Blog › Article
Why does my Subaru click when I turn? (It's usually a CV axle)
That clicking in parking lots on a Subaru is almost always a worn outer CV joint. How to check for a torn boot yourself, what else can make noise, how urgent it is, and what owners have paid.
Crank the wheel all the way over to back out of a parking spot and you hear it. Click click click click. Straighten out and it's gone. Next morning it's back, maybe a little louder.
On a Subaru with some miles on it, that sound is one of the most predictable things in the shop. Most of the time it turns out to be a front CV axle. Owners usually notice it first in a grocery store lot or pulling into the driveway, because that's where the wheel goes to full lock.
What a CV axle is, quickly
Every Subaru (except the BRZ) is all-wheel drive, so both front wheels get power through an axle with a joint on each end. CV stands for constant velocity. Those joints let the axle keep spinning smoothly while the wheel steers left and right and the suspension moves up and down.
Each joint is packed with grease and covered by a pleated rubber boot. The boot is the weak link. It's rubber, it flexes thousands of times a day, it lives right next to the wheel getting hit with road grit and slush, and eventually it cracks.
Once the boot splits, the joint spins the grease out and lets dirt and water in. The joint starts wearing. Then it starts clicking.
Outer joint vs inner joint
They fail differently, and that helps a lot with figuring out what's going on.
The outer joint is the one by the wheel. It works at the steepest angles, so wear shows up as that rhythmic click or snap on tight turns, worse with a little throttle. That's the classic one.
The inner joint sits at the transmission end. A worn inner joint usually doesn't click. It tends to cause a shudder or vibration when you accelerate, especially from a stop or up a hill, that smooths out when you let off.
So if it only talks to you in parking lots, think outer. If the car shakes pulling away from a light on Hampden, the inner joint is a suspect too, along with engine mounts and a few other things.
Check it yourself in five minutes
You don't need a lift for this.
- Park on flat ground and turn the steering wheel all the way to one side. That swings the back of the front wheel out where you can see behind it.
- With a flashlight, look at the rubber boot right behind the wheel hub. It should be black, dry, and in one piece.
- Look for grease thrown around in an arc on the inside of the wheel, the strut, or the plastic fender liner. It looks like dark brown splatter.
- Turn the wheel the other way and check the other side.
Grease splatter with no noise yet is the good news version. You caught it early. Fling marks plus clicking means the joint is already worn.
Can you just replace the boot?
Sometimes. If the boot just tore and the joint is still quiet, a re-boot is possible. But here's the thing. By the time most people notice, the joint is already noisy, and once it's clicking, new grease and a new boot won't make it quiet again.
Most shops just replace the whole axle at that point. Complete axles are common and the labor isn't much different from a careful re-boot, so it usually ends up close in price and you get two fresh joints.
Worth asking about which axle goes in, too. Plenty of shops have opinions about bargain aftermarket axles on Subarus, and some owners end up back in the shop with a new vibration from a cheap replacement. An OE or a good remanufactured OE axle costs more up front. Ask what they're using and what kind of warranty comes with it.
Other things that make noise when you turn
A clicking CV joint is the usual suspect, not the only one. Before you buy an axle it's fair to have someone rule out:
- A wheel bearing, which usually hums or growls and changes with speed, often louder when you swerve gently one way
- Strut mounts, which tend to clunk or creak when you turn the wheel while parked or going over a bump
- Sway bar links or bushings, more of a knock over bumps than a rhythm on turns
- Something simple like a loose heat shield or a rock stuck in the brake dust shield
A road test usually sorts it out fast. The CV click has a rhythm that matches wheel speed, and it gets louder the harder you turn.
Is it safe to drive?
For a little while, but don't sit on it. A clicking joint gets louder over weeks to months, and if one actually comes apart, the car stops moving under its own power. That's a tow, not a crash, but it tends to happen at the worst time.
If it's clicking going straight, or it went from a click to a loud clunk or grind, stop driving it and get it looked at.
A Colorado note
Our winters are rough on boots. Cold makes rubber stiffer, the roads are covered in mag chloride and sand for months, and a lot of Subarus here spend the season on gravel or snow-packed roads up in the hills. It's a good idea to have the boots looked at whenever the car is in for tires or an oil change. Catching a torn boot early is the cheap version of this repair.
What owners have paid
We have 2 owner reports for Subaru front CV axle replacement so far. Read the notes, since some are one side and some are both, and the parts used vary a lot. If one side is already clicking and the other boot is cracked, doing both at once can save a second trip.
Want to see how independent shops compare to the dealer on jobs like this? Our dealer vs independent comparison lays it out. And if your Subaru's coming up on the bigger services, why your 100k-mile maintenance matters covers what's usually on that list.
This article is general information for car owners. It is not a substitute for a diagnosis by a qualified mechanic who can inspect your car. Prices mentioned are medians of owner reports, not quotes.
