Odd steering wheel clicking...

[Blue91Ex]

Hey guys, My explorer has this odd little thing where when you have the blinkers on, they click quietly like normal, btu when you start to turn the wheel tightly to go around a corner or back into the road, something clicks much louder along with the wheel turning, i dont think its the regular blinker click, its louder and only happens when i turn the wheel with the blinker on, it doesn't do it when the blinker isnt on, at least from how little i have gotten to drive it it hasnt.
It seemed like the blinker at first but i noticed it being really loud and if i stopped rotating the wheel it was back to normal clicking until i started turning again.... any ideas as to what this may be?

 

[Anime]

Might be the release for the multifunction switch is broken, if the switch clicks when you turn the wheel with the signal on, but the signal doesn't switch off automatically when you're done turning.

If the switch just clicks when turning with the signal on, and then clicks and turns the signal off when you complete the turn and straighten the wheel out, then that's normal and it's supposed to do that. You don't want the signal to stay on if you completed the turn and are no longer turning.

 

[Blue91Ex]

well it does everything normally as far as i know but only while the wheel is actually rotating does ti get louder, if it is at an angle while turning the truck, it is clicking like normal but it seemed to me like while i turn the wheel, it clicks louder like if it has a gear inside or something that was rubbing, (kind of like the little flipper on the wheel of fortune or something that clicks while it rotates) but like i said its only with the blinker on...i may just be paranoid or somethign and imagine it but i noticed it several times durring my first test drive when turning around in a driveway or something and it seemed quite noticably louder than the turn signal click
also im not even sure if they were in unison as it only happened while i was turning the wheel and it wasnt long enough to check durring the turns...

 

[Anime]

There are two noises with the turn signals on when you're turning.

1. the soft electronic blinking sound of the turn signal indicator / light
2. the loud mechanicial clicking sound of the turn signal handle (multifunction switch)
as it 'ratchets' when you turn the wheel, so it releases when you turn the wheel
back to straight, automatically turning the signal off for you.

It sounds to me like you're just expecting the multifunction switch not to click and just hear the blinker noise like a luxury car. If not, and you're getting a REALLY loud clicking in addition to those two when turning with the signal on, it's either multifunction switch related or something in the steering column if it only happens when turning. If it's only when turning and signaling, it's the multifunction switch. If everything works fine, maybe it's just louder than you're used to. Maybe a newer switch would be quieter, maybe not.

 

[Blue91Ex]

i see what you are saying but if its a ratchet inside the column that turns off teh blinker and flips the lever back to the middle, then it would only click loudly once, when i turn the wheel back to the normal position or straiten it out. this i am used to and while it is loud when it switches off, that isnt the noise im talkign about. if there is a ratchet inside the column, then maybe that is what is causing the clicking noise, maybe something broke in that ratchet so when i have the blinker on and the ratchet engaged, it makes noise. it isnt teh electronic blinketr noise, and it isnt one loud click when the signals turn off, it repeats liek the blinker sound does while the wheel is rotated, but its not the same noise. i think it must be the ratchet inside right? any way to figure out for sure or fix it? if it doesnt do any damage i can learn to ignore it but if i tmight cause problems like wear on the parts inside teh column, then i want to fix it...

 

[Anime]

The multifunction switch will click - click - click - click - click and ratchet as you turn the wheel after engaging the signal, then it will - click - and release the multifunction switch back to off and turn off the signal when you turn the wheel back the other direction to straighten it out.

If everything works, the signals work, the switch releases when straightening the wheel out, it's probably working as intended.

 

[Blue91Ex]

okay so why would it be louder than the electronic blinker sound? i understand that a ratchet inside woudl make some noise but i have never driven a vehicle that has a noticeable noise like that...

 

[Anime]

The electronic blinker sound is an electronic sound made by an electronic clicker.

The clicking of the multifunction switch is a byproduct of a physical action of a mechanical device, specifically the plastic and metal inside the switch and steering column.

It's probably also loud so you hear a click when you click the turn signal on so you know it's engaged and locked, not just partially on, so the clicking ratcheting action is also loud because it ratchets the same mechanical parts.

 

[Blue91Ex]

if this is normal, how come i have never heard of it hppening before?

 

[Anime]

Because when things are normal, you generally don't hear about them happening.

 

[Blue91Ex]

good point, well thanks for the help, i just wanted to be sure! thanks!