I have searched for an answer to this problem but have not found a similar description. I am no mechanic, and the garage where I take my '92 Accord can't find a problem.

My car makes a rhythmic thumping noise during left turns, especially when I'm accelerating. If I ease up on the gas while turning, the thumping lessens (and I never hear it except on turns). I'd say it happens about 95% of the time--usually only doesn't happen if I'm going very slowly on a left turn.

The only other time it doesn't happen is whenever the mechanic comes out with me in the car to listen. Then it NEVER happens. I have brought the car in 3 times for this and it's been going on for about 9 months now.

I've had the CV boot (?) done (before this noise started), as well as the front wheel bearings after this noise started because they were making a high-pitched whine.

Any ideas what might be causing this? I love my reliable car, but I have a long commute and am starting to worry that something dangerous could happen or that whatever it is might be causing major damage.

Thank you for any help you might give!

 

Bad tierod ends? My 93 does the same thing only on one side. I have a noticeable vibration @ 40 mph and something feels like it's slipping/loose on the drivers side when I tur left.

 

It's probably your CV (Constant Velocity) Joint. It's part of the axle assembly that sticks directly into your transaxle. The noise is likely the busted boot that is supposed to surround the joint and hold grease kind of flopping around while the axle spins in it. It's supposed to sit centered, but it flops down some when it's busted. When that busts it makes a noise while you accelerate and corner.

If you're comfortable doing it, you can crawl up under there and check the boots. Sometimes you can see that it's busted but if you flex it with your hand a bit the busted spot(s) will be obvious. It's over near the wheels and is a conical shaped thing that brings to mind the boots covering the gearshifter in old muscle cars. You'll know it when you see it.

If the busted boot is still holding some grease you can go a while until fixing it. If the busted boot has allowed the grease to dry out, then that joint is in danger of failing completely, which is a safety risk. One piece of advice I can give you is, when you replace these, or get someone to replace them, I highly recommend that you NOT get rebuilt ones. They don't last long. Get new ones with lifetime warranty. Autozone is one place that has them. You'll be replacing the axle along with the cv joint. It's all a part of the same thing.

 

I had the CV boot done about 6 months before this noise started. Is there more than one thing on it that can fail?

Everything I've read online about the CV boot describes a clicking noise. This is definitely a thumping noise.

When I bring it into the shop I'll ask them to look at CV again, and I'll ask about the tierods (and I also read somewhere it could be the bushings? I don't even know what they are--Argh). I'm starting to think I'll have to try to bring it into the dealer's shop and see if they know more about it than the mechanic near home.

Thank you both for trying to help!! I appreciate it since I really don't know about mechanical stuff.

 

When I used to use rebuilt CV joints I only got about 6 months out of them. Also note that your car has two of them, one on each side of the transaxle. If you replaced one, the other one might now be going bad. There is lots of other stuff that can make noise but that telltale thumping "noise while turning" does point to CV Joint. It's not really a click, it's a kind of a thumping or small knocking.

 

DId you change the boot or the entire axle? The joint itself could be bad even if the outer boot is still good.

 

I checked my old repair bill for the CV work that was done less than 2 years ago by a different mechanic. Boot AND axel were replaced then.

Just got back from my new mechanic. He asked to check the old receipt because as soon as he looked at it he could tell it was done recently and he was surprised by that.

Had to replace the axel again--despite being new, it had failed. He is sending it back to the manufacturer and only charged me for labor. Nice guy!

Thanks everyone for your posts. My car now seems to be free of thumping noises!!!!! Thank you--I appreciate your help!