Q: While turning right and left, my car makes a popping noise from the drive axles

Hey there. This is likely a sign of failing CV joints. All front-wheel drive cars have "constant velocity" joints or CV joints on both ends of the drive shafts. Inner CV joints connect the drive shafts to the transmission, while the outer CV joints connect the drive shafts to the wheels.

The CV joints are needed to transfer the torque from the transmission to the drive wheels at a constant speed, while accommodating the up-and-down motion of the suspension. In front-wheel drive cars, CV joints deliver the torque to the front wheels during turns.

The most common problem with the CV joints is when the protective boot cracks or gets damaged. Once this happens, the grease comes out and moisture and dirt get in, causing the CV joint to wear faster and eventually fail due to lack of lubrication and corrosion. Usually the outer CV-joint boots break first, as they have to endure more movement than the inner ones. Grease coming out of a small crack or tear is the early sign of the CV joint boot failing. If the damage is bigger, you might see dark grease splattered on the inside of the wheel rim and around the area inside of the drive wheel.

If you would like to have this resolved, a qualified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the popping noise and follow through with repairs.