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A few months ago I purchased a 2007 Honda Civic Sedan with 204,000 miles. I only paid $800 for it ... it ran good but had a lot of little mechanical and cosmetic issues.

I've pretty much fixed everything else ... but ever since I purchased the car, I get this strange "clicking" noise when making sharp (almost full lock) turns at slow speed. It does it for both left and right turns (although it's more pronounced in left turns) ... and it does it when going both forward and reverse. The boots are in great condition, no rips or tears ... no grease leaking.

My first thought was outer CV joints ... but after some thought, and searching on-line ... there have been a few people who said that their Honda dealer claimed it was the transmission ... and so they replaced the transmission. I've already purchased new left and right axle assemblies ... but before I go to all the trouble of replacing them ... I want to try and confirm that it's indeed the axles and not the transmission!

The reason I though that maybe it COULD be the transmission (differential) ... is that in extreme left and right turns, inner and outer wheels would be turning at different speeds (more-so as you turn sharper) ... which is where the differential would come into play.

Anyone else experience this? ... did replacing the axles solve the problem?

I did find a Honda TSBS on the subject ...

TSB #SB-012-08

DATE ANNOUNCED:JUL 31, 2013NHTSA ID:#10054346HONDA: DUE TO A CLICKING OR CLACKING NOISE, WHILE TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. MODEL 2006-2012 CIVIC.

 
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Jack it up and have a friend turn the wheel.

you should be able to locate the sound. If there is no sound, that means the noise is load specific and most likely not the transmission; more likely suspension/rotation related.

 
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if you already bought the axles, slap them in.
transmission is way more laborious.

 
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I agree sdaidoji ... transmission is way more serious ... that's why I didn't want to put brand new axles on an $800 car, if it didn't really need them. I'd probably just sell the car, and sell the axles if it were the transmission. I was hoping there was someone out there in Civic land ... that had gone through this.

mac25, I may try that ... jack it up and turn the wheel when it's turned full lock.

 
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Just to bring closer to this thread for future surfers ...

I purchased two front axle assemblies from Rock Auto months ago ... just got around to installing them (the clicking was getting worse) ... it solved the problem ... no more "clicking"! Only took me about two hours to replace both ... not bad at all!

Thanks for all your responses!