CV shaft clicking.

[alhope34]

Well, for the last 20,000kms or so I've been getting a click noise when I change direction of the rotational force on the CV shafts (engine braking then accelerating for a light, reverse to forward to reverse etc. when parking).

I've noticed the last 4-5000kms it has gotten much worse with many multiple clicks every time I take off from a light even without engine braking now. I'm at 55,300kms now, and it's only the driver's side that clicks. I've gotten a friend to stand in front of my car when I go back and forth to hear where it is coming from.

I remember seeing someone post, either here or on M3F, a thread from MSF where people were saying if they have the CV clicking or not. I'm just wondering if anyone here also notices the same clicking, how many kms they have and approx. how many kms they had when they first noticed it clicking. I'm going in to my local dealership Saturday to get it checked out and see if warranty will deal with fixing it.

[Mazda3X2]

Please keep us posted on what you find out with this problem.

I am still experiencing symptoms listed in this post.
http://torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=32218

[alhope34]

Please keep us posted on what you find out with this problem.

Will do.

[hatthi]

Check this out:

http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/mazdaspeed-3-engine-transmission-driveline/25811-those-who-have-heard-clicking-wheel-area.html

[alhope34]

Check this out:

http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/mazdaspeed-3-engine-transmission-driveline/25811-those-who-have-heard-clicking-wheel-area.html

That's the thread I referred to in my first post. I believe I replied on that thread too. I posted this thread to see if anyone in the GTA with an MS3 was getting the same problem with clicking as I am.

[hatthi]

oops.

[Zspeed]

I have a whining type noise whenever turning left or right. It has gone better since I drained out my MT-90. I only have 11k so I gujess I will be approaching the same problem. Keep us posted Al!

[Unoriginalusername]

have you gone to the dealer yet?

[alhope34]

Not yet. I'm going Saturday at noon. Last line of my first post!

[Unoriginalusername]

Not yet. I'm going Saturday at noon. Last line of my first post!

:blush

[Flagrum_3]

Not yet. I'm going Saturday at noon. Last line of my first post!

Hey Al, clicking coming from the front axle whilst turning the wheels almost always means cv joints, but your still under warranty so you should be good....Anyways with the amount of power/torque you guys are putting down, I am quite surprised we don't hear of this happening more often!


_3

[alhope34]

Hey Al, clicking coming from the front axle whilst turning the wheels almost always means cv joints, but your still under warranty so you should be good....Anyways with the amount of power/torque you guys are putting down, I am quite surprised we don't hear of this happening more often!


_3

No, the CV's are fine. I don't get the click while turning. I know what a bad CV sounds like, I've changed them plenty of times at Toyota.

[MAZDA Kitten]

I have a clicking sound when I reverse. Today I found out my CV boot is leaking so maybe there is a correlation ??

[alhope34]

My boots are fine. I checked them the other day. Usually a cracked boot will eventually create the loud clicking while turning if not found early enough. This is when the CV shaft is toast and the clicking speeds up and slows down with the speed of the car. My clicking is really random and not while the wheels are turned.

[MAZDA Kitten]

Oh okay :) Thanks for clearing that up...

[alhope34]

Well I was in to the dealer today. They couldn't find the problem but they checked my cv shaft, suspension components and my tranny mount. All was good and tight and working properly. The tech really couldn't find the problem so I'm going back again sometime this week on my day off for the tech and the shop foreman to have a look at it. I have to leave it there all day.

[WhiteSpeed3]

al i'v had this prob for about 20,000kms

i never found the prob and just gave up

[JashiK]

I get this on my 2005 Acura TL. Al when you find out what the problem is let us know. Maybe I'm having the same problem on my TL.

[alhope34]

Alright, I'm going back in tomorrow and leaving my car there all day so they can rip apart my front end. I'll post up the results. Hopefully they can find the problem.

[Zspeed]

They are not giving you hassle about your mods? Which dealership you going to?

[whodilly]

I've got the clicking noise as well, and the frequency increases with speed. I just noticed it recently and I've got just over 100k km. Tried to figure out where it was coming from but some say its coming from the front, while others say its from the back. I changed my driver's side wheel bearing because it was making a clicking noise when i rotated the tire but that was not the problem.

