Clicking noise when turning steering wheel..

When stopped or moving very slowly, as soon as i rotate the steering wheel by about an inch in either direction, i can hear a clicking sound from under the engine (when windows are rolled down).
This didnt start happening until recently at about 8,000 miles on the truck?

Anyone have any ideas to what this may be? Tried using the search function without any success.

Edit; diagnosis on post #15

 

You may have something loose in your steering system that is shifting back and forth when moving the steering wheel. It could be a loose mounting bolt to a steering component.

Can you recreate the noise with the engine off? If so, put the emergency brake on, have someone jerk the steering wheel while you are under the truck; feeling around for the loose component.

 

I to am exprencing this issue.... Dealers said its suspension but I know it's some where in the steering column. I've check tie rods(inner and outer) ball joints. Everything checked out fine. Took it to multiple mechanic and no one can find the solution.

Also I hear the clucking sound as the truck shift from side to side going over bumps as if something is loose. Driving me insane

 

Check the mounting if the steering rack using the technique I described above.

 

Try taking it to your dealer. Its hard enough for a tech to try and diagnose an issue in person and doing it on the net, well...

If its a used vehicle or out of warranty, then there's not much to lose, but on a new vehicle??

And speaking of warranty and dealers, if at first you don't succeed, try & try again till satisfaction is achieved

Best of luck!
Cheers!

 

Mine does this to everytime I back out and turn. It's definitely something in the column on mine

 

Will try this after work. Thanks for the suggestion!

Sorry man. It definitely sucks when we can't get something like this addressed and fixed!

Thank you!
This will be my last resort. After being on TW for a while, I'm starting to think that going to the dealers turns into a crap shoot.

sorry to hear that. Hopefully we can find the answer

 

Does it click more the further you turn it?
Or is it a constant click no matter how far you turn it?

 

A click or pop once. But if i stop, and move the wheel again in either direction, it makes the noise again. But only once if im constantly turning the wheel

 

Sorry, had to do it!

 

Sub'd

 

Loose rack is a good call...
I'd check the intermediate(steering column) shaft too; might be binding or slipping in the slip or rag joint.

 

I really wish I had more mechanical knowledge when it comes to this area of the vehicle.
I'll google the sections you've mentioned and will check it out.
Thanks for the suggestion!

 

Plenty of threads on it around here too...it goes back to 2nd gen.

 

Update; dealer service department inspected this, and it turns out that the intake system is the culprit.
I installed a cold air intake, and the noise (according to the service tech) is the intake sucking in short bursts of air in order to keep the rpm from dropping too low. (The noise can only be heard when the car is eiyher idling or moving at crawling speed while steering wheel is turned).

He demonstrated this by opening the hood while the engine was running and truck was parked. I laid my hand on the intake pipe, and when he turned the wheel in both directions, i heard that popping noise and felt the slight jolt on the intake pipe.
clear!

 

Mine is caused by the loose rack and pinion
Shifting back and forth going over bumps or turning the wheel...

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/popping-noise-when-turning-front-wheels.479062/#post-15453498

 

Here I am 5 years later with this same issue. Thank you so much for actually updating.