Hi there Honda-Tech,

I drive a 2000 Civic EX with 166k on it and have this issue with it clunking when I back out in reverse on the passenger side.

So lets say I'm going in reverse it, it will clunk, i stop and still reverse the clunk isn't there, but when i go forward and then reverse it will clunk again only in reverse.

I have tightened everything on both the driver and passenger side and it still does it.

Not sure what it may be, thinking the axle but want to see what i may be missing instead of throwing parts at it.

 

Autotragic, or standard? Can you pinpoint where the sound is coming from?

 

I have an Automatic Transmission. It sounds like it's coming out of the passenger side wheel area.

 

Jack up the wheel the sound is coming from, wiggle the wheel for play while holding it at 9 & 3'o clock. It shouldnt move, if it does then the wheel bearing is to blame. Inspect the bushings and shocks under there while you are at it.

 

Put the front right side of the car on a jack stand with the car in park, grab the wheel, and see if you can rotate it. Do you hear the clunk when rotating by hand? Grab your axles. Do they move in any direction other than laterally (between transmission and wheel hub)?

Engage the parking brake, and put the entire front end on jack stands. Start the car. Put it in reverse. Do you still hear the clunk?

With the car on the ground, in park, off, put the full weight of your body into the front right fender to push the car down. Do this a few times. Does the car bounce more than twice before resting? Do you hear the clunk?

While Fnix is (partially) correct in how to diagnose a wheel hub bearing, that wouldn't cause a clunk like this. 9/3 is diagnostic for tie rod ends. 12/6 is diagnostic for ball joints. both combined is diagnostic for wheel hub bearings.

 

I have checked the wheel bearings (no play), tie rods (no play), and ball joints (no play)

I have replaced the shocks but not the bushings which I'm sure should be replaced by now.

When I jacked up the car on the front end and put it in reverse there was no clunk, only after it was back on the ground

When I try to rotate the wheel forward and backward I hear somewhat of a clicking sound that sounds like its coming from the transmission.