cranking noise when steering?
 

Has anyone else noticed a cranking/screeching noise when turning at low speeds or at stand still? The car has close to 15,000 miles, and i'm just starting to notice this noise. I took it to the dealership, but they claim its only because the tires are firmly gripping the road. Any ideas on what the problem might be?

Power steering issue?

That was my initial thought, i guess I'll check out the car tomorrow if it isn't raining.

I get the same noises but i dont feel it in the seering wheel. More so from the rear driver side of the car. I have 12k on mine and it just started doin it too. The crazy thing is it still drives fine but the noise can get annoyin from time to time

LOL dealerships...

A few years ago I took my Hyundai to the dealership because my front passenger side wheel area was making a ticking sound. It was a very loud, clear, crisp, metallic, clicking sound that would occur at perfect intervals; a 1:1 ratio to wheel revolutions. The mechanic got in the car with me, I rolled the windows down, and drove slowly in a circle about 10 times. There were a lot of rocks in the parking lot, so of course there were the sounds of rocks being run over, in addition to all of the other ambient sounds the earth and all its inhabitants were emitting at the time, as tends to happen literally all of the time... ever. Loudest and clearest of all though, was the, "TICK... TICK... TICK... TICK..." clearly coming from my wheel area.

Thiiiis motherfucker goes, "oh, that's just the rocks."

my noise is coming from the front passenger side.

My car is the exact same way, when i turn the wheel to a specific point I end up hearing the tick, i just hope i can figure out the problem before it gets worse.

how often do you dry steer?

I usually avoid steering when stationary because my dad taught me at a young age that its bad for the steering geometry and tires.

That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if this is not true

Is that turning without moving?

I rarely, if ever, steer while stationary. The only time i have done it, was when trying to figure out where the cranking sound was coming from. I was just adding additional info towards my problem with a the cranking noise, when i mentioned i heard the noise while stationary.

From day one the car I could clearly hear the electric power steering motor when moving the sterring wheel quickly in low speed driving (like when doing a 3 point turn in a parking lot). A very noticable sound that could be described as "cranking" but not "screeching".

At first i felt i heard screeching, but as i continue to listen to the noise, it is definitely a cranking sound. So do you think the sound I'm hearing is normal? Thanks for the input.

If it is a clearly audible, but not loud, whirring noise like an electric motor under moderate stress, then I would say it is normal. Our 2013 Highlander makes the same noise under the same conditions and it also has electric power steering assist.