# Problems with 2001 Toyota Solara

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-2001-toyota-solara/1790>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 16, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-2001-toyota-solara/1790 "2007-07-16T14:44:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mdrevits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@mdrevits](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mdrevits)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-2001-toyota-solara/1790/1 "2007-07-16T14:44:42Z")

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Hello, I’ve been having some problems with my car that I’m starting to think might be related. Rather than a long story, I’ll just list the problems and when they started happening.  
  
  
  
 1. The car kicks rather strongly to the right - this has been happening for over a year.  
  
  
  
 2. Last winter (around November), I began hearing a creaking sound when I turned the wheel - it seemed to be much worse on very cold days.  
  
  
  
 3. Last spring (or maybe sooner - I didn’t notice the noise until I started driving with the windows down), I started noticing a kind of a very soft puttering noise. It sounds kind of like the wheel of fortune wheel being spun, but fairly quiet.  
  
  
  
 4. 1 or 2 months ago, I started noticing a soft squeaking / whistling sound when I go over bumps in the road. This has been getting gradually louder.  
  
  
  
 For problems 1-3, the mechanic has been telling me they are not problems and not to worry about them. For problem 4, he said some time in the near future I should have the shocks replaced. I’ve heard from a few other friends, however, that the problem is much more than the shocks and the mechanic should have fixed these problems a long time ago. Can anyone tell me what the problem might be and how dangerous it is? I’m really clueless when it comes to cars. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-2001-toyota-solara/1790/2 "2007-07-16T17:07:58Z")

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Get a new mechanic. Find a shop specializing in suspension and steering problems (it likely will do alignments as well). Have them take a look at it and tell you want needs to be done.

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I would not want to drive that car like that. I would not even like to drive it to the shop.
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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/problems-with-2001-toyota-solara/1790/3 "2007-07-16T21:14:18Z")

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I agree strongly with Joseph. Have this towed to a reputable independent shop. It sounds like there’s a real possibility that you may have a CV joint ready to come apart. If that happens you may lose all control of the vehicle.

You could also have other problems like a bad ball joint ready to come apart, but that can be extremely dangerous too.

Don’t go back to that mechanic that’s been telling you these things.

- mountainbike