Clicking Noise When Driving - Solved?

[matt.ferguson439]

Hey All,

I have a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 with the 5.7 hemi and automatic transmission. I bought it used 4 years ago from a dealer. Since a few months after I bought it (in 2016) it has been making an ever more prominent clicking noise when I'm driving. I have spent the past four years trying to figure out what it is but have had absolutely no luck so I am reaching out to you for advice.

The symptoms are relatively simple. When I am driving below 60km/h and probably above about 5 or 10km/h it makes the noise. However, it doesn't change speed, tone, or volume when I change speeds. It sounds very much like a bicycle does when you're coasting and not turning the pedals. I don't know if "clicking" or "ratcheting" is the better descriptor for the sound, but the bicycle noise is literally spot on. It's just louder on my truck. It goes away when I brake hard and it goes away if I let the truck coast down to a very low crawl. Turning doesn't make it worse or better. It doesn't seem to change with bumps in the road, although sometimes they will trigger it to start. I think it's coming from the front of the truck, but it's a bit hard to tell for sure. it doesn't seem to do it in the winter. Since I live in Canada and it gets pretty cold here, I wonder if shrinkage in the cold has something to do with it.

I have had it in the shop a few times over the years and have mentioned the noise each time. Nobody has been able to solve it. I have checked everything I know to check. I've watched dozens of YouTube videos of people diagnosing strange sounds on their vehicles and nothing that I've heard in there seems to be the issue. That includes everything below plus wheel bearings, carrier bearings, suspensions components, power steering, belts, pulleys, and so on. Here's what I am fairly sure it's not:

-It's not the brakes since I've had all 4 completely re-done.

-It's not any of the u-joints. I have checked those myself and had the shop look at them. This includes putting it in 4-wheel drive.

-It's not the CV joint (I've had one replaced and the other checked, both within the past year).

-I'm assuming it's not the suspension since going over bumps doesn't seem to change the speed, tone, or volume of the sound.

-I don't think it has anything to do with the transmission 'cause I can't think of anything in the transmission that would make that noise.

-It doesn't do it while at a stand-still so I can't imagine it's anything to do with the engine.

-I don't think it has anything directly to do with the steering 'cause turning doesn't affect it.

If you can think of ANYTHING that this could be, please let me know. I've bounced ideas off my friend's dad who is a mechanic at a Ram dealership and he's out of ideas too, so I assume it's not a super common problem. It's gotten steadily worse every year so I'd love to find it before whatever it is breaks on me on the highway...

Thanks!!

 

[Octane]

If your wheels have center caps check or remove and see if it still clicks.And check any brake back shields also.

 

[Jason G Slabaugh]

Check your lug nuts for tightness too

 

[Hemi832]

Check your hubs. That's what was causing my noise.

 

[matt.ferguson439]

Check your hubs. That's what was causing my noise.View attachment 204006

What part am I looking at exactly here? Could be it, depending. But whatever that part in the picture is could be the culprit. Is this where the axle goes in or a different part? I'm fairly mechanically minded, but most of that has come from fixing things on this truck so I'm atill learning...

If your wheels have center caps check or remove and see if it still clicks.And check any brake back shields also.

I don't have the hub caps on my wheels so I don't think that's it, but good call to check that!

Check your lug nuts for tightness too

The problem has been going on for four years and I change between summer and winter tires each season so it's definitely not the lugs. But again, good suggestion!

 

[Hemi832]

That's the front hub assembly. When you pull the brake pads, rotors off this is left.

 

[matt.ferguson439]

Here's a recording of the sound. If you hear as the truck goes by, there's a clicking/ratcheting noise. Hopefully that could help narrow it down a bit!

Update - It's an automatic transmission. Shifting from drive to neutral while the noise is sounding makes the noise stop. Possibly something IN the transmission?

 

[matt.ferguson439]

Well, I think I figured it out (sort of). I haven't fixed it but I found a mention on another forum to this possibly being the MDS (Multi-Displacement System)and, after doing about five minutes worth of googling, I found this video:


I know his truck is a newer generation than mine but, as of 2006, all of the hemi engines have the MDS system in place. The noise his truck makes at around 2:00 in is EXACTLY the noise mine is making with all of the same symptoms. At 3:00 he explains what causes it and the rest is him fixing it. I won't dare do this one myself at home but I think this is it! Hopefully this helps anyone else with similar issues!

 

[Octane]

If anyone wants to have some fun just take a long zip lock tie and put it on someones driveshaft so when it turns it slaps and sounds a bit like a playing card or clothespin on bicycle spokes as it turns.

