# 2001 VW Beetle makes weird noises

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-vw-beetle-makes-weird-noises/63993>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** selling, beetle, noises, volkswagen, driving\
**Created:** [April 23, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-vw-beetle-makes-weird-noises/63993 "2011-04-23T18:49:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bltwarner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@bltwarner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bltwarner)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-vw-beetle-makes-weird-noises/63993/1 "2011-04-23T18:49:04Z")

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My 2001 VW New Beetle has started making a loud, whining noise coming from outside the car along w/ some buzzing whenever I am driving. I find that I have to change gears about 10 miles sooner than I should in order to stop the noise. But now it’s happening in 5th gear occasionally too, and of course I can’t go to a higher gear to make it shut up. What could this mean?

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-vw-beetle-makes-weird-noises/63993/2 "2011-04-23T19:24:22Z")

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If you can also hear the noise when standing next to the car while it is idling, then I would suspect that the fuel pump is dying. Is the noise coming from the rear of the car by any chance?

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**Author:** ![bltwarner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@bltwarner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bltwarner)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-vw-beetle-makes-weird-noises/63993/3 "2011-04-24T01:28:51Z")

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Thanks for your reply! It doesn’t happen when the car is idling. Just when driving. I’m not sure if it’s coming from the back of the car… I think it might be the middle or front, but it’s hard to tell.

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**Author:** ![chaissos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/chaissos/32/2347_2.png) [@chaissos](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chaissos)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-vw-beetle-makes-weird-noises/63993/4 "2011-04-24T01:43:06Z")

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Have you had the transmission looked at? fluid levels, and when was the gear last oil change?

Do you see any puddles under the car after it’s parked for a while? If so, can you make out what kind of fluid it could be (not the A/C condensation, that’s OK)?