Hello :) Ticking / Clicking noise heard when rotating steering wheel

[mvan231]

I'm new to the forum and wanted to say Hello and also am curious about the problem I'm noticing on our 2017 Explorer XLT.

When turning the steering wheel, I hear a ticking / clicking noise that sounds like maybe a clockspring issue in the steering column. I'm curious if anyone else has had a similar issue and if they found the cause

 

[SuperGreg]

I had a similar noise but the problem was the strut mounts, which is a very common issue. If you're sure the noise is coming from inside the car then that's probably not it. To check the strut mounts just have someone listen to each strut as your rotate the steering wheel. It will click/sproing as the spring vibrates (on mine you could actually see the spring jump as the mount clicked).

 

[peterk9]

I'm new to the forum and wanted to say Hello and also am curious about the problem I'm noticing on our 2017 Explorer XLT.

When turning the steering wheel, I hear a ticking / clicking noise that sounds like maybe a clockspring issue in the steering column. I'm curious if anyone else has had a similar issue and if they found the cause

Welcome to the Forum.

Peter

 

[kam327]

I also just started hearing the clock spring recently. ~25k miles.

 

[Steve18Sport]

I was just about to post a new thread to share a recent experience, but this sounds very similar to your issue. My '18 Sport (19,000 miles) developed a metallic clicking sound when turning the steering wheel, either moving at slow speeds or stationary. The sound was definitely coming from the engine bay area, not the interior. It was unlike other posts and YouTube videos that sound like a recurring clicking as the wheels rotated; this sound only happened once when changing direction or putting pressure on the steering wheel, unrelated to wheel rotational speed.

Took it to the dealer and they stated that they found excessive wear on the thrust washers. Apparently on the '18, and different from prior model years, they are not able to replace just the thrust washers and had to replace both front axles as assemblies, which did resolve the noise. I'm hoping this was an isolated defect and not a systemic design/parts issue that will cause me to replace front axles every 20k miles. The service adviser said that they didn't see it as a safety or mechanical concern...if it happens again out of warranty I'll need to decide whether I agree and want to deal with the noise.

 

[xlt03]

My 2016 had the clicking in the steering wheel area at 35K. It was clockspring. Replaced under warranty. Problem gone.

I too have the intermitent metal click on driver side and I thought it may have been strut bushing but "was not able to duplucate" when in for service.

 

[peterk9]

I'm new to the forum and wanted to say Hello and also am curious about the problem I'm noticing on our 2017 Explorer XLT.

When turning the steering wheel, I hear a ticking / clicking noise that sounds like maybe a clockspring issue in the steering column. I'm curious if anyone else has had a similar issue and if they found the cause

Any update?

 

[1.8TTony]

My son and daughter have their own Explorers.

Son's has 37,000 miles on it when the clicking sound began happening.

Daughter's has 42,000 miles.......

In both cases, the problem turned out to be the clock-spring.

Both vehicles repaired under warranty.

 

[mvan231]

Any update?

Ours is still making the noise and never really took a deep dive into fixing it. My guess is that it's the clock spring though based on the other comments here. We have >120,000 miles on it now though. I might consider replacing it but not sure it's a task I want to take on at this point.

I'm just getting through doing a rear caliper and pads/rotors plus looking like a wheel bearing needing replacement as well

 

[1.8TTony]

We have >120,000 miles on it now though.

I wonder if left alone........if it could (somehow) cause the airbag to deploy. I mean, there are other electrical ribbon strips within the clock-spring.

What if the clock-spring gets tangled and the strip for the airbag touches a strip for one of the other electrical items on the steering wheel? KABOOM!

My son & daughter's Explorers were both repaired under warranty.........and I'm almost positive this was a TSB (Transportation Safety Board) issue, not a manufacturer issue.

What I mean by this is regardless of the mileage, this is a vehicle safety issue therefore the manufacturer has to cover the cost of repairs regardless of mileage. Something you may want to look into with 120,000 miles.

I think you can check with your local DMV office and they can provide any information regarding possible TSB orders. I bought a Jeep Liberty a while back specifically to tow my jetski. The Jeep was last it's warranty period. Out of nowhere DMV sent me a TSB notice informing me that the Jeep needed a shield installed around the gas tank. I wasn't the original purchaser of the Jeep and it had almost 200k miles on it when I got the notification.

 

[mvan231]

I wonder if left alone........if it could (somehow) cause the airbag to deploy. I mean, there are other electrical ribbon strips within the clock-spring.

What if the clock-spring gets tangled and the strip for the airbag touches a strip for one of the other electrical items on the steering wheel? KABOOM!

My son & daughter's Explorers were both repaired under warranty.........and I'm almost positive this was a TSB (Transportation Safety Board) issue, not a manufacturer issue.

What I mean by this is regardless of the mileage, this is a vehicle safety issue therefore the manufacturer has to cover the cost of repairs regardless of mileage. Something you may want to look into with 120,000 miles.

I think you can check with your local DMV office and they can provide any information regarding possible TSB orders. I bought a Jeep Liberty a while back specifically to tow my jetski. The Jeep was last it's warranty period. Out of nowhere DMV sent me a TSB notice informing me that the Jeep needed a shield installed around the gas tank. I wasn't the original purchaser of the Jeep and it had almost 200k miles on it when I got the notification.

If it is a safety issue, they would issue a recall, not a TSB. TSB is a Technical Service Bulletin not Transportation Safety Board.

If the DMV notified you of a TSB, that's good on them for doing so, but usually those are a quick reference for a technician at a shop/dealer to reference for known repair items to more easily diagnose / fix them.

DMV usually would send out recall notices but I've never seen a TSB sent out via mail.

Either way, I'm definitely going to ask the dealer about it. Maybe they will still replace it free of charge.