The CV joint noises are usually clicking or popping, either when driving straight, turning left or right, braking, accelerating or driving over bumps.
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The CV joints are critical components connecting the transmission to the wheels. These joints can wear out over time, requiring replacement to prevent undesirable outcomes related to safety issues.
The good news is that bad CV joints are usually associated with weird clicking or popping noises. These noises can happen in different situations. By identifying the situation, you can narrow down the list of faulty CV joints to tackle the problem with the least time and effort.
This article provides you with all details you need to know about CV joint noises. It also helps you understand the primary role of the CV joint in your vehicle and a rough estimate of CV joint replacement cost.
What is the CV joint, and what does it do?
CV joints, or what's referred to as the constant velocity joints, are usually connecting the transition to the wheels. These joints exist only on 4-wheel drive cars, but they might also exist in certain four-wheel or rear-wheel-drive cars.
CV joints were added to modern vehicles in replacement to EU joints. The main purpose of these joints is to ensure that wheels are continuously driving at the same velocity.
The unique thing about these CV joints is that they connect two different fixed shafts, and their purpose is to help the wheels move and stay within certain constant velocities and not getting affected by the different shaft angles.
CV joints are not designed to last forever, and there will be a point of time where you have to replace them. Usually, CV joints go bad due to problems with the fell protective boot as it gets cracked. Once this boot gets cracked, a lot of dirt and moisture might make its way to the TV joints resulting in premature failure. Also, when the CV joints do not get sufficient lubrication, a lot of friction can cause significant corrosion and overheat.
According to experts, CV joints at the outer side of the wheels are expected to get damaged before the inner ones. That's why if you are suspecting an issue with the CV joints, you need to first take a look at the outer joints before Inspecting the inner ones.
If you notice any signs of damage is or cracks on the CV joint boots, you must get the vehicle inspected and have them replaced immediately to prevent undesirable outcomes.
CV joint noise
One of the most obvious symptoms indicating that the CV joints are going bad is the weird, unique noise. This noise differs depending on your action. Let's take a closer look below at some of the scenarios, but you might be dealing with indicating an issue with the CV joint:
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CV joint noise when driving straight
The first situation associated with a bad CV joint is hearing weird clicking noises when driving straight. If that's the case, your problem is most likely related to the inner joints, not the other ones. Although we already mentioned that the outer joints are usually more susceptible to damage than the inner ones.
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CV joint noise when turning
The second situation happens when you hear weird clicking or popping noises every time you turn your vehicle. If that's the case, the problem is most likely related to a worn or broken CV joint. You need to do a further thorough inspection to confirm where the problem is mostly coming from. It could be related to the outer CV joints, but it can also be related to the inner CV joints.
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CV joint noise when turning right
It is good to keep an eye and ear for where the sound is mostly coming from. For example, if you notice that the clicking noise gets sharper or louder as you turn right, your faulty CV joint would be the one to the right side and vice versa.
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CV joint noise when turning left
Like the previous bullet point, when you notice that the clicking noise gets sharper and louder every time you turn left, then your problem is most likely related to a bad CV joint at the left side. We can't tell whether the problem is related to the inner or outer CV joint, but it's enough to determine where the problem is coming from. Thus, you don't have to waste your time inspecting the CV joints on the right side.
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CV joint noise when braking
Another common situation indicating an issue with the CV joint is hearing some popping or clicking noises every time you hit the brake pedal. While this might be related to an issue with the pedal itself, it can also be a problem with the outer CV joint, not the inner one.
Another thing to consider is inspecting the CV joint boot that might be worn out overtime abuse and causing this popping or clicking noise.
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CV joint noise when accelerating
Some drivers reported dealing with weird clicking noises coming from the CV joints every time they accelerate. If that's the case, it's most likely related to insufficient lubrication where the CV joints' metal components interact with each other and create these loud noises. A quick solution for this issue is to visit the professional mechanic and provide some original grease or lubrication to the faulty or affected CV joints.
