Today my car started making a weird clicking noise comming from the rear of the car. It only happens when the car is moving forward. The clicking is pretty soft if I just coast, but as soon as I press the gas it gets loud. Any Ideas? Ive jacked up the car and dont see anything loose or anything.

 

Simple, but could it be a rock in a rear tire?

 

Does it go away if you put it in neutral while you're moving?

 

Have you hit a big pot hole recently? If so could be a small crack in you wheel. When I cracked my wheel I could hear a ticking coming from the wheel as I drove.

 

If you test out my question it will be able to break it down into a couple of different diagnoses.
If it does it while the trans is in neutral while moving at speed I'd point to:
wheel/tire issue
axle/hub/bearing issue
possibly suspension, but I doubt it

If it goes away while in neutral at speed I'd point to:
driveshaft
Transmission (does it do it in reverse as well?)
rear end

Basically you are taking the powertrain in/out of the equation.

 

sry im at work I will try in neutral when I get off, dont hear it during reverse, thanks for the help

 

^^on Club Lexus at work.... Can't beat that...!!! haha

 

No clicking in neutral does that mean i need a new tranny....

 

As dangerous as it is...I'd put the Lex up on a 2-post lift and start it up, and run it in gear until it started making the noise. From there a mechanic can pinpoint from where the noise is actually coming from.

If you are saying it is coming from the rear end area, it could the differential or driveshaft.

 

If there was no clicking while the car was moving in neutral at a decent speed (15mph+), it could be something simple like a u-joint. Is the clicking proportional to your RPMs? As in, more rpms --> faster the clicking.

take it to a shop with a lift, where they can put it in drive. They can point it out more specifically, then go from there.

 

yea my sister's friend whos a mechanic is gonna check it out tomorrow, but I just got home and I do hear it while reversing and it is proportional to rpms. I also just wanted to really thank everyone for being so helpful =)

 

So, it is rpm-dependent or mph dependent? Does the noise match the transmission as it changes gears?

Hope it's a simple fix!

 

seems rpm dependent but once the rpm is above 3k i dont really hear it

 

hes not sure what it is, but its comming from the left rear side. Oddly enough after I jack up the car it goes away for a while. Any other ideas? maybe axle or bearing? and does anyone know a good shop in LA to take it to?

 

any updates.. ?? i have a 06 lexus is250awd with about 76000miles and mine makes a similar noise but only when i give it enough gas.. if i just drive like a grandma its fine.. not sure what it is. but i was advised to start out by changing the diff. oil ..