When I first put the car in gear and back up or pull forward a short distance, I get a short “groan” from the front end that I can also feel. The dealership didn’t find anything. They replaced the intermediate shaft, which got rid of the clunking noise, but the groaning is still there. Any thoughts? Thanks!
You are probably feeling and hearing the ABS Self-Test, which is performed automatically every time that the engine is started. It is typical for the Self-Test to activate after driving just a few feet, and on most cars it is both felt (through the brake pedal and/or other body parts) and heard.
Consult your Owner’s Manual for information about this normal functioning of your car.
Thanks for the tip. I read the manual, it says there could be a motor or clicking sound and the pedal may move. It’s not a clicking sound, but one might call it a “motor-ish” sound. It occurs almost like clockwork shortly after the car has moved a certain amount of feet at a slow pace forward or backward (it doesn’t occur unless the car moves), so I guess it might just be the ABS checking itself. Thanks!
Proof once again of the value of reading the Owner’s Manual, even if it is about 5 years late!
I actually did read the manual cover to cover when I bought the car in 2005, and have referred to it several times since to check on what maintenance is required at certain time or major mileage intervals (it only has 42,000 miles on it). I only noticed this sound starting last fall, which is why I thought something might be amiss. I never thought it might be the ABS system, never having had owned a car with ABS before to compare to. That’s why I asked if someone knew what this sound was! Thanks!