Checked out my CV joints/boots and they look fine so still trying to figure it out.

[alhope34]

Well guys, turns out they are replacing my drive axles. Whether it's just the driver's side or all of it, I don't know. I'll take a picture of the invoice sheet when I get it tomorrow after they fix it. It's all covered under warranty. Apparently it's bad enough that they didn't want me taking the car home tonight, so it has to sleep in the dealership. =[ It's going to be lonely...

[Flagrum_3]

Well guys, turns out they are replacing my drive axles. Whether it's just the driver's side or all of it, I don't know. I'll take a picture of the invoice sheet when I get it tomorrow after they fix it. It's all covered under warranty. Apparently it's bad enough that they didn't want me taking the car home tonight, so it has to sleep in the dealership. =[ It's going to be lonely...

I told you so! ...Shafts, cv-joints being all in the same....Anytime you have clicking from the front-end as you described, whether the wheels are turned or not, is almost always the CV-joints.Turning the wheels is just a simple way for techs to confirm it's the joints as it puts the joints under angled stress which elevates the sound...the design of the cv-joints on the Mazda's are difficult to diagnose in some cases, explaining why they at first overlooked it.

Like I said before, I'm amazed more MazdaSpeed3 people on here haven't had problems yet with the amount of power/torque going thru them.

Al, since your still under warranty, I'd push that they replace everything since it is a posi-trac system on the MS3 both shafts would wear pretty evenly.


_3

[alhope34]

Well guys, the part I need is on back order. I'm reduced to a Kia Rio for at least a week and a half till it gets installed. The rental is being covered by Mazda because I have the extended warranty.

[Fobio]

I'd think they'd take a chance and hook you up with a 2010 MZ3 loaner to see if you want a new car...you should call them tmr and tell them you're keeping the Kia instead of the MS3, see what they say...lol...

Best of luck Al...keep us posted!

[007]

Sounds like I may have the same problem.
I have a 2008 Speed 3 with 22,000km on it:bang

Will need to find time to drop by the dealer to get it checked.

[Flagrum_3]

Well guys, the part I need is on back order. I'm reduced to a Kia Rio for at least a week and a half till it gets installed. The rental is being covered by Mazda because I have the extended warranty.

Saw the beast behind Scarboro Mazda yesterday! ...I guess these MS3s are blowing alot of axles, hense the 'backorder' :chuckle ...guess it was expected considering everyone's modding these things too 300+ HP and Trq...them poor cv-joints are taking a beating.


_3

[alhope34]

The Rio is brutal... I got in to Baie-Comeau last night and at WOT at 110kmh at about 4500rpm it would actually SLOW to 90kmh by the tops of the hills. WOT the whole time. I really miss my MS3. On the other side, the little 1.6L engine takes pretty much half the gas cost as the MS3.

[Flagrum_3]

The Rio is brutal... I got in to Baie-Comeau last night and at WOT at 110kmh at about 4500rpm it would actually SLOW to 90kmh by the tops of the hills. WOT the whole time. I really miss my MS3. On the other side, the little 1.6L engine takes pretty much half the gas cost as the MS3.

Haha, half the gas but 90% less fun! Look at the bright side Al, this will just make you enjoy your 3 that much better when you get her back. :)


_3

[alhope34]

Yea, I know. :) Thats what I was saying to the fiance yesterday on the trip. Even she said she missed the power of my car. Its a really weird feeling to inch past someone with the engine wincing in pain rather than just blowing the doors off them easily in 6th gear with an angry growl. I miss my angry car...

[-cj-]

Slap a nitrous kit on that Kia and take it to the track this weekend lol... j/k

I'm surprised Mazda didn't give you another Mazda.... Although when my car was in the shop for the damaged passenger door, Mazda was only able to rent me another Mazda3... I told them "I already own two 3's, if I'm gonna rent something I need something different.." lol so I got stuck with 300 non-C, which sucked ass :( Should have taken the 3....

[alhope34]

Mazda rented the car from Enterprise which is right next door, I didnt have a choice what I got. They just gave me whatever was first in line.

