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First Major Problem With My Car

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Old 08-01-2003, 03:52 AM
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Angry First Major Problem With My Car

For the last 2 days I have noticed a problem and it seems to be getting worse the more I drive. Under hard cornering there is a loud clicking sound coming from the drivers side front wheel that changes in speed (speed of the clicking) with the speed of the vehicle. It makes no sound when driving straight or when turning normally, only when a hard enough side load is applied. It seems that it may be a wheel bearing, as it sounds much the same as when turning a corner when a CV joint is damaged on a front wheel drive car. Any suggestions???

I have inspected the car thoroughly and there is nothing visibly wrong, and nothing stuck in the tire. It makes the sound regardless whether the DSC is on or off. I have only 980kms on it and am a little concerned with this. It is too soon for warranty work. Maybe some of you could take a few hard corners with the driver's window down and listen for this clicking sound.

Darren
Old 08-01-2003, 04:04 AM
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Re: First Major Problem With My Car

Originally posted by SaskRX-8
It is too soon for warranty work. Maybe some of you could take a few hard corners with the driver's window down and listen for this clicking sound.
Ah, but that's the point of a warranty. Statistically you're the most likely to have problems at the beginning or end of a product's life.

That having been said, I think the best thing to do is to have your dealer check it out; I'm sure they don't want to have to see an RX-8 for a warranty issue this early on any more than you want to take it in...

Last edited by BillK; 08-01-2003 at 04:06 AM.
Old 08-01-2003, 05:58 AM
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not quite as bad as having your brakes fail.
Old 08-01-2003, 09:01 AM
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An easy way to check if you have a worn/defective wheel bearing is to jack the car up and then try to rock the wheel (top/bottom). If you have any movement I would suggest taking it to the dealer as soon as possible and have them take a closer look at it.
Old 08-01-2003, 02:14 PM
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DSC/TCS/EBD/ABS working the brakes maybe?
Old 08-01-2003, 02:34 PM
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Don't be afraid of taking the car into the dealer for a checkup. Although we would all like to think that new cars are trouble-free, there could be a defective part in the front suspension. Best thing to do is to get it looked at now, and not wait for anything to fail.

BTW, does SaskRX-8 denote your location as Saskatchewan? If you're from Saskatoon, you should come out to the local Autocross events, if only just to check them out. I think that the 8 would do quite well.

Good luck.
Old 08-01-2003, 03:54 PM
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Also check for foreign debris in the tire - I've had weird noises coming from a tire with a small rock or (heaven forbid) a screw/nail in the tire.

Might be in a spot in the tire that you only hit when you lean into a corner.

Regardless, it's most likely something easy - might be worth a trip to the dealer to put it on the lift and pull off the rim.

Dale
Old 08-01-2003, 04:52 PM
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After breaking down a set of wheels and seeing the air pressure monitor, it could be that causing the noise. The stem unit has an attached battery and maybe its out of position a little so it rubs the wheel on hard loading. Long shot but who knows? definately take it to your dealer to have it checked.
Old 08-01-2003, 07:06 PM
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Re: First Major Problem With My Car

Originally posted by SaskRX-8
For the last 2 days I have noticed a problem and it seems to be getting worse the more I drive. Under hard cornering there is a loud clicking sound coming from the drivers side front wheel that changes in speed (speed of the clicking) with the speed of the vehicle. It makes no sound when driving straight or when turning normally, only when a hard enough side load is applied. It seems that it may be a wheel bearing, as it sounds much the same as when turning a corner when a CV joint is damaged on a front wheel drive car. Any suggestions???

I have inspected the car thoroughly and there is nothing visibly wrong, and nothing stuck in the tire. It makes the sound regardless whether the DSC is on or off. I have only 980kms on it and am a little concerned with this. It is too soon for warranty work. Maybe some of you could take a few hard corners with the driver's window down and listen for this clicking sound.

Darren
it sounds like the differential doing its job. dont worry bout it
Old 08-01-2003, 10:25 PM
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CHECK THE LUG NUTS!!

check that the lug nuts are tight! if they are not tight then the wheel will rattle, with exactly those symptoms. note, if the wheel falls off it will make a bigger noise.


if that's not it then jack up the left front and do the rattle test, as suggested by a previous poster. and, as another poster said, take it in to the dealer!
Old 08-01-2003, 11:12 PM
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Originally posted by budaman
After breaking down a set of wheels and seeing the air pressure monitor, it could be that causing the noise. The stem unit has an attached battery and maybe its out of position a little so it rubs the wheel on hard loading. Long shot but who knows? definately take it to your dealer to have it checked.
The battery is is not servicable & is encased is epoxy. I don't think the TPMS wheel unit will make the noise.
Old 08-02-2003, 12:05 AM
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sounds more like a minor problem.:D
Old 08-04-2003, 09:07 PM
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Re: Re: First Major Problem With My Car

