I am finally able to always reproduce this noise. When the car is running, parked, in neutral, and with the parking brake on; I start to turn the steering wheel to the right. As I turn the steering wheel, I will hear a loud clunking noise. Just once as I turn the steering wheels to the extreme right. Then I will start to turn the steering wheel back to the left. As I am turning the wheel left I will eventually hear the same clunking noise (only once) as I am turning the wheel to the extreme left.
The clunking noise will always happen once when turning the steering wheel to the left and then once again as I turn the steering wheel to the right. I am always able to reproduce the noise this way.
Since no one else has responded I will give a rough guess.
The CV boots have to contract and expand since your going left to right and back. Just look under there and you see the ribs which allow it to stack and expand. Possibly when you are turning them and causing them to expand, the CV boots are "popping" or "clunking" apart?
Check your Power steering fluid as well as a low level can cause really weird noises.
E0 #4384 of 6535
Born Jan. 9 1998
My SVT from the ashes
147,466 miles, purchased Nov. 2002 @ 76,559 miles
Thanks for responding. I have checked the CV boots and axles and they are fine. The power steering fluid level is also fine. Could it be the steering linkage or is my power steering rack going bad? What else could be causing such a noise?
Check inside your car. There was a post earlier than some guys floor mat was rubbing against the steering wheel parts INSIDE the car...Check the entire steering wheel rod, make sure its not coming from inside.
Rack and Pinion could have a problem. Mine died after I noticed that I could turn farther left than I could right...then it just blew up ...
E0 #4384 of 6535
Born Jan. 9 1998
My SVT from the ashes
147,466 miles, purchased Nov. 2002 @ 76,559 miles
The noise is definitely coming from outside the car. I am tempted to have my wife turn the steering wheel back and forth while the car is parked and see if I can pin point the noise. I really think it is either a power steering rack or linkage problem.
Did your power steering rack make any noise before it went bad?
Thanks for trying to help. From what you describe, it does not sound like the power steering rack. I will check the steering linkage maybe that is the problem. I have done a lot of searching on this site but have not found anything that that fits my problem. Unfortunately this noise is something that is very uncommon for Contours. We are about to make a very long trip (over 5,000 miles round trip) with my 2000 SVT with 160,000 miles but this noise brothers me and I don't want to be stranded out in the middle of nowhere.
Very possibly a wheel bearing. Have done four of these on my '98 SE so far. Jack up car and see if there's any play in the wheel. Should be none at all. Any wobble reveals a bad bearing.
i have the same problem. when im baking up and go to the extreme right and extreme left i hear it. i have no idea what it is tho. maybe CV related or swaybar linkage????
