Hi I am new here and looking forward to this forum.

I have a 1999 2.4 L 4 cyl stratus and have been experiencing a strange deep clicking noise coming from the drivers side front tire area. This noise only happens while breaking and corresponds with the tire speed. It does not happen all the the time but more often than not. Anyone know what this could be?

Secondly I have also had problems with my car missing while driving and backing up. I replaced my spark plugs and wires about a year ago and just replaced the fuel filter. I also ran sea foam through the engine hoping to cure the problem but so far no luck. Any advice?

Thanks in Advance.

 

As to the first problem. Do you here the clicking sound when you make turns? Take a good look behind the tire and you'll see a black bellows type rubber boot. See if its cracked, split open or completely off. STEERING KNUCKLE joints make a clicking sound when they go bad. Water could have penetrated the boot and rusted out the joint. Check that first. Let us know.

When you replaced the spark plug wires did you replace the ignition coil? Let us know...

 

I took the tire off and checked the boot that covers up the cv joint and did not find any cracks or tears. The clicking noise only occurs while braking, if i make a turn with out breaking the noise is non existant.

I did not replace the ignition coil when I changed out the plugs and wires, do you think it could be the coil?

Thanks for the advice

 

I had a noise recently while turning, not braking, and it was the thin backing plate that goes behind the brakes and rotor-

Bent it back a little and problem solved... just an idea

 

I don't know how mechanically inclined you are but I would jack up the car safely and pull that caliper off and check your brake pads make sure there sitting there correctly. They could be loose or damaged somehow. If they are somehow damaged you may want to look at your rotors and see if there is any unusual wear. There may be deep grooves in the rotor...

The thin backing plate than Lance refers to I believe is the Lower Ball Joint heat shield. You may want to look at that too. Make sure it's not bent inward.

I couldn't say for sure if its the coil but i would of changed the coil while I did the plugs and wires. You may want to do that anyways its not difficult. Let us know....

 

Hey choskielox another test you could do also is jack up your vehicle put it on jack stands. Face the wheel grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions with both your hands. Push in on the wheel at the "12 o'clock" position while you pull out on the "6 o'clock" position with the other hand. Shake the wheel like that to see if you have any play. You should have no noticeable play. If you do your wheel bearings may be shot. I did mine about two years ago. I had about a half inch of play when I did that! Thats a little scary! It was not to difficult but a good puller helps when slipping the axle out. The bearings come as a sealed packaged. I think it was 4 bolts. Let us know....