I have a 2004 Saturn Vue, V6, FWD with ~170K miles. It has a rotational noise coming from the front end that I can’t find/fix. My regular mechanic has replaced both front wheel bearings, the rotors and brake pads. Tires have ~35K on them and no noticable uneven wear. They were rotated and the noise didn’t go away. Mechanic thought it might be tranmission, but transmission shop disagreed, but couldn’t suggest an alternative. The noise is speed dependent. Initially you had to be at highway speeds to detect it, but now you can hear it at 25 - 40 mph as well. Best description is a “whoop-whoop” sound. You cannot hear the noise if the car is parked and you rev the engine. Any suggestions as to other potential sources are welcome. Thanks.
It sounds like a separated tread on one of the tires. This is an internal defect that is impossible to see. Try swapping out a front tire with a spare until the noise disappears. Then you know which tire is defective.