Happy New Year. I just had front and back brakes replaced and there is noise coming from front (I think it’s the front)? Any way my brother says its the wheel bearings and that my mechanic should have “caught” that they were bad. I’ve gone to mechanic for almost 10 years and trust him. Never had wheel bearing problems before so not sure what to think. And if it is wheel bearing can u ballpark cost to fix in Illinois ?
Oh - and I forgot to mention, I just had the CV boot replaced on the right front wheel - there was a rip in the b oot (mechanic caught) - when I went to pick up the car, the mechanic asked me to go along with him on a test drive and asked me if the “noise” was something I had heard before. I told him that the “noise” was pretty much there and not a big deal if I turned up the radio, but in recent weeks, I cannot turn up the radio loud enough to drown out the noise!
The steering wheel pulls to the right slightly but I attributed that to needing a wheel alignment and the front brakes are noisy when I apply them, it’s not the same even stop before the brake job/cv boot repairs.
I am wondering about the entire episode where you picked up the car & the mechanic took you for a drive to hear the noise. Is this the same noise? What did he have to say about it?
Either way, it sounds like you need to bring it back to check the brake work.
Describe the noise in as much detail as possible - what it sounds like, when it happens, what kinds of things change it (e.g. speed, turning, acceleration/deceleration, etc.)
It is the same noise, just louder. My mechanic asked me if the noise was always there and I told him that I usually have the radio up and never really pay attention (I drive 70 miles round trip daily, really, I just don’t pay attention). If memory serves, I got the brake job and soon after, the cv boot repairs done at end of Oct, early Nov.
The best way I can describe the noise is almost like humming, increasing as my speed increases, decreasing when I slow down.
While I’m at highway speed, 55-60 MPH, the humming is so loud that even with the volume on the radio just about all the way up, I can still hear it. The “humming” is speed related only at this point, turning left or right doesn’t make the noise worse.
Again the car is starting to pull to the right and the front brakes feel like they are sticking when I’m about 5-10 feet from completely stopping (they don’t “feel” like they are sticking when I first push the pedal and start slowing down).
I don’t think it’s the tires, my mechanic rotates them at every oil change (5K miles) and said the tread is wearing even.
What do you need us for…you’ve obviously got it fixed with the Radio option…lol…
It sounds like you are trying to describe a wheel bearing issue…SO now you need to make a decision… Would you rather ignore a serious condition on your vehicle and VERY SERIOUSLY risk watching your front wheel RIP off the car and pass you on the highway, Decide when to take it in for a new bearing… OR…I guess…which tunes to blast
A wheel bearing is NOTHING to take lightly…have it looked at PLEASE…quickly. Get it replaced if it turns out to be the bearing… Thats a dangerous condition to be ignoring.
Blackbird
Thanks H.B. - however, I just dropped the car off and my mechanic is now saying it might not be the bearing as turning left/right doesn’t change/effect the noise. he said something about a differential? what is that???
Also - because he was just repairing things in the area (front brakes and right front CV boot) - is either the wheel bearing or differential something he “should” have seen?
Real quick - I just Googled differential and all the stories came up about rear differential for AWD Muranos - mine is front wheel drive only.
Can someone please dumb this down for me?
Bearings that are failing can make noise whether you’re turning or not, so that may or may not be the right diagnosis.
As for differentials, every car has them. Yours (being FWD) is built into the transmission. It’s rare for those to fail, but not unheard of. Reading some of what you’ve said above, it could be the diff - it’s hard to second guess your mechanic wihtout having the car in front of me.
Can I assume this vehicel is an automatic, and can I also assume you’ve done nothing to it (the transmission)? How many miles have you clocked on it?
Chaissos
I do have an automatic and I have about 82K on the car - I drive around 22K a year but about half is highway driving.
I don’t have a lead foot (that’s my sister and she has the speeding tickets to prove it). I’m a mosey along kind of driver - right/middle lane is my comfort zone as is the speed limit - ok - I’ll push it to 60 MPH.
Just to close this out - the wheel bearings were bad - on both sides of the front axle!
thanks everyone for your input
Chigirl1964 wrote:
I told him that the “noise” was pretty much there and not a big deal if I turned up the radio, but in recent weeks, I cannot turn up the radio loud enough to drown out the noise!
I really hope that you’re joking here and that this isn’t your actual approach to maintaining your car.