# 1994 Nissan Pathfinder "clunks" when turning

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [October 28, 2015, 2:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565 "2015-10-28T02:09:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sm01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@sm01](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sm01)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 2:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565/1 "2015-10-28T02:09:35Z")

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My Nissan Pathfinder (1994) makes a “clunk” sound when I go around tight corners, usually only one “clunk” per turn.

The sound occurs on tight turns at low speed (e.g. on a round-a-bout: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout)) as the weight of the car shifts and leans away from the turn.

The sound seems to come from the front end, near the driver’s side wheel.

My mechanic couldn’t work out what was wrong. He removed, greased and reassembled the upper driver’s side ball joint and then gave up.

If anyone has any ideas about what this could be I’d be more than grateful!

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565/2 "2015-10-28T02:34:22Z")

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Have a different mechanic check your CV joints, especially the inner CV joints.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 2:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565/3 "2015-10-28T02:35:20Z")

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The clunking noise might be coming from a worn outer CV-joint on that front drive axle.

[https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3854373&cc=1211960&jnid=513&jpid=2](https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3854373&cc=1211960&jnid=513&jpid=2)

Tester

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**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565/4 "2015-10-28T02:41:37Z")

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That is most probably the CV joints. I agree, get a different mechanic.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565/5 "2015-10-28T06:01:58Z")

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Does it clunk no matter which way you turn, or is it worse turning left? Or is it worse turning right?

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**Author:** ![sm01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@sm01](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sm01)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-nissan-pathfinder-clunks-when-turning/91565/6 "2015-10-29T04:32:28Z")

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Thanks all for your help. I’ll get someone to take a look at the CV joints.

It clunks on turns in both directions, but I think slightly more so when I turn right.