I’ve got a 2002 subaru legacy wagon, 150k miles. Over the past year or so (a real guess, can’t really remember when it started) it’s developed a wowowow noise that happens when turning. The car has to be moving - just turning the steering wheel while stationary does not make any noise. I can’t tell …

Alright. Don’t think you will be proven wrong. Just remember I’m trying to reform! Other than oil changes every 6 months or so (about 4k miles): 2009/95k - I had to replace the timing belt (it needed it when I got the car) 2010/103k - front/rear diff fluid change (totally forgot about this! just …

^ I rest my case. This appears to be yet another case of somebody who ignored the vehicle’s manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, and–possibly–in an attempt to “save money”, wound up shooting himself in the foot. Whether this relates to just your present vehicle or all of the ones that you will ow…

Diff fluids were change six years/47,000 miles ago. That’s what I would do first is change the fluids. Cheap and may get rid of the noise. Tester

Change the diff fluids as @Tester said. Tires are the biggest killer of awd cars. Replace all 4 and rotate them every 7500 miles.

Symptom can also be associated with a failing wheel bearing or problem with a tire. If it makes the noise only when turning to the right say, that could indicate a problem with the left wheel bearing or left tires. You can’t inspect the wheel bearing yourself probably, but you can take a look at t…

Hard to say without seeing the car or hearing the sound it is making. Let’s see what the result is once it is properly diagnosed.

Thanks again to everyone for your help and responses. The sound happens with both left and right turns. I’ll take a look at the tires tomorrow when it’s light out and see if there’s any strange wear patterns that are visible to my untrained eyes. I don’t have a real tread depth gauge (just found …

A comment: you should replace those 4 tires. 4/32 is considered the point where the tires start to lose traction in rain or snow. 2/32 is the legal requirement but 4/32 is the recommendation.

I agree with Bill Russell that those tires need to be replaced, and I hope that the OP will remember to have them rotated on a consistent basis from now on. That won’t un-do the probable damage to the center viscous coupler, but at least it would keep him from damaging the new one that will soon …

Wowowow noise when turning

Maintenance/Repairs

Tester January 4, 2016, 6:27am 14

George.

The OP states, “over the past year or so”.

Wouldn’t you think that if there were a problem with a wheel bearing or a tire over this duration of time it would have revealed itself by now?

You’re guessing again.

Tester

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Wowowow noise when turning

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