gillmj24
Posts: 69
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2019 2:27 pm
Delivery Date: 28 Dec 2020

Axle Clicking when accelerating from a stop, if steering wheel turned

My Nissan dealer could not find the source of the clicking - it supposedly took 4 different people driving it to hear it - after 3 hours in the shop. Luckily 2020 still under warranty. I've read things about molykote grease needing to be applied to a bearing, lug nut torqued properly (I only verified they weren't loose at home), and a wheel hub nut/cotter pin needing replacement.

What they they wrote up was that the lugnuts were improperly torqued (I did replace front tires a few months ago when one got a sidewall bubble) they tightened up everything they could suspension-wise - and maybe mind over matter but it did actually feel like it drove better/tighter steering if that's the right phrase afterwards - but they needed to order a tool to properly tighten what still remained to be tightened. Never heard that one before, from a dealer no less. Today is 4 days later I called to ask if they were ready with the tool and they haven't called me back yet.

If you take off straight, no noise. If you are at a red light and turning left where you have to move straight into the intersection a bit before turning, and you're moving forward before you start turning, no noise. If you turn the wheel soon after pressing the accelerator pedal, CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK.

Noise is between a Click and a Clunk. I heard someone at the dealer say the tech said "all leafs do that". I got to work remotely on their wifi while they investigated under warranty, and they updated my yearly safety inspection for PA, so not a total waste of time

2020, just passed 20k miles.
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knightmb
Posts: 1975
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:41 pm
Delivery Date: 26 Feb 2021
Leaf Number: 306291
Location: Franklin, TN

Re: Axle Clicking when accelerating from a stop, if steering wheel turned

Probably the diff and if no issues or mechanical issues, probably does mean the wheel nuts needed to be torqued down again. I'm at 52K miles on my 2020 and I hear the click when using the motor, but not coasting or in neutral, so I'm going to do this myself when I get the chance to see if that fixes click noise as well. :)

I know it's been talked about hear a few times, so just happens with age and the EV torque I suppose. :mrgreen:
2020 Leaf SL Plus - (Manufacture Date March 2020)
2018 Leaf SL - (Manufacture Date February 2018)
2013 Leaf SV - (8 faithful years of service before trade in at 75,679 miles LeafSpy-Data)
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alozzy
Posts: 2615
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 4:25 pm
Delivery Date: 18 Jan 2017
Location: Vancouver, BC
Contact: Website

Re: Axle Clicking when accelerating from a stop, if steering wheel turned

Normally that kind of noise would be the outer bearing on the driver's side drive shaft, but your car is pretty young for that to go already. Typically, the boot splits, it loses grease, and then prematurely wears out.

Do you corner like a maniac? :D
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gillmj24
Posts: 69
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2019 2:27 pm
Delivery Date: 28 Dec 2020

Re: Axle Clicking when accelerating from a stop, if steering wheel turned

Never corner hard. If anything I floor it straight at a green light which never produces a clunk for me (yet).
Kids and I call it "Disney Ride"

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