[ZoomZoom09]

Just an update for you Alan, part is still on backorder, but I will keep you updated and let you know as soon as it comes in and is on the car. If you have any questions just give me a shout.

[alhope34]

Just an update for you Alan, part is still on backorder, but I will keep you updated and let you know as soon as it comes in and is on the car. If you have any questions just give me a shout.

Thanks. =)

[alhope34]

So what is the expected date now? Still for the 7th?

[ZoomZoom09]

So what is the expected date now? Still for the 7th?

Not sure, but i will check first thing tomorrow morning.

[ZoomZoom09]

Mazda is saying ETA is the 14th, but it could arrive earlier.

[alhope34]

I hope it doesn't arrive later. I'm heading back to Quebec for another 3500km trip on the 15th! If I have to take the rental again Mazda will be paying a lot for the 8000 or so kms I'll be putting on the car. Plus as of right now the rental is 2000kms over it's due oil change. I told the dude at Enterprise that I was going to put at LEAST 4000kms on this car and he gives it to me with 1000kms till the next oil change...

Anyway, thanks for the update. I really hope it gets fixed earlier!

[MSMitch]

Sorry to hear about your ride Al, FWIW my Speed is in for service - it's keeping your car company!!!

[alhope34]

Sorry to hear about your ride Al, FWIW my Speed is in for service - it's keeping your car company!!!

What's your car in for if you dont mind me asking?

Any update on the ETA of my axle? Still for the 14th?

[MSMitch]

What's your car in for if you dont mind me asking?

Any update on the ETA of my axle? Still for the 14th?

I'm here (in the lounge responding to post actually) - just for an oil change and a CEL - same loss of throttle thing that has been going on since the winter - 4th time I think - twice before CEL went off on its own.

I think I saw them tearing around the streets in your car - JUST KIDDING! :)

Good luck!

[alhope34]

I think I saw them tearing around the streets in your car - JUST KIDDING! :)


Haha, wouldn't really bug me anyway. If they blow my motor, I'll get one brand new!! :chuckle Kidding, Kidding.


I'm just thinking maybe I should have uninstalled my Cobb before I took it in. I have it sitting on my desk so it isn't in my car, just incase they try and update my ecu.

[MSMitch]

Just got back - apparently I need a new throttle body - will be in later this week for install... so, will keep you car company later on in the week! :)

[alhope34]

Well, good luck with your new TB! They didn't make you leave your car there? Maybe you could have had a nice Kia, too! :chuckle

[Ex-Rolla]

Glad I came across this thread! I've been having this issue for a while now. I'll have to make a trip to the dealership.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Just got back - apparently I need a new throttle body - will be in later this week for install... so, will keep you car company later on in the week! :)

Hey Mitch. By chance, are you running a CAI or SRI with a wet filter, i.e. a filter that needs oil?

Sorry to hear about the TB needing replacement in any case.

[Fobio]

I actually seen a vid of another guy whose drive shafts were "loose"...there's another guy reporting "rattling @ WOT"...the two of them think it's related.

Here's the post

Strage rattle at WOT causing phantom KR (http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/forum/mazdaspeed-3-6-troubleshoot-diagnostics/26510-strage-rattle-wot-causing-phantom-kr.html)

Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-5aaimp5T4

Video of "loose driveshafts" (118 mb download):

http://www.freedomcomputers.net/ms3/damages/damage.wmv

[alhope34]

Good find. That would back up the dealership's idea to change my whole drive axle.

[alhope34]

I FINALLY got my car fixed today!!

I can say 100% without a doubt it doesn't click now and what they replaced was the entire axle/cv shaft.

Also, I told the tech that I had MT-90 and I didn't want to lose it and go back to their bulk oil when they drained the diff/tranny to replace the axle, so they filled it back up with MT-90 for me free of charge. I think it only needed to be topped up, though.

[alhope34]

Ahaha, well I have to eat my words. It's clicking again!

[WhiteSpeed3]

i told u it would click again

[alhope34]

i told u it would click again

well it didn't for a day :P

Then it made a loud click then kept clicking.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

well it didn't for a day :P

Then it made a loud click then kept clicking.

Should have bought a Yaris instead. :chuckle




In all seriousness, sorry to hear the noise came back. I know it would drive me nuts.

