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What is causing this noise?

Maintenance/Repairs
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#1

My Honda Accord 2001 has been making this noise, and I’m not sure why. The noise is almost exclusively present when I’m hitting the gas pedal. When I let off the pedal, the noise usually cuts out. I cant say it never makes the noise without hitting the gas, but its rare if at all. My car got low on Transmission fluid, and the transmission was slipping down when I’d let off the gas so I’m worried it could be a transmission issue. I took it to a transmission guy though and he said it was a front right wheel bearing and that I was low on fluid. So i added the fluid amd got the front right wheel bearing fixed, but the noise still persists. Apparently the left side front is worn too and causing it, but I’m suspect of fixing that before i’m 100% sure its the source. I dont want to sink money into a false fix. Does this noise sound like a wheel bearing? Would the noise ocurring when I give it gas be conflicting to that or can that happen? If not then what else would it be thats actually causing the noise? No engine lights are coming on, and it handles and drives as smooth as ever. Just a very annoying and concerning ‘wubbing’ noise. I’ve linked the auido recording below, thanks for any response.

Listen to Car noise by Alex Mason #np on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/alex-mason-79269392/car-noise-1

#2

I’ve had front wheel bearing failure on a front wheel drive car before, and that wasn’t the symptom. I heard a sort of roaring noise that got louder the faster I went. If you have just one bad wheel bearing usually the noise it makes will be worse when turning in the other direction from the side it is on. For example, if the wheel bearing on the right side is bad, turning left will make the noise worse. You might try that. Sometimes it works best at lower speeds making sharp turns, like in empty parking lots.

Good mechanics have people coming to them all the time with noise problems, and over time they learn what kinds of noises are usually associated with what problems. Suggest to trust your mechanic provided you have a good recommendation for them or have used them in the past and got good results. I doubt any mechanic will guarantee a fix tho after the first try. . You just have to go through the normal procedure, eventually they’ll find it. Some shops have a device that allows them to listen to sounds while the car is being driven, might ask if they have that. chassis-ears I think is what it is called.

If I have a problem like this I’ll drive the car up to the speed where the sound is clearly there, then go a little faster, then take my foot off the pedal and note what happens. Then I’ll do that again, but I’ll shift into neutral and coast back through that speed, again noting what happens to the sound. Sometimes this test provides some good clues.

I’m not able to listen to the sound file unfortunately . Perhaps you could describe it, and how it changes with speed.

  • roaring?
  • grinding?
  • wuh … wuh … wuh ?
#3

More of a wuh wuh wuh that speeds up as the car speeds up, but not really louder on turns and cuts out if i let up the gas. Sounds like something is rubbing something else at a certain point of every rotation, and not a constant steady noise. The noise changes tempo depending on car speed. Doesnt make it at low speeds really but starts to become noticable once i get accelerating toward 20-30. Most noticable around 35-50 miles per hour range. Its still there at faster speeds but it blends in more with normal sounds at that point.

#4

hmmm … well there’s many things that can cause that, but first guesses are a wheel bearing or a tire problem. Both would usually produce the same sound in gear vs coasting in neutral. But a wheel bearing might produce a more noticeable sound in gear, especially when accelerating or turning.

#5

Might be a tire in the early stages of developing irregular wear. Try rotating the tires and see if the noise changes.

1 Like
#6

Try accelerating to cause the noise, then simultaneously lightly put on the brake and see if the noise changes or goes away.