Hello everyone,
I have a 2005 lexus is 200, but I’m not sure if the model even matters for my question.
Anyway, I’m hearing a strange whistle from the front right wheel, and I’m sure the sound comes from it. I made a youtube video so you can get the idea.
The sound starts at around 50km/h speed and it does not change after that, meaning that it doesn’t become harder if I speed up and if I slow down to 40 or 20 it does not go away. But if the car is cold, it does not start until I reach 50-60km/h speed.
Also, I tried turning the engine off on neutral while driving and it did not influence the noise in anyway. So its not related to motor.
In the video it starts from 11s and you can hear it clearly starting at 57s when I speed up. Because of other sounds you probably can not hear it as clear as I can, but just listen to the whole video and I think you will get a clear idea.
Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyv8CqRgaso
The thing is, I went to a decent repair garage and they could not say what it is. So assume that basic things like breaks or the like were checked by mechanics.
I’m planing to go to a lexus dealer soon, but I want to get an idea of what it is, it really does not sound like anything that I can guess. Can you guess what it can be?
I want to add that there probably was a hard hit to the right wheel recently while driving in reverse, I say “probably” because the person did it does not want to admit it and I can only guess, so I dont have an idea how it went. But I found a deep slicing (not sure if its the right word) on the right wheel tire and it was so deep (and around 5cm in width) that I had to replace the tire. So assume that there could have been a hard hit and the wheel took damage. The noise started a couple of the days after I found it.
I would say that you have a wheel bearing that is about to fail.
This is a potentially serious safety issue because when it seizes, the effect will be similar to your brake being jammed on–but only on that one wheel–and that can cause you to spin out of control and/or collide with another vehicle.
Additionally, it is possible for the wheel to part company with the car while driving at high speed.
Get this car to a competent mechanic today or tomorrow, and avoid driving it anywhere except to the mechanic’s shop. This does not necessitate going to a Lexus dealership, as any mechanic can obtain and install the Toyota parts that this car uses.
Incidentally, one of the chief causes of wheel bearing failure is a strong impact to the wheel, so your suspicions are probably correct.
It seems that if I ran a decent auto repair shop I would recommend replacing the wheel bearing as the first step. Assuming the shop was told about the tire curb damage.
Yes, this is potentially dangerous. Do not drive anywhere except at low speed straight to a mechanic.
The last time I had a “bizarre whistle noise” it was a front wheel bearing on a rear drive car. My mechanic took it out for a drive and quickly concluded what the problem was.
If I understand you correctly, once it starts it continues even after you stop? If that’s correct, it rules out a wheel bearing. Get it started, then pop the hood and see if you can determine where it’s coming from.
For the record, the model definitely matters. Different models from a manufacturer mean different engine layouts. For example, a whirring sound from a longitudinally mounted engine might come from the center front, and on a transverse engine with the engine’s front on the passenger side might make it come from the front right.
thank you for your replies
so it seems everyone agrees with the wheel bearing suggestion? nothing else could make the sound?
breaks are new, btw
'The last time I had a “bizarre whistle noise” it was a front wheel bearing on a rear drive car. ’
The Lexus IS models are mostly RWD, but in some markets they are also available with AWD.
“once it starts it continues even after you stop?”
I have watched/listened to the video twice, and it appears to me that the noise ceases when the car is stopped. @Alex0011–Can you confirm this?
If you don’t get this repaired promptly, you will definitely have some new “breaks” of a serious nature even though your brakes are new, so I really hope that you get this attended to tomorrow.
yes, it goes away when the car stops.
also, I tried turning the engine off while driving and the noise was the same.
and yes, in the end of the video you can hear clearly how it disappears when I stopped.
If you don’t get this repaired promptly, you will definitely have some new “breaks” of a serious nature even though your brakes are new, so I really hope that you get this attended to tomorrow.
Well I understand how serious this is. And like I said, I was to a mechanics’ shop, I drove with him and he could hear it clearly, but eventually he could not find what causes it.
What I did not mention, is that another person was to a lexus mechanic shop with the car for a diagnose, but I don’t think that person actually did properly show the noise, and this is why they said its fine. They mentioned something about wheel bearing that is a possible issue, but they did not suggest to repair it yet. That’s the same person that I suggest did the damage. So at this point you can guess what I’m dealing with here. Its just difficult to get a free day and most shops don’t work in the weekends where I live.
Make sure that whoever repairs this also checks the wheel itself for damage. It could easily have been cracked in this impact.
Make sure that whoever repairs this also checks the wheel itself for damage. It could easily have been cracked in this impact.
the thing is, when the slicing appeared, I immediately replaced it with the reserve, and for a week was driving with it. But the funny thing is, I thought firstly that its the old reserve that probably never been used is making the noise, so I bought 2 new tires for the front, and they had put back the old disk (that took the damage) with the new tires. While all of that replacement happened, the noise was the same before and after, and did not change.
So I think the wheel is fine, and they had checked the disks while replacing the tires, like they mentioned.
“he could hear it clearly, but eventually he could not find what causes it.”
I really have to question either the competence (or at least the hearing acuity) of any mechanic who heard what we heard on that video and who doesn’t immediately inspect the wheel bearings.
Are you saying a tire shop put 2 new tires on the front of your vehicle instead of the rear. It is now recommended that only 2 new tires be mounted on rear of vehicle. I also think you need to find a better mechanic.
I really have to question either the competence (or at least the hearing acuity) of any mechanic who heard what we heard on that video and who doesn’t immediately inspect the wheel bearings.
Thats what they said to me, we tried to spin it and all of that, and they said we don’t know what it is. I specifically asked if its dangerous to drive, he said no. Haha. Its a decent network of shops, actually. Not some one-person garage 
What I find bizarre is that they did diagnose it in a lexus shop, but could not find it. Well, I’m sure they at least were told that there is a sound.
As for that mechanic, he heard it clearly. For example, he asked me a couple of things while we were driving like try to use breaks, he wanted to see if it goes away. Don’t forget that the video doesn’t really show it like it is. There was not one person driving with me who could not hear it. So its pretty clear, but not that loud when the windows are closed.
Are you saying a tire shop put 2 new tires on the front of your vehicle instead of the rear. It is now recommended that only 2 new tires be mounted on rear of vehicle. I also think you need to find a better mechanic.
well, they did what I said, and I did not know that. Thanks for the advise, I’ll get them changed.
Personally, I think that new “rule”, “put the new tires on the rear for a FWD car” is bogus. The reasons I’ve been quoted seem like rationalizations.
I’ve always put new tires on the front, as the “old rule” stated, with no problems.
“he asked me a couple of things while we were driving like try to use breaks, he wanted to see if it goes away.”
Brake pads have an audible wear indicator, and normally the noise that they produce will go away when you apply the brakes. That is likely why he wanted you to use the brakes.
If, in fact, the noise persisted even when the brakes were applied, continued when the engine was shut off while the car is moving, but ceased when the car was stopped, there is really little else that could produce that type of noise except for a bad wheel bearing.
I’m still kind of not sure if the overall suggestion that its the wheel bearing
can the wheel bearing actually whistle like that? that’s the question comes to my mind. And if it was in fact wheel bearing that is so broken, could I have driven for 2 or almost 3 weeks? i was driving to work every work-day and its like 130km every day, plus weekend.
^
Yes, to all of your questions.