My Subaru started making a noise that the mechanic can’t seem to identify - I hear it when the car is in gear and moving only - it’s like a humming noise that increases in frequency as the car goes faster and winds down as I approach a stop - it totally stops if the car is not moving even though the engine is running. It doesn’t sound like it’s coming from the tires. It’s a noise that I feel like I’ve heard coming from a K car or a Chrysler or something. It’s not a rattling but rather changes regularly with acceleration/decceleration. I was thinking it might have something to do with the turbo. The car seems a little sluggish (more than lag in the turbo, maybe?) Any ideas?
Has your mechanic checked your wheel bearings?
If not, you may need a new mechanic, as well as new wheel bearings.
It may be the wheel bearings as a first guess.
My 2003 Outback Sport is making the same sort of noise, and it’s been getting louder. The “drown it out with the radio” trick isn’t working very well anymore. Thanks for the wheel bearing suggestions. Njolsson, keep us posted on what it turns out to be.
A wheel bearing noise is often described as a droning noise - anything from hearing something like a small engine plane to a helicopter flying along with the car. The typical wheel bearing noise will also often disappear / lessen / change when the car turns. If the sound does lessen on a turn then the bad bearing is typically on the same side as the direction of the turn. It can also get louder when turning the other direction.
Bad wheel bearings are really bad so you want to have things checked out now.
Thank you all for the wheel bearing suggestions. I took my car into my mechanic and told him that’s what I thought it was and it was exactly right. I’m finding that doing my homework before taking my car in helps with being taken seriously and not getting any of the typical mechanic run-around (I’m a woman in my late 20s who could pass for 18). Now if only my car would stop breaking… but I’ve driven it VERY hard.
Hi all.
I think I might have the same problem, but as soon as I touch the brakes, the noise stops. I have already checked the disk brakes and pads as well, so I might check the bearings as well. Even when the car is rolling at 35km/h, the noise starts, but if I accelerate, the noise stops and appears again when I decelerate. The noise is quite strange. In fact, in the beginning, I thought it was from the rear speaker but it wasn’t.
I appreciate your help. Thanks a lot, rodwrx!!!
Me too with my Subaru Outback 2004. I thought I was the only one who could hear this. My car sounds like a truck. I have 189000 miles on it. It could be bearings in engine but they ruled out wheel bearings. I just pretend I don’t hear it shook tires and there is no play. Just driving it. Runs gteat but is noisy.