(2016 Lexus LS 460) Clicking / knocking sounds when turning the wheels

[armedpolak]

Recently my 2016 LS 460 started to make a lot of clicking / knocking (or like creaking sounds, like when you open an old door and it goes click click click) when driving and turning at low speeds. I took it to my friend's shop yesterday, he drove it, then we put the car on the lift and according to him nothing looked out of place. After lowering the car back down it started to make the noises much more now, as if taking the tension of the suspension loosen something up or whatever.

I will take the car to the dealer since it's still on warranty, but does anyone have any idea what this could be??? it didn't do that when I got it 6-8 weeks ago, and only recently started. Car has only 22K miles and otherwise feels and drives perfectly. nobody has been beating up on the car neither. also it only happens when driving, and very rarely when the car is stopped.

I recorded a video of it just now, you can very clearly hear it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN-yP8Gd-iY

HELP!!!

[zeebaron]

I would guess it's a prematurely worn/bad from the factory ball joint. There's no way to lube them anymore on most new cars, so all you can do is replace them when they start acting up. I don't even think they use lube anymore, it's a teflon-like material. So it getting worn and plastic on metal or plastic on plastic wear would perfectly explain that sound, especially because it sounds like a lot of weight is on whatever is making that sound.

[armedpolak]

I would guess it's a prematurely worn/bad from the factory ball joint. There's no way to lube them anymore on most new cars, so all you can do is replace them when they start acting up. I don't even think they use lube anymore, it's a teflon-like material. So it getting worn and plastic on metal or plastic on plastic wear would perfectly explain that sound.

is it dangerous to drive it this way or can this wait a week? my wife and kids are flying out next Saturday and so I would have a second car to drive around while this one is being fixed.

btw the car is L/Certified with full warranty, so I can assume it will be done free of charge?

[Slartibartfast]

if it's L certified you will get a loaner

[zeebaron]

I would guess it's a prematurely worn/bad from the factory ball joint. There's no way to lube them anymore on most new cars, so all you can do is replace them when they start acting up. I don't even think they use lube anymore, it's a teflon-like material. So it getting worn and plastic on metal or plastic on plastic wear would perfectly explain that sound.

is it dangerous to drive it this way or can this wait a week? my wife and kids are flying out next Saturday and so I would have a second car to drive around while this one is being fixed.

btw the car is L/Certified with full warranty, so I can assume it will be done free of charge?

I think the teflon plastic surrounds the ball inside the socket, so if that is actually broken which is causing the noise, it could be indeed dangerous to drive because that's what's holding it in for the most part. I certainly wouldn't recommend driving at highway speeds with it if you have to drive it before you can get it looked at. I would think it would def be covered under factory warranty.

[zeebaron]

Here's what one looks like inside, so you can perfectly imagine it making that exact sound if it's bad:

[REDinFL]

I don’t think it’s front wheel drive but, by any chance is it all wheel drive? That’s the kind of noise CV joints make. If just rear wheel, yeah, like see baron says.

Good luck. The ball joints on my expedition are squeaking and groaning, so I’m in the same boat.

[armedpolak]

I don’t think it’s front wheel drive but, by any chance is it all wheel drive? That’s the kind of noise CV joints make. If just rear wheel, yeah, like see baron says.

Good luck. The ball joints on my expedition are squeaking and groaning, so I’m in the same boat.

It's RWD, 4 years old with only 22K miles. is this normal wear and tear or just bad luck with a faulty factory part?

[REDinFL]

It’s faulty. As zeebaron said, the rubber boots deteriorate and the ball joints are no longer protected and the grease isn’t held in. They’re using junk rubber/plastic now. What you’d normally see, looking at the control arms and where the wheels are attached are some fat, ribbed rubber tapered cylinders. The ball joints and their “lifetime” grease are inside those. When the rubber deteriorates, it just flakes off. Faulty materials (as they didn’t do this in years past unless you lived in a northern winter area - road salt). Whole thing has to be replaced.

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