Hello,
I’m a college student and drive a 2008 Honda Civic LX. The car has approximately 37,000 miles on it, most of which are highway miles. I live about 400 miles from home and thus, most of those miles have been accumulated from the 4 years of me driving back and forth to school during breaks, etc.
Recently, I’ve noticed a slight squeak from the front driver’s side wheel. It’s rhythmic with the rotation of the car and is only audible with the window down (you can’t hear it when the window is up). It’s most prevalent at really slow speeds, when the car is just rolling forward and then dissipates as I accelerate.
I just had it in for service about two months ago, the usual stuff: I had the oil changed and the tires rotated at the local Honda dealership. I still have the inspection paperwork they did on it and everything checks out. The brakes were shown to be just fine (7mm on the front two) and it’s also not coming from the engine itself, thus ruling out the belt, etc.
To make things even more complicated the noise comes and goes. Last night I drove around trying to isolate it but found no consistency. It started right away as I drove away from my apartment, but then randomly went away only to reappear again, this time barely audible as I parked.
Other details: I park the car outside, and I live up in Northern Minnesota. It’s gotten cold recently, and with the wind we get up here the dust really gets kicked up. The noise just started appearing last weekend as well.
I’ve done some preliminary research, and would hope that after 37,000 miles the car’s front bearing isn’t going bad. My gameplan for today was to get it washed, in case there’s some build up on the wheel, and then try and spray it with 4D-40.
I hardly drive the car during the week, so I’m hoping that it’s just lack of use that’s causing the squeak?
Cosmic thoughts? I’d appreciate them!