Clicking Noise When Turning — Repair in Salt Lake City, UT
Scott's Auto & Clutch Repair has diagnosed and repaired CV joint clicking for Salt Lake City drivers since 1990.
What Is Clicking When Turning?
A sharp clicking or popping sound that appears only during turns — especially tight, slow turns — means something in the front drivetrain is failing under the stress of the steering angle.
Is That Clicking My CV Joint?
You'll hear a rhythmic clicking or popping sound that appears when turning — it's most obvious in slow, tight turns like parking lots or U-turns, and usually comes from the front of the car on the side that's turning.
The click is caused by a worn CV joint that only loads up under the angle and torque of a turn. If the noise disappears when driving straight, the CV joint is almost certainly the source.
Why Is My Clicking When Turning?
These are the most common causes. The "How to tell" note on each card describes what that cause typically feels or sounds like so you can narrow down which one applies to your vehicle.
Worn CV Joint
The outer CV joint contains a set of ball bearings that ride in machined races, packed in heavy grease. Once that grease is lost (almost always because the boot tore), road grit grinds against the bearings and races. The bearings wear shallow grooves into the race surfaces, and every turn now snaps the bearings into and out of those grooves. That's the click you hear.
Sharp clicking only during turns, especially tight low-speed turns in parking lots. Louder turning the direction that loads the failing axle. Often appears after a torn boot has been ignored for thousands of miles. Common past 100,000 miles.
Torn CV Boot
The rubber accordion boot keeps grease in and contaminants out. UV exposure, ozone, and road debris eventually crack the rubber. Once the boot tears, centrifugal force flings grease out within a few hundred miles of driving. Water and grit then enter, and the joint's lifespan goes from years to weeks. Catching a torn boot before grease is fully lost is the cheapest stage of this repair.
Look for grease splattered along the inside of the wheel well or on suspension components, flung off the spinning axle. The boot is the rubber accordion-shaped cover near the wheel hub. A boot replacement caught here prevents the joint replacement that follows.
Damaged CV Axle
An impact like a curb strike or deep pothole can bend the axle shaft itself or crack the joint housing. Unlike wear damage, impact damage doesn't follow a slow timeline. The joint may run normally for hundreds of miles, then fail abruptly under load. The internal balls can shift, the cage can crack, or the shaft can develop a runout that rapidly destroys the bearings.
Clicking that started suddenly after hitting a curb, deep pothole, or off-road impact. Often paired with vibration that gets worse with speed. Less common than wear-induced clicking but more urgent, since impact damage can fail quickly.
Not sure which applies to you? Call (801) 485-4089 or text us — free diagnosis at our Salt Lake City shop.
When Should You Bring Your Car In for CV Joint Clicking Repair?
The boot tore first — that happened thousands of miles before the clicking appeared. Once grease escapes, road grit packs into the joint and progressively deepens the bearing races. Each turn moves the joint closer to binding or separation.
We inspect the opposite axle on the lift because boots age together — doing both at once costs less than a return visit when the second side fails a few months later. A failed joint can also damage the hub, ABS sensor, or brake components, turning a single axle replacement into a multi-component repair.
Who to Trust for CV Joint Repair in Salt Lake City
We inspect both CV boots for tears and grease loss, feel both inner and outer joints for play, and road-test to confirm which side is clicking. Outer joint clicking comes only during turns; inner joint problems show up as vibration under acceleration — different failure, different repair. See our CV joint service page for what's included.
Scott's Auto & Clutch Repair has been doing front-end work in South Salt Lake since 1990. Pattern recognition — which side, which turn angle, which speed — is what keeps us from replacing the wrong axle.
Free diagnosis. Written estimate before any work begins. No surprises.
Where to Get Your Clicking When Turning Fixed
Scott's Auto & Clutch Repair — serving Salt Lake City drivers since 1990.
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Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
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Frequently Asked Questions — Clicking Noise When Turning
How much does a CV joint or axle repair cost?
A CV axle replacement typically runs $400–$800 per side including parts and labor. If the boot is caught before the joint is damaged, a boot replacement is $150–$250. We quote before starting — no surprises at pickup.
Should I replace both CV axles at the same time?
Often, yes. Both axles were installed when the car was built and have aged on the same clock. When one boot tears or one joint clicks, the other side is usually within a few months of the same failure. Doing both during one visit avoids paying labor twice and means the front end is back to a known good state.
How long can I drive with a clicking CV joint?
Realistically, weeks to a few months, but there's no reliable way to predict the exact moment of failure. Some clicking joints last a year before binding completely. Others fail in 30 days. The safer call is to schedule the repair within the next month rather than running the joint until it strands you.
Can a torn CV boot be repaired before the joint fails?
Yes, if the boot is caught quickly. A boot replacement with fresh grease before significant grit gets in saves the joint and the much larger axle replacement that follows. The window is short, often a few hundred miles after the boot tears, because grease flings out fast and contamination follows quickly.
Not Sure This Is Your Issue?
Browse related symptoms — drivers often confuse these for one another.
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What Our Customers Say
Real reviews from Google — 5 stars across the board
“Very helpful, best price.”
“My wife's Subaru was having a timing issue with the wipers. I brought it to Scott's and they diagnosed the problem quickly and torqued a bolt in about 5 seconds that fixed it. They didn't charge us and we will definitely be coming back here for auto service with Subarus.”
“Honest and smart mechanic. Scott will explain what needs to be done. He replaced my water pump and my car is working perfectly! This was after taking it to 2 shops previous to Scott's. He will be my first option from now on. Saved me a ton of money, was honest in his assessment, and fast! 100% recommend!”
“Great service and great prices!”
“Took my grandson's car in to have the clutch looked at. We thought it might need a new clutch. Scott explained the level of wear and thought it was premature to replace it. He could have just said it needed a new clutch and I wouldn't have blinked an eye. I appreciated the honesty. Only needed a clutch adjustment. I also had him wire up a new set of fog lights and they look and work great. He will definitely get our business in the future.”
“Positive: Punctuality, Quality, Professionalism, Value.”
Experiencing Clicking When Turning?
Contact Scott's Auto & Clutch Repair today for a free diagnosis. We'll get your vehicle running right.
- Free Estimates
- Competitive Pricing
- Same or Next Day Service
- 2-Year Parts & Labor Warranty
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144 W Crystal Ave, South Salt Lake, UT 84115