I have a 1998 SR5 4 runner and started to make a single pop sound when I make a right right (more often than when making a left turn) so I brought it to the dearlership and told me that the shocks and front and rear tie rod ends were bad. I had them change the bad parts and paid a little over $1500 for the job. The day after I picked it up, the popping sound was still there so I brought it back to the dealership so they changed the front right lower ball joint. After this repair, still making the single pop sound when I turn and also if I run over one of those metal drain covers on the road. We brought it back to the dealership and one of the mechanic rode with me and even heard the pop on the right front end. The mechanic checked it for any loose parts and he said that everything was installed properly. They told us that they were going to call their California Tech support so we brought it back again and this time the service manager and the lead mechanic checked it and found nothing. They even test drove it for about 30 miles and still did not hear anything. We finally gave up and took the 4 runner home and still makes the single POP sound when making a turn.

If anyone if familiar with this problem, I would appreciate it very much if you can give me an idea what the problem is.

thanks,
Amy

 

wow! i would suggest taking it to a non-dealership, and getting a second quote...

 

Dealerships always use the "tie rod is bad" gimmick. Get a second opinion as Patrick stated.

 

Hmm... I'm getting this popping sound too but its when I'm using 4wd in low speeds like leaving a driveway or backing out, but with me, the car stops moving after a certain distance... I gas it and RPMs go, but it simply refuses to budge. I take it out of 4wd and it moves again... Not sure if the problem can be related though, but yeah. Popping sounds make me uncomfortable.

btw- I get from the dealership a, "The engine light is on because the car was driven with the gas tank open and so the engine has air in it," gimmick and it pisses me off because they haven't even checked the car, yet they were just making stuff up over the phone. Real pissoff.

 

I had a simular problem as you mentioned with a toyota camrey. I had to replace my CV joint. Each time the vehicle would make a right or left turn a poping sound was heard more obvious under stress in a dip while making a turn. Start off by greasing the CV joints with a high temp lub using a grease needle to pierce the boot and not couse dammage to the boot. If that does not help you will have to replace the joint.