Front end noise

my 2013 AC 4x4 has developed a "popping" noise in the front end. have only noticed the noise when starting off from a dead stop and most often when in reverse with the wheels turned (either direction it still pops). has happened several times moving forward from stop but haven't noticed it while at speed. It's a pretty loud metallic sounding pop. My old 1993 made a similar sound when the wheels were turned to full lock position but this is in any turned position. anyone have this kind of issue?

 

get under there with your tools and see what's loose. something is. probably LCA bolt

 

Check the sway bar end links.

 

Well, I crawled up under the front end and checked everything and all was tight. Finally broke down and took it to the stealership for them to figure it out (I had taken it in once before for the same noise and they replaced the front shocks... didn't work)... Apparently there is a "cradle" on the front diff with a bolt on top that extends up into the cross member. According to them the cradle has slack in it causing it to shift when I change directions. This shift is causing the bolt to hit the cross member causing the loud "POP"... At least this is what they are saying today... They have ordered a new cradle under the powertrain warranty and will replace it next week... let's hope this works...

 

Do you find that this pop is louder when the truck is wet?

 

I'm going to guess its your brake pads and that it typically happens when braking in the opposite direction of travel. That pads are free floating, so when you use them in the opposite direction they shift and 'pop'. Atleast that's what mine do quite noticeably everytime

 

Wet or dry does not effect the issue at all. As for the brake pads, two neighbors both have Tacoma's and my wife drives a 4 Runner and I have heard that noise in those vehicles. The noise in the front of my truck is MUCH louder and can be felt in your feet through the floor board. Almost the sound you would hear if you tapped on the frame rail with a hammer. Truck is in the shop today getting the cradle replaced so we shall see if it helps. I hope so because the next step is the lemon law which I would hate to do, this truck is my third Toyota truck and 13th Toyota vehicle in 20 years with absolutely no problems from any. This won't turn me away from the brand but just hate that it's having the issue because I love the truck.

 

Just got a call from the dealership... cradle is installed and it did not fix the noise... they have ruled out the common brake pad slap... checked all front end components and bolts for proper torque and still have the noise... they are now contacting Toyota Corporate to assist in the issue and will be keeping the truck until it can be fixed... looks like I will be cruising my sons Matrix until something is done on the truck... VERY FRUSTRATED!!!

 

I have that same noise on my 2009 4x4 off-road TRD. I noticed the noise gets more frequent and louder on hot days. In the cold days, I could not hear it and if I did, was very minimal. As the outside temperature gradually starts to climb so is the frequency and loudness of the noise, which allows me to suspect that there is a rubber bushing in the mix. Let us know what they find. It will resolve the mystery for many members here.

 

Taco, deffinately sounds like the same noise... I would agree it seems to be more frequent in warmer weather... I was beginning to think it was just me because no one else had said they were having the same problem... I will keep you posted...

 

My brand new 2015 does the same thing.

 

Have either of you had yours back in the shop for it? If so what did they tell you?

 

My '13 does the same thing.
Dealer heard it but of course found nothing.
I ruled out CVs, play in the Diff, brake pad slap, spring bind, anything related to the struts.

The thought of a loose LCA bolt is just about the craziest thing I've heard.

I'm normally pretty good at diagnosing noises and this has me stumped.

Subscribed.

 

I would say the tie rod or the LCA bushing.
You said it's mostly in reverse, both of the above could do that.

Edit:

Your truck is under warranty?! You need to demand a rental car for free of charge! And then have some fun.

 

My '12 does it also. No sway bar, Icons and TC uppers and 33"s
I thought it could be LCA bushings and I have re-torqued everything, ad nauseum. Your dealer will only make things harder to diagnose with their shotgun approach of replacing random parts.

I'm beginning to think its an ever slight CV bind/unbind happening. Nothing really harmful but annoying none the less. But definitely driveline related. Like a bind was created when put in park. OP is your truck an auto trans?

My plan is to let it go until there's a failure or it becomes obvious where pop is coming from. It's not like it does it constantly but only when the truck has been sitting in a parking spot all day and I reverse out.

Subbed to hear of any definitive findings

 

This is the second time I have had it in for this noise. Shortly after I bought the truck I took it in, they replaced the front shocks. That didn't fix the noise but I have not made too much of a big deal about it because they couldn't find anything else. I just thought OK it was kind of like my old 93 toyota that popped everytime you turned the wheel to full lock. But it has recently started getting louder and more frequent so I took it back in. Like I said in a previous post, this is the 13th total toyota that I have bought at this same dealership so they know me very well and know i don't complain about much. BUT, when you pay $25-$30K and more for a vehicle you shouldn't have to live with this type of noise when you drive it. Especially when you can hear it from across the parking lot and it sounds like your driving a piece of shit. Sorry to vent but I am getting VERY FRUSTRATED!!! If they don't have something on it today I am going to press them for a rental or something off the lot to drive until they do fix it.

 

Truck is an auto. Mine does it alost every time come to a stop and then move again. deffinately everytime you stop and change direction. I keep takin it back for the track record so when something does go wrong and it's out of warranty they have to replace it and not me.

 

I had the same issue, it turned out to be the lower cam bolt came loose after dumb asses did an alignment

 

Today, I had the rare opportunity ( time is a commodity for me),to actually remove both rock shields and greased up all the U joints front and back. I was going to replace gear oil for front diff, but drain plug is "welded" so I will wait for tomorrow to use the impact wrench. Anyways, like I was saying, I lifted the truck with a floor jack and then lowered very gently. Then I got under it, right in the middle from the front of the truck and my face was looking right at the oil pan. I did this to indentify which side is the noise coming from. The I grabbed the cross support beam and janked it down towards me putting all my weight on it. I heard the clunk first to my left somewhere between the LCA and the CV joint shaft. Then, I pushed hard like doing bench press on the same support beam and heard the clunk again, only this time, I heard it to my right coincidentially around the same area that I heard it on the left. I had replaced my cam bolts a while ago with the upgraded MOOG bolts and also replaced the bushings. Althought I had greased them when I install them, they greased them again at the shop when they did the aligment. Needless to say, I greased them again today, and I noticed the grease ports were loose. Anyways, that did not get rid of the noise, but at least I know now where is coming from. Tomorrow I will do more testing, specially the CV joint shaft and the tie rod shaft. althought it sounds more like the noise is coming from the cam bolts, but it does not explain the other poster having the OEM Bolts on his 2015 and hear the same thing, so I'm ruling out the MOOG bolts.

 

Sub'd...Same noise here and most the front end had been replaced, still there...