I have a 2000 Toyota Tacoma pickup with a 5-speed manual transmission. A few days ago I noticed a strange noise coming from the front end as I slowed down. It was a day in which ice was building up, so I figured something was rubbing on an ice chunk. The noise persists however, even now when all the ice is gone. I thought it might have something to do with the fact I hadn't used 4WD for several months. The noise is most apparent when I am slowing down and nearly stopped. I am likely to hear a noise when I hit a bump, too. Occasionally, the noise just appears at seemingly random times. Most of the time there is no noise. I guess I would describe the noise as a clunking, and it sounds like it appears once every revolution of something.
I experimented around, and found that the noise would disappear immediately if I move the shift lever to 4 HI (hubs unlucked.)
I brought it in to the dealer, and of course the noise disappeared. As I drove home, 50 miles away, it reappeared, worse then ever. The noise still almost completetly disappears when I shift to 4 HI.
I'm not mechanically inclined, but I'm sure some of you are. What do you think it is?
Thanks!