# Engine whines when driving **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 11, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639 "2013-01-11T20:02:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![akuhn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/akuhn/32/5125_2.png) [@akuhn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/akuhn)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/1 "2013-01-11T20:02:36Z")
Recently I noticed that my car is whining when I’m driving. It occurs while I’m in gear driving, not only when I’m turning. I can also hear it when I’m not accelerating and I’m coasting. The only time I don’t hear it is when the car is idle or in park. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/2 "2013-01-11T20:07:10Z")
It might be helpful to us if you post more information, including: Make of car Model of car Model year of car Odometer mileage Make and model of tires Number of miles on those tires Whether there is an uneven or unusual wear pattern on the tires And…perhaps most important of all… Where the noise seems to be emanting from (Are you sure that it is coming from the engine?). ---
**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:** [January 11, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/3 "2013-01-11T20:10:24Z")
Hmmm…I think that I may have found a clue to my tire questions in another thread that you started a few months ago: > **[Inside of the tire is bald](http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2287965/inside-of-the-tire-is-bald#latest)** > > So I went to have my tires rotated a couple weeks ago and the guy brought in the tire to show me the wear on the inside of my left front tire. The rest of the left tire is great and my right front tire is perfectly fine. They rotated it to the right... ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/4 "2013-01-11T20:15:28Z")
If it only whines when you are turning, it could be the power steering pump or the belt that drives it. I would check that out first. ---
**Author:** ![akuhn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/akuhn/32/5125_2.png) [@akuhn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/akuhn)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/5 "2013-01-11T20:49:38Z")
It’s a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix with about 152k miles on it. Just bought the tires last year (unsure of the make and model). No unusual wear pattern on the tires that I can see. I just had the alignment adjusted about a month ago because of uneven wear on the front right tire. I guess I’m not 100% sure where the noise is coming from. When I turn off the radio while I’m driving, it seems to be coming from the front end and since I’m not a person who can drive the car while being outside the car, it’s difficult for me to tell exactly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/6 "2013-01-11T21:02:38Z")
Manual tranny? In addition to VDC’s questions, of course. Otherwise we might be giving you advice on a Huppmobile when you’re driving a Deusenberg. ---
**Author:** ![akuhn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/akuhn/32/5125_2.png) [@akuhn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/akuhn)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/7 "2013-01-11T21:03:49Z")
Not manual, automatic. Sorry for the minimal information! ---
**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:** [January 11, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-whines-when-driving/76639/8 "2013-01-11T21:20:11Z")
From afar, all I can say is that this could be an indication of a bad wheel bearing, or it could be failing CV joints, both of which should definitely be checked by a competent mechanic…or it could simply be a case of tire treads that have become noisy after experiencing some wear. If you go to [www.tirerack.com](http://www.tirerack.com), you can determine from customer reviews whether your make and model of tire is one that is noisy after a few thousand miles of wear. Of course, before you do that, you will have to take a look at the tires in order to find out the make and model of them.