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CV joint noise over bumps
A worn-out or damaged CV joint or CV joint boot might cause weird clicking noises every time you put some pressure on the vehicle. For example, if you drive a lot over bumps, the noise can get louder and louder. It is hard to tell which site is affected by the problem, and in most scenarios, it is recommended that you inspect both sides, so you don't waste your time going to the mechanic for a second trip to inspect the other side.
What happens when the CV joint goes bad?
Since the CV joint is connected directly to the wheels, any problem with these joints can affect the rotation of these wheels, which is considered dangerous.
When the CV joint goes bad, the wheel will not rotate even if you have a good working engine. In some severe scenarios, when the CV joint completely goes bad, the wheel will not move at all, and it can be extremely dangerous if you're driving at the highway speed.
Thus, it's never recommended to drive a car with a bad CV joint, even if the problem is starting. You should take it seriously and have the CV joint replaced immediately.
While it might be a little expensive to replace the CV joint, especially if you plan to replace many of them, it is much more expensive to put your life in danger or need to replace other major components around the suspension system.
How much does it cost to replace a CV joint?
In general, CV joint replacement cost ranges from $95 to $210 depending on your vehicles type and the location where you get the job done.
Hiring a professional mechanic to replace your vehicle CV joint might cost you between $165 and $800.
Of course, if you plan to replace double joints, the price can build up, and labor cost is a major component in the final bill of CV joint replacement costs.
For instance, if you're planning to replace two CV joints simultaneously, you might end up paying about $400. Keep in mind that these numbers only represent the part itself, and if you're planning to have a mechanic replace the two joints, your bill might be somewhere between $800 and $1200.
In some scenarios, the CV joint itself might not be damaged and what's causing the problem is the CV boot. If that's the case, your replacement cost might be somewhere between $250 and $300.00 on parts only. Your labor costs can range between $550 and $650.
As you might notice, the biggest component in any CV joint replacement cost is labor. That's why you should be wise about whether you should go to a dealership or a small repair shop.
Many owners of modern vehicles prefer to go to the dealership even if it will cost him much more on labor because they confirmed that professional mechanics would do the job, which eliminates any potential for introducing major damages or other complications.
How hard it is it to replace a CV joint?
Replacing CV joints on both sides should not take more than about four hours. However, if you plan to replace the CV joints yourself, the process might take you longer because you will need to understand and familiarize yourself with how their placement should be done.
The other thing to think about is that even if it will take you some waiting time to have a mechanic do the job for you, it is a little safer because the mechanic knows exactly what he's doing. He's probably done it before, so there is the very low potential of introducing measure damages.
On the other hand, if you decided to test an experience on your own vehicle, there is a high chance that any DIY does not work the first time, and you might introduce some other complications costing you higher repair costs.
This is not meant to discourage you from replacing your CV joints, but it's more of an evaluation process before attempting to do their placement to see the main pros and cons of doing the job yourself.
What happens if you don't replace CV joints?
Replacing the CV joint is not something that you can delay for a couple of months and take care of it whenever you have time. If things get very complicated, you might end up with a non-working car that can't go anywhere.
The CV joint might break badly and preventing the wheels from rotating at all, as we indicated before. Thus, not only will you put your life in danger but also you might not even be able to move this car.
That's why it's recommended whenever you notice any sign of a bad CV joint to immediately take care of the problem, so you don't get stuck in a place where there is no close help.
Can a bad CV axle damage transmission?
In difficult situations, when the axle goes extremely bad, the transmission can get affected, especially due to the leaks happening after breaking the axle.
The axle is connected with a certain seal, and when it breaks, this seal gets damaged, allowing the transmission fluid to leak on the surrounding components.
Transition does not work properly with very low fluid; thus, a bad CV axle can't indirectly damage the transmission.
Conclusion
The CV joint is one of the very critical components of your vehicle. It is responsible for ensuring that the wheels rotate at a constant speed all the time.
Over time of use, the CV joint can wear out due to cracks in the CV joint boot or insufficient lubrication. When this happens, you will notice weird noises happening in certain situations.
Clicking noise is a very common symptom indicating an issue with the CV joint. The issue can be different depending on the situation. For instance, clicking noise can happen when turning, driving straight, braking, etc.
The CV joint replacement cost is not cheap, especially if you’re planning to replace multiple joints simultaneously.
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