# Clicking Noise When Turning Steering Wheel



## Richard (Dec 1, 2012)

I have a 2013 Cruze with about 2,000 miles. I noticed that when I turn the steering wheel, I hear a clicking noise. It sounds like it's coming from underneath the driver's side floor mat. Again, it's only when I turn the steering wheel. When I go around a turn, I don't hear or feel anything. But, when I turn the wheel whether the car is still or moving, I hear and feel a clicking noise right under the driver's side floor mat. What can that be? I read that a clicking noise can be a CV problem. The car seems to be handling fine and the steering feels fine. Again, the clicking is coming from a weird place. Not from the wheels themselves, but underneath the floor mat.

Disappointing that a car with such low mileage has developed an issue already. My Malibu that I had for almost 3 years never saw the service department. I have my Cruze 3 months and I'm going to have to bring it in already. If I hadn't gone through the hurricane, I probably would have gotten another Malibu.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

First thing to do is pull your floor mat up and look. It's possible something is sticking up down there. We've had members report really strange noises that turned out to be things like empty soda cans under the seat or a pen in a door compartment. If that's not it and it's really driving you nuts, take it in. If it's not driving you nuts wait until your first oil change and have the dealership try to track it down while it's in for the oil change.


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## Richard (Dec 1, 2012)

obermd said:


> First thing to do is pull your floor mat up and look. It's possible something is sticking up down there. We've had members report really strange noises that turned out to be things like empty soda cans under the seat or a pen in a door compartment. If that's not it and it's really driving you nuts, take it in. If it's not driving you nuts wait until your first oil change and have the dealership try to track it down while it's in for the oil change.


Yeah, it's not driving me nuts. I can definitely live with it until my first oil change. The car is running fine and I don't notice any problems with the steering. I was thinking the same thing - that maybe something got underneath the floor mat, but it only happens when I turn the steering wheel and it doesn't happen all of the time. Mostly when the car is cold. And it's been happening less and less. So we'll see what happens.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Richard said:


> Yeah, it's not driving me nuts. I can definitely live with it until my first oil change. The car is running fine and I don't notice any problems with the steering. I was thinking the same thing - that maybe something got underneath the floor mat, but it only happens when I turn the steering wheel and it doesn't happen all of the time. Mostly when the car is cold. And it's been happening less and less. So we'll see what happens.



Richard,
I would like you to keep me posted on this. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me anytime.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## chrisholland03 (Oct 13, 2011)

It sounds like what he's describing is similar to the rubbing noise from the steering shaft o ring in the floorboard/firewall. That would be the first place I'd look -- make sure that the o ring is there, seated properly, and lubed up (lack of lube is what causes the rubbing noise).


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## Richard (Dec 1, 2012)

chrisholland03 said:


> It sounds like what he's describing is similar to the rubbing noise from the steering shaft o ring in the floorboard/firewall. That would be the first place I'd look -- make sure that the o ring is there, seated properly, and lubed up (lack of lube is what causes the rubbing noise).


It's actually a clicking noise, not a rubbing noise. And the car has just under 2,000 miles, so I would hope that the lube didn't dry up already. We have had a lot of rain and snow, so maybe that affected the lube a bit. I would think that any noise coming from the steering would come from the front of the car, but this noise is literally coming from underneath the driver's floormat. I can actually feel it as well. Again, it only happens when I turn the steering wheel and it happens more when the car is cold. When the car is warm, it seems to get better. I don't feel any adverse effects at all - no binding in the steering wheel and the steering feels fine. 

But your suggestion sounds like a viable one. Since I don't feel any adverse effects, I will wait for the first oil change, and then I will have it checked into. It's just disappointing that a new car that's 3 months old has developed a problem already. I'm hoping that it's just a freak thing with the placement of the floor mat or something.


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## jdubb11 (Mar 14, 2012)

LISA80 said:


> My 2011 Chevy Cruze is making a clicking noise at the steer column and I am not turning or anything. and it keeps doing after I turn the car off. I went back today to make sure the clicking stopped however instead I found out it was humming. Even on the same day when I started the car and started on my way to work I turn on the heater (since it was only 35 degrees this morning) I could hear the blower working but no heat or anything was coming out anywhere! I drove for over 25 minutes before FINALLY heat started coming out of the defroster at the window. Tried to change to another option like Vents or Floor and it stopped again all together! After about another 20 minutes then the air started to come out of the vents. So I tried to change it to the floor again to see if something may have been just stuck but no luck and the heat was coming out of the vents and the defroster windshield area at the same time even tho there is no control for that. Plus with the hard transmission shifts and if you are stopped on a hill anywhere pray that no one is behind you to close or you may hit them and never try to cut across the road unless you have a lot of time if you are stopped because you will get hit by on coming traffic. I am taking my car to the dealership tomorrow to have this fixed. My husband and I got this car cause we needed a reliable vehicle to get me to and from work with out any problems like my last car. But I think we got the wrong vehicle. Plus don't believe the MPG for this vehicle cause it is completely wrong! I drive over 3/4 of the way to work on the highway and I can only get like 25 MPG. And I noticed tonight after I got home that the colliant smell has gotten so much worse no wonder I have a sore throat all the time.


great story!! this is the worst troll post ever!!


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Lisa you forgot about you're blown shocks and bad back from the horrible seats.

I'm going to leave this post up just for kicks but don't be surprised if it gets deleted and you get banned unless you can actually provide proof of all of this.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Obvious troll was obvious. Made for a good morning laugh. 

Back to resolving the steering click...


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

It was around 2K miles needed to have the entire power steering rack replaced. Stuff like this happens, shouldn't, but it does.

Being paranoid, wasn't born that way, completely studied the system and placement before bring it in. Then studied it afterwards. Only thing I found wrong, one of those plastic clips holding that shield on was missing. Went back to my dealers and got a new one.

Could be a CV joint, clicking is a lack of lubrication, get on a parking lot with the steering wheel again the lock, open a window, or better yet, have someone else drive the car and stay outside and listen. Need only to drive it 2-3 mph, and walk along side of that wheel, that's when you can really hear it. Do this in both directions and report.


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## spindove (Dec 27, 2017)

While most of this does sound crazy, my husband has the exact same problem with the heater. We drove over one of those plastic things on the highway and it appeared to rip out of the road because we heard a loud clunk/bang sound from under the car. At the time we didn't think to much of it because there appeared to be no problems. But a few months later when we needed the heat it just would make this loud blowing sound and nothing would come out. The dashboard gets extremely hot, as do the vents. And sometimes it just magically works after not working for weeks at a time. Our friend manually spun the fan and looked around but saw no problems. It worked fine after that for like 2 months maybe and then just stopped again. The weird thing is the AC is completely fine, and it doesn't do it all of the time. This winter it hasn't done it at all to be honest. But otherwise it has done this for almost 3 years. Idk if it is actually related but when we were in California it was so hot our AC just started failing to cool the car unless we turned it off for a while. Mind you we drove from BC Canada in 2 days. The weird part with the heat is that if it is working and you decide to change it from window to anything else, or say floor to anything else, it just stops working. But not always... I don't understand XD We should have had it looked at by now but we have just traveled so much we haven't bothered. Other than the serious pain if it starts to fog the windows and us freezing sometimes it hasn't created any other problems. Thank god it has been working this cold winter so far, knock on wood.


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