REVIEWS
Most people ignore the first noise. A little sound when you swing into a parking spot. A creak as you back down the driveway. It’s nothing, you figure. Trouble is, steering is one of those places where a small noise turns into a big one if you let it ride. So it helps to know what you’re hearing.
The CR-V steers fine when the parts are healthy. Once it starts making noise, it’s telling you something. Here’s how to read it.
Clunking or Knocking When You Turn
You turn the wheel and hear a clunk. Over a bump, or pulling into the driveway. That’s usually the joints and links underneath. Tie rod ends knock once they develop play. A worn sway bar link rattles over a rough road. The CR-V wears out its lower control arm bushings too, and those knock when the joint flexes mid-turn. None of it improves on its own. And these parts change how the car tracks down the road, so a clunk that started quietly is worth a look.
Whining or Groaning While Turning
Now a different sound. A whine or groan that climbs as you turn, worst at full lock. That one’s the power steering. Low fluid is a usual cause. The system runs on fluid, so a low level usually means it’s leaking somewhere. A pump on its way out groans while it fights to keep up. That groan is a warning. Check the fluid, look for leaks, and deal with it before the pump quits on you for good.
Creaking or Popping at Low Speed
A creak or a pop when you turn slowly, easing into a parking space, that tends to be the strut mounts. Up top, the strut mount has a bearing that lets the strut rotate with the wheel. Worn, it creaks and pops as the suspension loads and lets go. You hear it most in the slow stuff. Parking lots. Tight maneuvers. Right when the steering is doing the most work at the smallest movements.
Clicking or Popping From the Front Wheels
A steady click or pop that gets louder in a turn and faster as you speed up. That’s the CV joints out in the front axles. The outer joint wears and starts clicking, and you catch it most on a tight turn, something like a U-turn. Here’s the thing about a CV joint. It does not get better. It only heads toward failure, and a failed axle strands you. Click stage is the cheap stage. That’s when you want to handle it.
Finding the Source
Quick way to sort it out. Clunking on bumps and turns means worn joints and links. A whine that rises with the wheel is power steering. A creak or pop at parking speed points at strut mounts. A click that quickens with speed is a CV joint.
None of these goes quiet on its own. Steering and suspension parts wear toward failure, and a few of these tie directly to how safe the car is to drive. Earlier is cheaper. It’s also safer.
Have the Noise Checked By Our Experts
If your 2018 Honda CR-V is clunking, whining, or clicking when you steer, bring it to Driven Auto Care of Fremont, CA. We will drive it, put it on the lift, and find the source. Call to set up a steering and suspension inspection.