Why Is My Car Making a Clicking Noise?
FixMyCar looks at some of the reasons why your car might be making a clicking noise.
Book a car repair nowEllie Dyer-Brown
Tuesday August 05 2025
4 min read
When your car starts making a new noise, it can be a worrying experience. This guide explains the reasons why your car might be clicking, other symptoms to look for, and what repair is required.
In a nutshell: Your car might be clicking due to low or dirty engine oil, a broken CV axle, a loose brake pad, a faulty battery or alternator, or a broken starter motor. Read on to find out how much these problems cost to fix.
My car is making a clicking noise
Low engine oil
A lack of lubrication between different car components can cause a clicking noise. You should check your engine oil level and, if it’s low, look around under the bonnet to see if you can spot a leak.
It’s easy to top up your engine oil; this job is always done when you book a full service. However, maintaining the correct fluid level will be impossible if there's a leak. In this case, you should take your car to a garage to get it fixed.
It costs £79.72 on average to fix a leak.
Dirty oil
Not only could your oil be low, it might also be dirty, meaning that it won’t be able to do its job properly. Engine oil needs to be fairly clean so that it can lubricate the necessary components. If you let dirty engine oil run through your engine for long enough, eventually it could cause the valve filter to become faulty or break.
Fortunately, it’s possible to replace the old engine oil yourself, or if you prefer, you can book your car in for a service where a professional will do it for you.
The average price of an oil change is £115.02.
My car makes a clicking noise while turning
CV axle
If you notice that the clicking noise is most prominent when you turn your car, the most likely suspect is a CV (or constant velocity) axle. CV axles allow the car’s transmission to drive the wheels and open up a range of motion with bearings.
The clicking sound probably comes from a torn shaft boot on one of the CV axles. When shaft boots are damaged, they leak grease, resulting in dry components that make a clicking sound when they come into contact.
Catching this problem before it becomes severe can prevent you from replacing the entire CV axle. A mechanic will be able to advise you on the extent of the damage and the nature of the repair job needed.
My car makes a clicking noise while driving slowly
Loose brake pad
A clicking sound that happens when you drive slowly, particularly when braking, could indicate a loose brake pad. If the pad is not secured to the calliper, it might move around at slower speeds. The fix for this would be a brake pad replacement.
The average price for a brake pads and discs replacement is £267.52.
My car makes a rapid clicking noise
Faulty battery or alternator
Rapid clicking usually suggests the battery has enough power to bring the starter motor to life but not enough to crank the engine. Either your battery is faulty, or the alternator is no longer charging the battery, causing the power to be drained.
The average price of an alternator repair is £533.64.
You can try jump-starting the car if you need to use it urgently, but if the alternator isn’t working, the battery will die anyway. The best option in this situation is a battery replacement.
The average price of a battery replacement when booked with a mobile mechanic is £133.26. However, if you prefer to take your car to a brick-and-mortar garage, the average price is £234.82.
My car makes a single click
Faulty starter motor
The starter motor is a small motor powered by your car’s battery. It’s responsible for running the engine. However, starters have a limited lifespan, typically between 30,000 and 200,000 miles, after which they need replacing.
A faulty starter motor costs £392.02 on average to repair.
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Ellie is FixMyCar's Content Manager. She has over three years of experience writing about cars and regularly collaborates with automotive experts to provide trustworthy advice for drivers that is easy understand. Her work has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, iNews, The Daily Express and The Sun. She has a BA in English literature and an MA in creative writing from Durham University. Outside of work, Ellie follows F1 and eagerly awaits Ferrari's next era of dominance in the sport. She drives a Suzuki Swift.