2004 Camry -- Pops/Knocks While Turning Steering Wheel??

My year old 2004 Camry with about 13000miles has started
knocking/poping when turning the steering wheel. It is easier to feel
than hear the pop, but if it is done in a very quiet car while turning
very slowly in an empty parking lot the passenger can hear it. The
pops also seem to happen while rolling without moving the steering
wheel if the tires hit a small bump.

Anybody know what might be causing this?

Ken

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 15:15:43 -0500, Ken Hall wrote:
[color=blue]
> My year old 2004 Camry with about 13000miles has started knocking/poping
> when turning the steering wheel. It is easier to feel than hear the pop,
> but if it is done in a very quiet car while turning very slowly in an
> empty parking lot the passenger can hear it. The pops also seem to happen
> while rolling without moving the steering wheel if the tires hit a small
> bump.
>
> Anybody know what might be causing this?
>
> Ken[/color]

My guess would be either a strut mount or a ball joint, but you're talking
something that doesn't usually happen in a Toyota for about 120,000 miles...

"Ken Hall" <kenhall2REMOVE@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:38t7e11pr7ebelb90duaf4gmdm416dqutu@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> My year old 2004 Camry with about 13000miles has started
> knocking/poping when turning the steering wheel. It is easier to feel
> than hear the pop, but if it is done in a very quiet car while turning
> very slowly in an empty parking lot the passenger can hear it. The
> pops also seem to happen while rolling without moving the steering
> wheel if the tires hit a small bump.
>
> Anybody know what might be causing this?
>
> Ken[/color]

Noises are difficult, if not impossible, to diagnose without hearing them
firsthand. It could be strut mounts, ball joints, CV joints, steering shaft
universal joint, rack, rack ends, loose wheel, etc.

Since the car is still under warranty, I'd bring it in and let pros diagnose
and repair.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

Do you have the radio volume turned to low? I'll bet if you turn
it up the noise will go away. ;)

Take the vehicle to a competent repair shop before you lose
steering control at 60 MPH, WBMA


mike hunt




Ken Hall wrote:[color=blue]
>
> My year old 2004 Camry with about 13000miles has started
> knocking/poping when turning the steering wheel. It is easier to feel
> than hear the pop, but if it is done in a very quiet car while turning
> very slowly in an empty parking lot the passenger can hear it. The
> pops also seem to happen while rolling without moving the steering
> wheel if the tires hit a small bump.
>
> Anybody know what might be causing this?
>
> Ken[/color]

[email]ae86@Trueno.GTS[/email] (hachiroku) wrote:
[color=blue][color=green]
>>My year old 2004 Camry with about
>>13000miles has started
>>knocking/poping when turning the >>steering wheel. It is easier to[/color][/color]
feel than[color=blue][color=green]
>>hear the pop, but if it is done in a very
>>quiet car while turning very slowly in
>>an empty parking lot the passenger
>>can hear it. The pops also seem to
>>happen while rolling without moving
>>the steering wheel if the tires hit a
>>small bump.
>>Anybody know what might be causing
>>this?[/color][/color]
[color=blue]
>My guess would be either a strut mount[/color]

That's my guess.
[color=blue]
>but you're talking something that doesn't
>usually happen in a Toyota for about
>120,000 miles...[/color]

Sorry, not true in my case. I had a new '99 RAV4 that did it at 12000
miles and my Lexus RX300 did it at around 20K. The '85 Camry had it too.

It's worse in cold weather. The good news is, it's just an annoying
noise and not a real 'problem', as far as I know. At least the
dealerships have danced around it with their patented, "It's all working
to spec." (during warranty period.) After warranty, it's, "Your struts
are bad."

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 15:15:43 -0500, Ken Hall
<kenhall2REMOVE@houston.rr.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>My year old 2004 Camry with about 13000miles has started
>knocking/poping when turning the steering wheel. It is easier to feel
>than hear the pop, but if it is done in a very quiet car while turning
>very slowly in an empty parking lot the passenger can hear it. The
>pops also seem to happen while rolling without moving the steering
>wheel if the tires hit a small bump.
>
>Anybody know what might be causing this?[/color]

To anybody who might care, here is what the Toyota service center
invoice says:

Cause 43: Steering main shaft assy tilt R&R
Replace steering column assy

Cause: U-joint on steering shaft column was loose
Repair: R&R Steering column Shaft Assembly

Ken

Ken Hall <kenhall2REMOVE@houston.rr.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 15:15:43 -0500, Ken Hall
><kenhall2REMOVE@houston.rr.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>My year old 2004 Camry with about 13000miles has started
>>knocking/poping when turning the steering wheel. It is easier to feel
>>than hear the pop, but if it is done in a very quiet car while turning
>>very slowly in an empty parking lot the passenger can hear it. The
>>pops also seem to happen while rolling without moving the steering
>>wheel if the tires hit a small bump.
>>
>>Anybody know what might be causing this?[/color]
>
>To anybody who might care, here is what the Toyota service center
>invoice says:
>
>Cause 43: Steering main shaft assy tilt R&R
>Replace steering column assy
>
>Cause: U-joint on steering shaft column was loose
>Repair: R&R Steering column Shaft Assembly
>
>Ken[/color]

Thanks for the followup Ken, I wish more would do that...I'm also
amazed that that ujoint would fail that soon...I hope that they
replaced it under warranty?
--


-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 01:11:28 GMT, Gord Beaman <gord@islandtelecom.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
>Thanks for the followup Ken, I wish more would do that...I'm also
>amazed that that ujoint would fail that soon...I hope that they
>replaced it under warranty?[/color]

Yes, they did.

Ken