Flapping sound when turning left

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by dhdfdh, May 11, 2023.

  1. dhdfdh

    dhdfdh Junior Member

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    2010 Prius
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    ----USA----
    2013 with 165000 miles.

    When I coast at 18mph in the parking lot, I hear a rub-rub-rub coming from the left front wheel (a man on the street agreed it's there but not the tire). If I speed up, the sound goes away.

    When I hit about 40mph+, with a slight left bend in the road requiring turning the wheel slightly, I hear a flapping noise like someone put cardboard in the spokes of a bicycle wheel. If I accelerate, the sound goes away. Lifting my foot off the gas, the sound comes back.

    I don't hear any noise when turning right or going straight. I do not hear the sound when making a solid left turn (wheel turned all the way to the left). I think it goes away when I press on the brake but I don't recall.

    I took it to a garage where the guy gave a quick look underneath and didn't see anything wrong. He also said everything seemed tight; nothing loose.
     
  2. dhdfdh

    dhdfdh Junior Member

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    More info: I just drove around the block for the rub-rub-rub sound. When I press on the brake, the sound goes away and comes back as soon as I lift off the brake.
     
  3. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Time for a detailed brake inspection.
    Hopefully you just need new pads on the front.
    But with that mileage, you could need rotors and calipers too.
     
  4. dhdfdh

    dhdfdh Junior Member

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    But would that also explain the flapping at higher speeds?
     
  5. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Don't know.
    My crystal ball is broken.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've always heard, if there's a sound only when turning one direction, good chance it's CV joint. And IIRC, if the sound's present when turning left it's the right side CV joint failing, and vice versa.

    May or may not be, but worth investigating.
     
  7. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    That may be the same clicking I hear when coasting through low-speed turns. CV joint(s), probably. It goes away under load or significant regenerative braking, and hasn't gotten much worse in a long time.