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Just FYI, I had some clicking noises at low speed recently too, but it really seemed to be coming from the brakes. Was at the dealer a few weeks ago for tire rotation / oil change so had them look at it. They said the front brakes were a little gunked up, so they cleaned and lubed them and the noise was gone. No charge (still under B2B).
 
I have an appointment next week to have the axle nuts retorqued. The new parts are already in. Did you get GM to pay for it?
Had new axle nut washer kit installed, retorqed and regreased. Noise is gone for now. Didn't receive a bill even though I am beyond my 3 year warranty. Very pleased to have the noise eliminated.
 
There are a few threads similar to this one around the forum. Lots of posts about washers needing adding, nuts being torqued,etc. One major post about nut torque and stick-slip effect of the shaft at the CV joint making noise.

Another possibility for this sound is the wheel bearing failing. FYI, here's a post I just made in another similar thread:

"This past week I had my right front wheel bearing replaced (mileage of 120k km). My symtpom sounded the same as the OP. A click-click sound when braking or accelerating - best heard at about 20km/h (windows open). Very distinct and reproducible. Needed alternate braking/accelerating. For example, if I brake, brake, brake, accelerate, brake the sound was only heard on the first brake, not the next two, and then again on the first brake after accelerating. Vice versa for accelerating. Dealership reported there was play in that hub, so if they're to be believed, the issue for me was not a stick-slip issue at the CV joint due to low nut torque (as discussed extensively in the other Pop noise thread). Sound gone after hub replacement. Cost of parts/labour was about CAN$450 since the hub is apparently an integral unit with speed sensor, etc."
 
Also, if it's been a while, start with a brake service (cleaning, lubing, adjusting) and see if it goes away.
It can't hurt, and needs to be done every few years anyway.

Turns out my clicking was a brake pad sticking and then releasing and snapping into place.

Much cheaper than any other options if out of warranty.
 
I have sounds coming from the back of the car at starting/stopping at low speeds also. It sounds like the gas stove when you try to light it. Maybe about 3 clicks per second. Only at stop/go traffic and never on highways.

Anyone else? Should I take it in for service?



P.S. Mine's a Gen 2 Volt, but just adding to this thread in case the people here had more clues. Thanks.
 
I have sounds coming from the back of the car at starting/stopping at low speeds also. It sounds like the gas stove when you try to light it. Maybe about 3 clicks per second. Only at stop/go traffic and never on highways.

Anyone else? Should I take it in for service?



P.S. Mine's a Gen 2 Volt, but just adding to this thread in case the people here had more clues. Thanks.
I have the exact same issue and I also have a Gen 2. I don't know if it's a normal sound. I will have a visit to the service soon.
 
Had the exact same clicking sound on the same wheel as bro1999 described in post #1- I have 38k mi on my 2014 volt.
So I popped the little center hub cap off- tightened the axle shaft nut with a 1/2" breaker bar- took it for a road test... no more clicking on accel/decel! :D
I checked the passenger side axle shaft nut too... it was rock solid tight- it wouldn't budge at all.

Three min zero $$ fix in the driveway....love it!
 
I bought a '13 volt 3 weeks ago and noticed the noise described in this thread during the test drive. Tonight I had time to pull the wheels and have a look. Both axle nuts were loose, so much so that they weren't really exerting any clamping force against the hubs/bearings. I torqued to specs. If they loosen again I'll replace them with the updated parts listed in this thread. Regardless it's an easy fix. Glad I found this thread!
 
Count me as the 6th person in this thread to have the clicking sounds caused by loose axle nuts as described by Bro1999. I'm at 40,000 miles, but it showed up around 35,000. I'm out of the b2b so the dealer charged me for a 1/2 hour of labor to tighten them along with a few other loose bolts they found.
 
Is this really loose drive shaft nuts? mines been clicking for ages and I checked it a month or so ago and the driveshaft nuts are tight, no problems. So is it something else?
No, it's a bad spring tension spacer between the axle and hub. Or, in some cases, GM forgot to install the tension spacer. Tightening the axle nut sometimes helps for a while. But, until that spacer is replaced, the clicking noise will return. It's a cheap part, but the axle has to be seperated from the wheel hub to change it. That usually requires separating the lower balljoint, which is annoying to do.

A lot of GM cars, including the Volt, have this issue. Most have TSBs for it, but I haven't seen one for the Volt. So, the dealers usually go overboard and say the whole axle needs to be changed.
 
Where do the parts go?

Hi folks, I bought new nuts and washers for the axles I read through the various threads and what is not clear to me is where the *washer* goes.

I've attached two pics, one from a parts place where I got the nuts and washers and one of the parts themselves.

I thought the washer was a lock washer for the nut but I might be wrong about this. Does anyone have a proper exploded view of where the washer goes and how I get it there before I attempt this fix to repair my clicking.

Thanks

 
Ok

Think I found the answer to this, the washer seems to go next to the hub on the inside, not the outside as a lock washer.

Which orientation does this go? it has 3 fingers on the washer, do they go on the inside or towards the hub side?

FYI here is what I found on the Cruze about this problem, interestingly
the washer is the same PN for our Volts
 
Were there ever any answers here for the location of that washer?
 
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