Originally posted by tribal azn2


it sounds like the differential doing its job. dont worry bout it
Maybe you didn't see that he was talking about his front wheel but just in case... This is a rear wheel drive car, it doesn't have a front differential. :D
Old 08-04-2003, 09:41 PM
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I have just developed a rattle coming from the rear right side. Sounds like a metallic rattle of some sort. RIght rear door???? Certain road conditions cause it to start. Will inform if I discover the origin.


My 2001 MIllenia S had a rattle in the rear that I found was a speaker "snap" - a metallic lip that was vibrating on the metallic speaker housing. THese things happen and finding them is worth it!
Old 09-08-2003, 11:46 AM
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I have this exact same problem. What happens, is after driving approxamatly 10 minutes (after warmup), turn in a fairly tight circle 3-5 times IN EITHER DIRECTION ! It does it. I finallly got the dealership to fix it at 500 miles. The mechanic said "noise due to insufficient torque on front wheel studs. Applied anti-sieze compound, torqued to spec". This fixed my problem for now. I don't know how long the fix will last though. I also have noticed an unusually large amount of dust on the wheels (the wheel being ground down by moving around). I hope the damage to the wheels isn't bad.

Last edited by markfw; 09-08-2003 at 11:49 AM.
Old 09-08-2003, 12:34 PM
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Markfw, you have made me worry by saying that dust on the wheels may indicate looseness and possible damage. I thought it was standard disk brake soot, and just a nuisance. I keep a towel in the trunk, and so far almost always wipe the wheels clean when I get from a drive.
Last night, at more than 1,500 miles of very restrained driving, I noticed the clicking sound when turning hard.
Mitch
Old 09-08-2003, 12:40 PM
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Originally posted by Mitch Strickler
Markfw, you have made me worry by saying that dust on the wheels may indicate looseness and possible damage. I thought it was standard disk brake soot, and just a nuisance. I keep a towel in the trunk, and so far almost always wipe the wheels clean when I get from a drive.
Last night, at more than 1,500 miles of very restrained driving, I noticed the clicking sound when turning hard.
Mitch
Yes, you have my symptoms. I would ask the dealership to check you out. Make sure to tell them it needs to be driven for 10 minutes before you hear it when turning. I am on my third visit to the dealership this week to do the other side. I think they only did one side on purpose to see if I thought it was fixed. (which it is) Now they have to do the other side.

Anybody know the torque specs from the factory on these wheels ? (I can check them myself)

Last edited by markfw; 09-08-2003 at 09:31 PM.
Old 09-08-2003, 08:49 PM
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ok, i've had mine for 3 days, done 750kms. I've heard some noise from the front left wheel under brakes and cornering and thought nothing of it until i pulled up at some lights last night and i sounded like i ran over a glass bottle. It was a big clunk clunk clunk and it send vibrations through the car. I will be having this checked out.
Old 09-26-2003, 09:35 PM
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I doubt this is a *major* problem as the subject of the thread says. I had the same problem (ticking coming from either front wheel on sloish tightish turns after driving some time) and the dealer fixed it today said "tightened bolts on both frt hubs". I'll see if that does it and report the results here.
Old 09-27-2003, 10:58 AM
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It could be a major problem. The studs and wheels were being ground down due to the loosesness , and I could see the wheel dust from it being ground down. And NO it wasn't brake dust, or not all of it since they fixed it the amount of "dust" has greatly diminished. If I hadn't of caught this, I could of had badly damaged wheels.
Old 09-28-2003, 08:21 AM
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Torque down the lug nuts!!!!
Then if it doesn't stop bring it to the dealer.

FWIW: I'm pretty sure the canadian Rx-8's don't come with the air presswure sensors.
Old 09-28-2003, 07:06 PM
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Originally posted by madhaus
CHECK THE LUG NUTS!!

note, if the wheel falls off it will make a bigger noise.

A mix of crunching metal, a little girl screaming, and the sound Scotchguard makes when resisting the load you just dropped!

milo
Old 09-28-2003, 10:28 PM
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if it's any help i just took mine in this past week for a clicking while turning. the service manager explained it to me as some rust accumulated behind the brake pads while it was on the boat and when it settled out, they were not seated properly, and then something else about retorquing the hubs.

there's some copper sealant i've noticed on my calipers now, not that they were particularly striking to look at in the first place.
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