[alhope34]

In all seriousness, sorry to hear the noise came back. I know it WILL drive me nuts.



Fix'd


A LOT of MS3's start clicking after ~40,000kms it seems so unless you're planning on selling before then, let us know when your clicking starts!

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Fix'd


A LOT of MS3's start clicking after ~40,000kms it seems so unless you're planning on selling before then, let us know when your clicking starts!

:complain

It better not.

However, in the off chance it does, I'll just rationalize to myself that my car has in fact become a sensient being and has learned to speak that African clicking dialect and is trying to tell me how much it loves me.

[MSMitch]

Hey Mitch. By chance, are you running a CAI or SRI with a wet filter, i.e. a filter that needs oil?

Sorry to hear about the TB needing replacement in any case.

Replaced TB - no more CEL's - I have a CP-e CAI - and it probably needs a little oil. The downside of CAI - pain to change/clean filter! Ah, the price you pay for a little power.

[hammer]

i have had same problem for more than couple of months now.... (i dont know much about cars the forum has been my teacher on a lot of things)

i drive a stick shift..... i get my clicking sounds when changing gears and accelerating and it annoys hte hell out of me ... my 3 year warranty expires this week so i will be taking it in... thinking about getting extended warranty now

[Fobio]

i told u it would click again


well it didn't for a day :P

Then it made a loud click then kept clicking.

what do you guys think is the culprit here that got "repaired" but came back after a day?

[-cj-]

Have you ruled out a bad wheel bearing? I had trouble with my last car's CV shafts... Or so I thought. After getting the shafts replaced 3 times (under cv shaft warranty), thr problem turned out to be a bad wheel bearing. Funny thing is, bearings usually make a whirring noise, not a clicking noise... But it was the bearing. You should jack up your MS3 and attempt to wiggle your wheel... If it rotates left to right, you have a bad bearing. If it Moves up or down it's a tie rod... (google it to be sure, I'm currently on my iPhone. I may have the order backwards...) Ideally, you shouldn't have any play in either direction.

Edit: I did have it backwards. Hands on 12 and 6 o'clock positions and any play while wiggling is a bad wheel bearing. 3 and 9 o'clock is used for detecting a bad tie rod, but you need a 2nd person watching the tie rods)

[Flagrum_3]

Hey guys I was just browsing thru the TSB's and came across one for 'Driveshaft click noise' (03-003/05)...Now I'm not sure if it is related as it's for the 05/06 MZ3's, but you never know!!...symptom's sound about right, so could be the same for the MS3...:)


_3

[alhope34]

Hey guys I was just browsing thru the TSB's and came across one for 'Driveshaft click noise' (03-003/05)...Now I'm not sure if it is related as it's for the 05/06 MZ3's, but you never know!!...symptom's sound about right, so could be the same for the MS3...:)


_3

Yea, I saw that on mazdaspeedforums. Aparantly was a bad locking bolt at the ends, but that problem has since been fixed and the MS3's have a different size/type of bolt all together.

[alhope34]

Well, went back to the dealership today and the tech didn't have any more ideas so he called the Mazda tech line. Apparently they say this is a normal sound for the MS3 to make, and that it's "just" the dual mass clutch "doing it's job" by taking out the "slack in the drivetrain". My question to the tech was...why is there slack in the drivetrain to begin with? He didn't have any idea but I got him to do an hour of thorough investigation. I got him to check my wheel bearings, all tie rods, control arms, all my engine mounts and transmission mount, everything. He found on the right lower control arm, the rear bushing was ripped and blown out but he said that shouldn't be the cause of the clicking especially cause the clicking is from the left, not right. They are replacing my whole control arm under warranty on Saturday. I now have 62,025kms on my car.

[-cj-]

I have this problem too I think.... Just started happening. It's worse when doing a 3-point turn and reversing with the wheel cranked. If it doesn't do it at that point, turning the wheel the opposite way and going in the opposite direction (forward for example) will cause it to click... It usually clicks only when turning the wheel at a stop... but not when moving. I'm going to see if anything is loose... The car has always made a faint noise when turning at a stand still since Jimmy installed my Cobb springs... maybe something is off or has worked its way loose....