Q: Changed the power steering pump and tensioner but I still have a clicking noise when the car is running.

asked by on October 31, 2016

We changed the water pump and then started hearing a clicking noise when the car is running. We changed the power steering pump and pulley but still had the same noise. We then changed the tensioner, but still having the same noise issue.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hi there. Before changing anything else, remove the serpentine belt and start the engine to see if the noise goes away. If it does, then it definitely is coming from somewhere on the drive belt path. Investigate the pulleys and components that you haven’t replaced, including the crankshaft harmonic balancer. The harmonic balancer has a rubber layer that can deteriorate and become noisy.

There is also the chance that the noise could be internal and I would strongly suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection and avoid replacing unnecessary parts. YourMechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a noise inspection and provide an estimate and direction of repair.

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