I’ve got a 2001 Impala. I have a very loud noise coming form the right hand front wheel. I’ve had the tires checked and rotated and the noise continued. A friend has changed the brake pads and said the rotors are fine. My ABS light is on but i doubt that has anything to do with this sound. It slow starting out and the fast I go the more constant the sound is. The slower, it’s easier to here the break in in the sound. It’s a whopping sound?
Any ideas on what this might be? My tie rod was changed on the drivers side two years ago if that helps
I suspect what is causing the sound is also causing the ABS light. Of course the problem is, I don’t have any ideas for the sound.
Was the ABS light on before or after your friend worked on the brakes?
The sound may be from a tire ‘cupping’ or a tire separation.
Try moving that tire/wheel to a different corner and see if the noise follows.
Most likely this is a worn right front wheel bearing. If the bearing has deteriorated enough, it might be affecting the signel coming from the ABS sensor on that wheel as the axle stub allows the ABS slotted ring to move around. When your friend changed the brake pads, did he notice any play in the bearing? Have your friend lift up the right front wheel and check the wheel for excessive play gripping the top and bottom as well as front and back. Have your friend spin the wheel and see if the noise is still there.
Get back to us with the additional information.
THank you so much for your help… I’ll keep you posted!
Yes, the ABS light was on prior to the brake pads being changed. I had the tires rotated hoping the noise moved from front right to where ever that tire moves to but the noise stayed at the front right. He did notice some play in the rotor prior to putting the wheel back on and he said he’s not worked on a car and noticed that before?
Thank you for taking the time to answer me, I appreciate that.
Julie
Julie- You’re sure the sound’s coming from RF area of car? If any doubts, have a couple friends ride w/you and nonchalantly ask them if they hear a wierd sound and if so, where do they think it’s coming from? Don’t color their judgement by saying up front it’s coming from RF. Hopefully you’ll all agree. Now, preferably on a limited acess highway or deserted back road cruise at a speed that you can easily hear sound.
Now turn R, and then quickly straighten out- like you were making a rapid, crisp, but SAFE lane chaqnge from L. lane to R. lane… The goal is to get the car to “roll” a little (not roll over!); putting more weight on LH side of car momentarily, taking some weight off RH side. During the moment weight is off R. side, if sound disappars in that moment it’s most likely RF wheel bearing. If sound remains constant, possible out
of round tire. Now drive in a friend’s car that doesn’t have appreciable noises and find a road that changes from asphalt to concrete or vice versa; that; when you drive your friend’s car over the dividing point of the 2 surfaces, there is an obvious change in the sound of the tires on road. Now repeat this procedure w/your car. If the noise remains the same as road surfaces change- probably bearing- if the noise changes as road surfaces change- tire(s). Please post back- I’m dying to find out what’s up!
Hi Karl
My sisters boyfriend is coming over this weekend I hope… I’ll let you know. Thank you so much for your assistance and I’ll be in touch.
Julie
THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. The wheel bearing is bad. An ABS sensor (Anti-lock Braking System) is in the wheel bearing. It’s indicating that there is a problem, also. The worst that could happen? The wheel could fall off. Don’t be a gambler. The stakes are too high.
Julie- I just re-read this whole post. 1. In describing the noise in question you used the words “very loud noise”; and “a whopping sound”. 2. Noise remained the same after tires were rotated. 3. Researcher’s diagnosis makes perfect sense, since; if the bearing is worn and the axle stub fits snugly through it, and the axle stub has I’m assuming, the slotted ring attached to it, and if the slotted ring
moves in a wobbly fashion; (because of worn bearing); the ABS speed sensor will get an irregular input from it, and set a code (ABS light comes on). 4. Your friend noticed play in RF? rotor, which is fastened to bearing. Because of all this, Hellokit’s statement is almost certainly right- bearing is severely worn (Loud, “whopping” noise). You should maybe err on the safe side and scrape up some money and have car towed to garage. A small independant shop could surely find culprit since noise is so obvious.
I apologize for misdiagnosing these symptoms- it can’t be a tire.
Whoops! You’re right, I failed to read the OP post closely enough. (third sentence)
Hello everyone that was helping me
I finally had to take the car into the shop (Dealer to be specific) as I couldn’t wait for my sisters friend to fix it. It is a Front wheel hub bearing. He said that had no inpact on the ABS light as that problem stems from the ABS harness being worn out. He said that harness covers the wires that run bewteen both tires (I think is what he said). I am having the wheel hub fixed now at $460 and then I’ll have to take it in later to do the harness work at $385. WOW!
Anyway - THANK YOU to all of you for your help!! It was helpful to be able to at least tell them what I thought the problem was.
Have a Blessed Holiday season!
Julie
Thank you Karl - when he said the car wasn’t safe to drive - I decided the shop was the best option.
Julie
I think you can save yourself about $300 on that ABS wiring if you take your car to an independent shop. I think the dealer wants to replace the wiring harness from the wheel to the computer. It could be a perfectly good repair to splice the wires back together. See your independent shop.
Let us know how you make out with the ABS problem. Good luck.
GOod morning and thank you… I’ll check into that!
Julie