 

[Holliday28]

Well, I think I figured it out (sort of). I haven't fixed it but I found a mention on another forum to this possibly being the MDS (Multi-Displacement System)and, after doing about five minutes worth of googling, I found this video:


I know his truck is a newer generation than mine but, as of 2006, all of the hemi engines have the MDS system in place. The noise his truck makes at around 2:00 in is EXACTLY the noise mine is making with all of the same symptoms. At 3:00 he explains what causes it and the rest is him fixing it. I won't dare do this one myself at home but I think this is it! Hopefully this helps anyone else with similar issues!

There is no video attached. I have a noise myself in my 17 ram and it id driving me insane. Any help please

 

[Shank22]

Well, I think I figured it out (sort of). I haven't fixed it but I found a mention on another forum to this possibly being the MDS (Multi-Displacement System)and, after doing about five minutes worth of googling, I found this video:


I know his truck is a newer generation than mine but, as of 2006, all of the hemi engines have the MDS system in place. The noise his truck makes at around 2:00 in is EXACTLY the noise mine is making with all of the same symptoms. At 3:00 he explains what causes it and the rest is him fixing it. I won't dare do this one myself at home but I think this is it! Hopefully this helps anyone else with similar issues!

I dont have the link to the video can you please repost?

 

[madtrucker2016]

Hey All,

I have a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 with the 5.7 hemi and automatic transmission. I bought it used 4 years ago from a dealer. Since a few months after I bought it (in 2016) it has been making an ever more prominent clicking noise when I'm driving. I have spent the past four years trying to figure out what it is but have had absolutely no luck so I am reaching out to you for advice.

The symptoms are relatively simple. When I am driving below 60km/h and probably above about 5 or 10km/h it makes the noise. However, it doesn't change speed, tone, or volume when I change speeds. It sounds very much like a bicycle does when you're coasting and not turning the pedals. I don't know if "clicking" or "ratcheting" is the better descriptor for the sound, but the bicycle noise is literally spot on. It's just louder on my truck. It goes away when I brake hard and it goes away if I let the truck coast down to a very low crawl. Turning doesn't make it worse or better. It doesn't seem to change with bumps in the road, although sometimes they will trigger it to start. I think it's coming from the front of the truck, but it's a bit hard to tell for sure. it doesn't seem to do it in the winter. Since I live in Canada and it gets pretty cold here, I wonder if shrinkage in the cold has something to do with it.

I have had it in the shop a few times over the years and have mentioned the noise each time. Nobody has been able to solve it. I have checked everything I know to check. I've watched dozens of YouTube videos of people diagnosing strange sounds on their vehicles and nothing that I've heard in there seems to be the issue. That includes everything below plus wheel bearings, carrier bearings, suspensions components, power steering, belts, pulleys, and so on. Here's what I am fairly sure it's not:

-It's not the brakes since I've had all 4 completely re-done.

-It's not any of the u-joints. I have checked those myself and had the shop look at them. This includes putting it in 4-wheel drive.

-It's not the CV joint (I've had one replaced and the other checked, both within the past year).

-I'm assuming it's not the suspension since going over bumps doesn't seem to change the speed, tone, or volume of the sound.

-I don't think it has anything to do with the transmission 'cause I can't think of anything in the transmission that would make that noise.

-It doesn't do it while at a stand-still so I can't imagine it's anything to do with the engine.

-I don't think it has anything directly to do with the steering 'cause turning doesn't affect it.

If you can think of ANYTHING that this could be, please let me know. I've bounced ideas off my friend's dad who is a mechanic at a Ram dealership and he's out of ideas too, so I assume it's not a super common problem. It's gotten steadily worse every year so I'd love to find it before whatever it is breaks on me on the highway...

Thanks!!

My freind had very same problem he went crazy for over one year trying to chase it down--Turns out the springs was the whole problem he changed them and now he is back in love with his truck.

 

[matt.ferguson439]

Appologies about the apparent lack of video. It must not have linked it for some reason. I haven't got it saved anymore so I can't repost it at the moment.

I've narrowed it down to what I believe might be the timing chain. I still haven't fixed it cause I don't know if I want to tackle it myself and it'd be thousands to get a shop to do it. If I put the truck in tow/haul mode (which disengages the cylinder deactivation system) then it stops. Sounds like it's something to do with the tensioners on the timing chain being worn out. It'll need to get done soon I'm sure, but driving around in tow/haul mode solves it for now. My regular shop thinks it's the lifters but I steongly beg to differ based on the sound differences

 

[Recoil]

There are several things you mentioned that make me believe it is not the timing chain. You said it doesn't happen at a stand still - if it were the timing chain, it would happen even when at a stand still. You also said the sound doesn't change with RPM. If it were the timing chain the sound would change with RPM.

Does it make the sound at idle while in park or only when you are moving?

 

[Izzie1701]

Any mention of what the issue was. I have exactly the same issue and I’m worried it’s the Trani. I do have a torn cv boot so thought it was that originally but the switching to neutral to stop it sounds trani related?