to really check it out.
After dinner she did have to drive it home on the Interstate and said the noise would speed up and slow down with the car.
So tomorrow I will take a look at it.
If you figure it out I would love to hear what it was.

edit:after making this post she told me that this morning she heard a thud, pop, or clunk she can't remember exactly which, so.......
when I drove the car for 2 minutes it drove fine and I could only hear the noise on deceleration.
to me I would say it sounded like a card in spokes but almost birdlike if that makes any sense

[S4-ORCE]

CV Joint

[IamEzraM]

undoubtedly a constant velocity joint if the sound speeds up with tire rpm

[S4-ORCE]

undoubtedly a constant velocity joint if the sound speeds up with tire rpm

Then its a wheel bearing most likely

[Justin:NorCal]

Look inside the wheel and wheel well to see if there is grease ;) If you blew the cv boot your joint is going to start clicking.

[tbone5446]

I jacked my car up last night and checked all boots, no tears whatsoever
no play in the wheels either so I am assuming it isn't a bearing
However my wife did take the car to work again today and I called to see if it had gotten worse, she said it made absolutely no noise today.
Hmmmmmm....so I guess this weekend I will tear into it and see if something is amiss.
Any other ideas?

[YZracer]

I checked my car as well. No tears or rips or leaks. Still making the noise though. I can't hear it above say 15mph, but below that it is there. So what do you guys think it is?

[jibberjive]

I checked my car as well. No tears or rips or leaks. Still making the noise though. I can't hear it above say 15mph, but below that it is there. So what do you guys think it is?

Sames here. Was just about to post on it. I can only hear mine from a stop til like 15 MPH. Pretty sure CV boots are good cause they were when I checked them less than 1k mi ago.

[tbone5446]

wow so 3 of us are experiencing the same thing, but no one knows what it might be.

I am starting to think it is something inside the differential but I really want to be wrong.

[jm121189]

I put my vote in for a CV joint since when they start to go they make a clicking noise like you described. A bad wheel bearing makes more of a steady rubbing or pulsing noise. Does it get better or worse when you turn?

[Hoxmarch]

Bump from the dead for the same problem. Just started happening about 2 or 3 days ago...

CV Joint? How do I fix that? :\

[Whitseml]

I'm voting CV joint as well. My Jetta has had both of its CV joints do that and the boots haven't ripped. Granted we're talking about a Audi and not a VW but from my experience it sounds like a CV joint.

[Whitseml]

What I did was just buy whole new axles with both the inner and outer CV's on it. I don't know how it goes for Audi's but buying a new axle means not having to worry about repacking the joints.

[surfntomm]

I have also been having the same issue for about 4 months now. the noise hasnt gotten any worse. I cant hear it with the windows up and it is strictly wheel rpm dependent (aka not engine speed). mine almost sounds a little more like if air is being let out mixed in with a squeeking. I cant put my finger on the cause of the noise either, its the front left (driver) wheel. i replaced the wheel with the spare to make sure it wasnt a rock stuck in the tread or something, still the same noise. with the car jacked up there is still a noise but different sound due to the wheel not being loaded. the noise is definitely once every revolution..... hopefully someone knows the answer to this.