Clicking Noise in Hillsboro, KS
The short answer
A clicking noise usually means a worn front axle joint if it happens when you turn, or the battery or starter if it happens when you turn the key.
You hear it pulling out of a parking spot on Main Street in Hillsboro with the wheel turned all the way, a quick tick-tick-tick from the front corner, or you hear a single click on a frosty morning and then nothing at all. Most clicks are early warnings rather than emergencies, so bring it in, or we will come and get it.
Call or text (620) 416-0008. Describe the noise. We'll do the rest.
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Clicks, decoded by when they happen
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You ticked 0. That is worth a look.
Text us which onesHow we track down a clicking noise
We find the click before we fix anything. A clicking noise could be a nail in the tire or a worn axle, and those are very different bills, so we listen first.
We fix the part that is actually making the noise. If it is one axle, we replace that axle, and if it is a loose battery cable, we clean and tighten it and tell you so.
You hear the price before we start. Nothing gets done until you say so.
Then we drive it again and make the same turns. The click should be gone, and we check that it is before you get your keys back.
Why Hillsboro brings clicking noises to Moxie
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We listen before we quote
Your click gets heard on a real drive, so the fix matches the noise.
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An ASE-certified technician
Our technician is ASE certified in engine repair, automatic transmissions and drivetrains, and Moxie pays for ASE testing for the whole team.
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Warranty in writing
Most repairs carry the NAPA 24/24 nationwide warranty for 24 months or 24,000 miles, and engine and transmission work carries Moxie's own one-year warranty. We tell you which one covers your repair before any work starts.
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We come and get it
Rather not drive it? We pick up for free within 40 road miles of the shop.
Call or text (620) 416-0008. Describe the noise. We'll do the rest.
Clicking myths we hear at the counter
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Sounds like yours? Tell us what it is doing and we will tell you straight.
Can I keep driving?
Usually yes, for now, but book it in soon.
Most clicks are early warnings. A clicking axle joint can often be driven gently for a short while, and a starter click only matters when the car will not start. The exception is a click that is getting louder quickly, or one that has turned into a clunk or a vibration, because an axle joint that fails completely can leave you without drive.
Stop driving and call us if
- The clicking has turned into a loud clunk or a shudder when you accelerate
- You see grease sprayed on the inside of a front wheel
- A ticking from the engine comes with the oil light, or it gets louder quickly
- The car will not start and you smell burning or see smoke
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What causes clicking noises around here
- Torn rubber boots on the front axles, which let in dust and gravel from county roads and wear the joint out
- Batteries worn down by summer heat and weak on the first cold morning of the year
- Loose or corroded battery cables, common on work trucks that sit
- Stones and roofing nails picked up in tire treads on gravel and around construction
- Low oil or oil that is overdue, which can make an engine tick
- Worn strut mounts and suspension joints on vehicles that spend their lives on washboard roads
How we diagnose a clicking noise in Hillsboro
- We ask when the click happens, whether turning, starting, over bumps or all the time, because that narrows it down before we lift a tool.
- We drive it through the same situation you described, full-lock turns in the lot included, so we hear your click and not a different one.
- We test the battery, cables and starter if the click happens at the key.
- We put it on the lift and look at the axle boots, the suspension joints and the tires.
- Then we show you what we found and tell you what can wait.
A clicking noise across five Kansas counties
We look after drivers across Marion County, Harvey County, McPherson County, Chase County and Lyon County, with free pickup and delivery within 40 road miles of 611 Orchard Dr, Hillsboro.
Clicking noise questions we hear every week
Why does it only click when I turn?
A click that only shows up when you turn is almost always an outer axle joint, which has to bend the most when the wheels are turned. The rubber boot that protects it can tear, the grease gets out, and dirt gets in. It is worth fixing before it gets worse.
It clicks but will not start. Is it the starter?
It might be, but it is more often the battery or a loose cable. A rapid clicking usually means there is not enough power to turn the engine, while a single click with bright dash lights points more toward the starter. We test all three before replacing anything.
Could a clicking noise just be a rock in my tire?
Yes, and it happens a lot on gravel. A click that speeds up with the car and does not change when you turn is often a stone or a nail in the tread. Take a look at the tires, and if you find a nail, leave it in and text us a photo.