2003 Dodge Dakota 4WD just started clunking/rattling when in drive

JVDARCY

MEMBER
2003 DODGE DAKOTA
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
105,000 MILES

Vehicle has over 100K miles. It just started making a loud, syncopated clunking noise in tempo with the wheel going around. It appears to only do it when moving forward. Does it in both 2WD and 4WD. A couple days ago, I hit a pothole harder than I would have liked. The next day I used the 4WD for first time this year. The vehicle was functioning just fine with no noises until this morning when it started to make a slight noise as I was coming up the street to my home. When we went to drive it the next time, the noise became suddenly much worse.

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,133 POSTS

Can you tell aprox where the sound is coming from? Have you checked under the vehicle to see if anything is loose?

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Sunday, December 19th, 2010 AT 1:13 AM

JVDARCY

MEMBER
3 POSTS

We checked and listened as best we could. My husband crawled under there, jiggled stuff, tapped on stuff and has not found anything. In listening to it with the windows open or walking along next to it, the noise sounds as if it is vaguely in the center from left to right, as well as front to back. As I was listening to it from the front passenger window, it sounded to me to be right underneath my door. It was very difficult to tell, even though the noise is crisp and fairly loud.