Another weird noise

Maintenance/Repairs
1

2005 Toyota Solara 4 cylinder, 4 speed automatic.

I just noticed today what sounds like a very faint humming sound coming from the drivers side of the car from either the engine bay or underneath. Hard to tell but it’s definitely somewhere on the drivers side. Best way I can describe the hum is the same pitch as a leaf blower except volume wise, it’s 50 times more quiet.

The hum is only audible when going 20 mph or less. Over 20 mph I cannot hear it, but maybe that’s because of road noise.

In any case, the hum occurs intermittently (sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t, but usually does) and starts becoming audible when coasting to a stop once the car gets below 20 mph. Or it also becomes audible when accelerating up from a stop up to 15-20 mph or so then goes away or becomes inaudible.

What I have also observed is the humming noise will disappear completely 100% of the time when the car comes to a complete stop. Even if I’m slowing down, decelerating, coasting or braking or moving at any speed from 1-20 mph I still hear the hum until the car is completely stopped. At which point, the noise goes away completely and instantly. Again, however, if I’m going any speed 1-20 mph I usually hear it 8/10 times…

When I do hear the noise, it never changes in volume or pitch. It does sometimes cut in and out and occur intermittently, but it’s only audible at slower speeds between 1-20 mph - and only when the the car stops completely to 0 mph, the noise goes away the instant the car comes to a complete stop. Instantly.

I suspect this may be something to do with the transmission. I don’t believe I heard this noise when I first got the car. I just did 2 back to back drain and fills in a span of a week using OEM fluid the first one done a week ago and the 2nd one done today and today I also changed the tranny filter after doing 2nd drain and fill as preventative maintenance.

When I removed the pan to replace filter, there was some dark thick oil in the pan, which I cleaned completely including the magnets. A few metal shavings but definitely nothing alarming.

When I first got the car, the fluid was dark brown with just a hint of red. But definitely not burnt/black. So I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything to change fluid and filter.

I don’t believe I heard the noise after the first drain and fill I did a week ago, (however it’s hard to say for sure since the hum is pretty quiet, plus I may just be becoming hyperaware of any noises this car makes now since there’s been quite a few lol).

But anyway, I believe the humming noise started today when I drove it for the first time after doing the 2nd drain and fill and filter replacement.

All the gears shift perfectly fine and no slipping, no delayed shifts, no check engine light and fluid is now bright red when I check and at the correct level - with brand new filter. Very strange…And yes I’m sure the fluid is at the correct level and I’m checking it correctly per the owners manual…when I check the tranny fluid level I warm the car up for 20 minutes driving it around, then come back and park on a flat level surface, run the car through all the gears a few times P R N D and them check dipstick.

2

WOW. Most people do too little information - like “my car’s making this weird noise, what could it be?” And others give way TMI. You’re in the latter category. This is better than too little information tho. But this is not at all likely to be a transmission issue. Just stick to describing symptoms - what you hear and feel. Not what you “suspect,” then going on to long stories…

This sounds to me like early wheel bearing or tire wear issues. Look up videos on how to check for play in wheel bearings. And rotate your tires and see if the noise moves/changes.

3 Likes
3

Thanks for the input. I did actually have that one front drivers side wheel removed (right where I’m hearing the noise from maybe?) doing some other work and when I put the lug nuts back on, one of the studs just snapped off even though I torqued to spec.

I did a DIY fix that solved the issue mounting a new wheel stud back in using washers and new lug nut. I hammered the broken stud out with a rubber malet and it came out without much difficulty so I doubt I damaged the wheel bearing, but it’s possible

I did also drive maybe 4-5 miles on 4 wheel studs instead of 5 from the auto part store to my house…could that have ruined that wheel bearing?

4

One thing worth noting is that I had the car on 2 jackstands with the front with wheels in the air, i put car in drive and I still heard the same noise, just even quieter than with car on ground.

1.) Could a bad wheel bearing still make noise even when there’s no load on it?

2.) With car on the ground, e brake on, and foot on the brake, I shifted from park, to reverse, to neutral to drive and then back up when the car is stopped and I never hear the noise. Noise only happens when moving so would this eliminate a transmission problem?

However, from what I understand the output shaft in the tranny only spins when the car or wheels are moving though so not sure if this basic “test” eliminates that. In my opinion this could point to that, although your idea of tire or wheel bearing seems likely as well

5

Holy cow. You need to take it to reputable, local shop. Lugs snapping off when torqued to spec and DIY with washers? And a stud that pops out with a rubber mallet. No offense intended, but it’s time for a professional.

No.

Yes. But you’ve got studs snapping off while torquing to spec? Take care of that first.

1 Like
6

Just one stud broke. The other 4 torqued to spec fine so I saw no reason to mess with them.

To clarify, i bought a new wheel stud, removed wheel, caliper and rotor, hammered the broken stud out, put the new one in through the back and secured it by using enough washers to use a lug nut and make it bottom out when i tightened it to press the wheel stud in from the back.

I tightened that lug nut ALOT so the new replacement wheel stud was very secure, then removed the lug nut I used for the repair and installed a new one in the chance I damaged the threads on the other one. What’s wrong with the way I fixed it?

7

I’m also in the bad bearing camp. If you substantiate a bad bearing, replace both sides. Your car is old enough that a passenger side bearing failure is likely soon.

1 Like
8

also sounds like a wheel bearing to me

9

You had car on stands and let tires spin. Did you grab coil spring to feel for vibrations? Easy to compare left/right side.

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Yeah I only made the first paragraph but was already thinking wheel bearing or cv joint. Hard for us ametuers to tell so I had a shop check and replace mine. Or tire?