Buick Lesabre 1999 clattering noise when turning to the right

Asked by bronco1953 Oct 29, 2010 at 06:26 PM about the 1999 Buick LeSabre Custom Sedan FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

1999 lesabre makes a clattering noise when turning to the right.  I changed both the CV axles and they were not the problem.  Not the brakes, wheel bearings either.  Sounds like it may be coming from the transmission. I jacked up the front end, both wheels, and started it up, turned the wheels with them spinning and no noise.  Just seems to do it when a side load is applied as when turning to the right. Do these cars have a final drive bearing problem?  Anybody got any ideas?

5 Answers

1,325

Might be bad ball joint, or a broken spring.

1 people found this helpful.
85

Sounds like a starter issue. I had the same problem, it will only made the noise when turning right and you are moving or the car is on a sharp slop (with the left side of the vehicle lower). The noise is much worse when under heavy acceleration and causes the whole car to shake and vibrate. What has happened is the starter 'thing' (i don't know what it is called) that keeps the starter disengaged from the flywheel has failed and the starter is just floating. When you turn right, the force of the turn pushes the starter into the fly wheel causing the noise. CV joints make a clicking when they are going bad. Wheel bearing cause a ever increasing vibration/noise which is directly related to speed. It sounds like a prop airplane when they are going bad.

5 people found this helpful.
10

I have the same problem and was searching threads like this one. Daniel's answer makes sense with the noise I am experiencing. It is just as described here by Bronco1953.

1 people found this helpful.
40

What was the final solution. My 2001 Lesabre has the same problem at low speeds turning right and high speeds going straight. When I shift to neutral the shaking goes away. Does anyone have a solution?

4 people found this helpful.
20

Hello, I have Buick that made grinding metal noise when turning right and at idle while on slope with right side higher than left side. I thought it was the belt pulley but they turned out to be good. Then I noticed my starter was off a bit. Started it up and it seems to have problem with noise because starter hitting the fly wheel.. So I replaced starter and no more noise. good luck.

2 people found this helpful.

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