I get a few clicks coming from the right front area when i start from a stop, changing direction (forward to reverse) or quickly change the load on the engine. This spring with ~10k I had the same thing happen, but to the left side, and they replaced the axle. I have 18.5k now, and my right axle is bad? Am I really going to have to expect to replace the axles at this frequent of an interval? Or did I just happen to get bad parts and they have now corrected the issue? I've got a service appt for a month from now, so I hope it doesn't fail completely, as that means they'd get quite a bit more work for them.

Has this happened to anyone else?

 

Sounds like a CV joint. Odd in a new car.

 

I agree. 1 is a fluke, but the other side now? That makes me wonder.

 

I HAVE THIS PROBLEM! For me it comes and goes. right now i haven't had a creak in a about a month. It mysteriously went away for me. I had it REALLY bad at one point but when i took it to the dealer, it mysteriously vanished. It was a loud creak every time the weight of the car shifted (acceleration, deceleration, turns) and it was coming from the front left wheel for me.

 

I ocassionally hear this click/creak from my front left suspension as well. I have a difficult time replicating it to troubleshoot.

 

At a slow speed, try moving backwards and forwards with quick releases of the clutch.

 

There was a service bulletin (I can't find the thread at the moment) about some R56s getting shipped with the wrong size bushings in the front sway bar.

 

I had a similar problem and thought it was my CV joints as well. After extensive searching by the dealer's service department it turned out to be loose bolts and nuts on the passenger side motor mount and the upper sub-frame/radiator support (basically the the black steel bars upper Left and Right when in the engine compartment that go from the front radiator area to the fire wall.) Were quite loose, and once they torqued them up it was like I had a new car. A lot of the squeaking, creaking and clicking noises were completely gone. According to the service manager the drivers side of this said radiator support on the firewall was cross threaded from the factory. This means the bolts were tight, but not securing the frame at all. They had previously re-torqued the axel nuts and that did nothing. Now my car is quiet and I'm happy.

 

Nissan had a TSB with a similar concern. The solution ended up being replacement of the wheel bearing dust cover as it would corrode and stick to the wheel bearing causing a creaking/cracking/noise with shifts in load at random speeds.

May not fix the problem, but not a bad place to check.

 

My '04 MCS was making those clicking sounds from the Lft Frt that seemed to happen with a reverse of direction. I recalled seeing a post about improperly torqued axle nuts allowing the drive shaft to actually shift inside the wheel hub causing the splines to click. When I looked at mine the axle nut appeared fine with locking depression (strake??) still located over the axle recess where it should be. Not content, I removed the axle nut anyway, straightened the depression as best I could, reinstalled and retorqued. With the correct torque (don't recall the number, manual is at home) the nut now sat rotated about 30 deg. beyond where it had sat before (prior depression no longer over the axle recess). I peened the nut to create a new locking depression and was good to go. That was 6 months ago; it's still quiet.
I do recall noticing that the nut had a standard clockwise thread and wondering if I'd seen left side axle nuts on other cars with a reverse thread to prevent drive torque from unscrewing. If that is a common practice, and if Mini clicking problems seem to happen on the left side of the car, there could be a connection.

 

My issue was corrected by the dealer replacing the Strut Tower bushing.

 

Mine started out as a clicking noise on the right side. Dealer tightened axle bolt(s). Noise returned as a vibration and clunking noise. Dealer is currently replacing the passenger side axle. I will follow up.

 

@e30r56 - What ended up being the problem with the left side axle, axle replacement also?

My wifes 06 MCS is making a CV Joint type of click that sounds like almost identical symptoms. When accelerating off a stop, or when changing load direction on the axle at low speeds such as when pressing and letting off the accelerator when in stop/go traffic. It's definitely coming from the front driver's side.

Although it it only seems to make the noise when the load changes direction, not at all when turning the wheel.

I guess I need to jack up the car and have a look at the CV joint. Any other posters on this topic have successful diagnosis, other than CV joint, that I should look for with these symptoms?

 

Yes, 2 new axles in the first 18k.

 

dwichman- See my post in this thread of 11/05/08. Seems like the same sound and the same problem. Mine was an easy fix.

 

RidgeRunner - Yep, that was it! Found instructions here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...tor-shaft.html

BTW, it' s a 32mm nut in case you want to pick the socket up before hand.