Seriously...WTF is this noise?!?!

[silverkat]

Let me tell you my story. About December, I switched my tires - rears on front and fronts on rear for the snow. Ever since then it's been making this horrible noise. The only way to describe it is that it sounds like I have mudders on or maybe and exhaust leak. I've even been told it sounds like an airplane on the highway. Plus I get a mean vibration in the gas pedal. Not so much in the steering wheel though. We all thought it was bad front tires until I got brand new front tires last Thursday. I'm not sure but that might've made it a tad worse. The noise will stop if you make the slightest turn to the right, but it's still there if you turn left. It's not so bad if you're doing about 40mph or 70mph and up. Anything in between drives you nuts. The car is an ATX if that has anything to do with anything. If you throw the car into neutral and coast it's still there. So I guess the consensus is wheel bearings, CV joints, or possibly the trannie :ugh: I just wanted to know what y'all think because all of my master mechanics are totally stumped. Please help before I go completely insane!! :confused:

[Prez]

Sounds like wheel bearings mine was doing exactlly what you describe... had the passenger wheel bearings replaced and all was good. 180 bucks.

[EllenD]

It does sound like the wheel bearings, but I'm not understanding why that would start after switching the tires around. Did you have a different size tire in the rear than in the front? I'm assuming they're the same size, but if not, you might have some rubbing going on up front. Although, I don't think there would be that big a difference in the size of the tires front and rear. Just a thought.

[PizzaSlut]

I went through about 4 wheel bearings and all were exactly as you stated. And to narrow it down more, since it goes away when turning right it is the passenger side bearing. Jack your car up on that side and push the wheel around, I bet you that it has too much play.

[EllenD]

So why would that start after he rotated the tires? Just a coincidence?

[JScullin]

Yeah, you may have hit a pothole or something you didn't notice. The new tires just made you aware of something wrong there.

Mine does this too, only when I take left hand turns.

[silverkat]

The whole tire changing thing is the mystery. It doesn't make sense to me unless I'm missing something. The tires are the same size, just different brands. I had the car jacked up yesterday and all was said to look good. I'll have to have it looked at again just to make sure. I'll let my mechanic know it's a possible wheel bearing problem even though he just changed his and said my car shows no symptoms of bearing problems; unless my noise is what it sounds like when they're completely wasted.

[PizzaSlut]

Could still be something else, that's just what it wound up being everytime for me. Usually I had to take it in twice before they acknowledged it ... and that was usually the point where it was grinding and vibrating like crazy.

[jec215]

have your machanic take a short ride with you. That will let him hear exactly what you are hearing. If you are not getting any vibrations in the stearing wheel then it probably your rear wheels. If you have an issue with the front tires you should be able to feel something not right in the steering wheel. Most mechanics (especially the good ones) when they hear a noise they can narrow it down and some tell you exactly what it is.

Good luck

[silverkat]

We did put new tires on the rear just to see if it was rear noise. We got 100' and realized it wasn't the tires. But if it was bearings, wouldn't that mean lack of grease --> metal rubbing on metal --> seizing up --> wheel falling off? My dad is finally in town so I'll make him look at it tomorrow. Seriously, this should not be this complicated!! I'm thinking of going to the dealer but I'm not sure I want to deal with their BS. Thanks for the luck though. Think I'll probably need it

[silverkat]

OK, dad looked at the car this morning and has concluded -- I need CV joints. Yeeha. So I guess my next question is where can I get them?

[Sled]

First let me say that I am NOT a mechanic- but thanks for the compliment. I have ridden in and driven the car and glad to see I was sorta right...I wasnt convinced it was the bearings. Didnt grind like the rest of ours did and the noise is completely different. Sorry I wasnt able to make the call about the CV-joint. I basically only know how to deal with problems I have actually had myself already...which is basically every common cougar problem. If I end up helping your dad with the install I will take pics along the way for the rest of you on here who attemp such things in the future.