Strange Whining Noise From Left Front Wheel Area At Low Speed
07-09-2007, 03:15 PM
#1
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Strange Whining Noise From Left Front Wheel Area At Low Speed
I have a 97 GLE auto with 192k miles.
Yesturday I drove 85 miles from CT to NY at 70-85 mph.
When I arrived to NY I slowed down and stopped on a traffic light, and I heard a low whining from the front left wheel area while I was slowing down.
So I tried to drive slowly 1-8 mph and the whine was still there. There was no whine when the car is stopped completely.
The whine sounds like some small electric engine is working.
When I drove the car in the city today, there was no whine. May be I don't hear it because it's too noisy in Brooklyn, so I will check it tonight when it's quiet.
I don't think it's the alternator because I had a bad alternator before and the noise was different, and it came from the right side where the alternator is.
Also I replaced the alternator 10 months ago with a remanufactured one.
My guess would be the auto transmission is making the noise. I didn't change the transmission oil for 1 year since I bought the car, because I afraid it's gonna f#ck up the gears. Also the previous owner didn't change oil for 4 years and I don't know when the oil was changed before him. So the tranny oil gotta be more than 5-6 years old. However all gears shift perfectly....
Any Ideas ?
Yesturday I drove 85 miles from CT to NY at 70-85 mph.
When I arrived to NY I slowed down and stopped on a traffic light, and I heard a low whining from the front left wheel area while I was slowing down.
So I tried to drive slowly 1-8 mph and the whine was still there. There was no whine when the car is stopped completely.
The whine sounds like some small electric engine is working.
When I drove the car in the city today, there was no whine. May be I don't hear it because it's too noisy in Brooklyn, so I will check it tonight when it's quiet.
I don't think it's the alternator because I had a bad alternator before and the noise was different, and it came from the right side where the alternator is.
Also I replaced the alternator 10 months ago with a remanufactured one.
My guess would be the auto transmission is making the noise. I didn't change the transmission oil for 1 year since I bought the car, because I afraid it's gonna f#ck up the gears. Also the previous owner didn't change oil for 4 years and I don't know when the oil was changed before him. So the tranny oil gotta be more than 5-6 years old. However all gears shift perfectly....
Any Ideas ?
07-09-2007, 10:13 PM
#4
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Originally Posted by Cant_Get_Ryte
low trans fluid. low power steering fluid. does it do it when you turn the wheel at a dead stop?
Originally Posted by Dexter
your CV axles are done mate...(posibily just the left)
Yesturday it was one and a half hour ride on the highway, while today I drove only in the city at low speeds 30-45 mph.
May be the axle could make that noise because of the fast driving on the highway ?
Also if the left axle is done , how dangerous is it ? I mean what could happen if I drive 90 miles on the highway again ?
07-09-2007, 10:24 PM
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 35
It could be overinflation of the tires?
Highway speeds make it hotter, the long drive could of cranked up the psi until it makes a little noise.
Generally Cv axles on the drivers side blow out before the passenger, mainly because you make more high speed left turns than right.
The cv axle blowing out would probably require a tow home, but a cv axle would produce more of a clicking noise instead of a whining noise. Check for grease splattered in the wheel wells and see if the CV axle boot is torn. Safety wise, its probably not too bad if it blew out, itll just break and the rpms will shoot to the roof until you let go of the gas and itll clank and clank until you put it in park. Wallet wise, the tow will rip you a new one :-)
Five years on a tranny fluid change isnt all that bad, I would invest in throwing in 50 bucks and changing the fluid. It probably takes Nissan Matic D or F fluid, I dont remember, check the manual. It wont mess up the gears or nothing, if you use the right fluid.
Highway speeds make it hotter, the long drive could of cranked up the psi until it makes a little noise.
Generally Cv axles on the drivers side blow out before the passenger, mainly because you make more high speed left turns than right.
The cv axle blowing out would probably require a tow home, but a cv axle would produce more of a clicking noise instead of a whining noise. Check for grease splattered in the wheel wells and see if the CV axle boot is torn. Safety wise, its probably not too bad if it blew out, itll just break and the rpms will shoot to the roof until you let go of the gas and itll clank and clank until you put it in park. Wallet wise, the tow will rip you a new one :-)
Five years on a tranny fluid change isnt all that bad, I would invest in throwing in 50 bucks and changing the fluid. It probably takes Nissan Matic D or F fluid, I dont remember, check the manual. It wont mess up the gears or nothing, if you use the right fluid.
07-10-2007, 05:18 AM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 821
Originally Posted by kassim503
It could be overinflation of the tires?
Highway speeds make it hotter, the long drive could of cranked up the psi until it makes a little noise.
Generally Cv axles on the drivers side blow out before the passenger, mainly because you make more high speed left turns than right.
The cv axle blowing out would probably require a tow home, but a cv axle would produce more of a clicking noise instead of a whining noise. Check for grease splattered in the wheel wells and see if the CV axle boot is torn. Safety wise, its probably not too bad if it blew out, itll just break and the rpms will shoot to the roof until you let go of the gas and itll clank and clank until you put it in park. Wallet wise, the tow will rip you a new one :-)
Five years on a tranny fluid change isnt all that bad, I would invest in throwing in 50 bucks and changing the fluid. It probably takes Nissan Matic D or F fluid, I dont remember, check the manual. It wont mess up the gears or nothing, if you use the right fluid.
Highway speeds make it hotter, the long drive could of cranked up the psi until it makes a little noise.
Generally Cv axles on the drivers side blow out before the passenger, mainly because you make more high speed left turns than right.
The cv axle blowing out would probably require a tow home, but a cv axle would produce more of a clicking noise instead of a whining noise. Check for grease splattered in the wheel wells and see if the CV axle boot is torn. Safety wise, its probably not too bad if it blew out, itll just break and the rpms will shoot to the roof until you let go of the gas and itll clank and clank until you put it in park. Wallet wise, the tow will rip you a new one :-)
Five years on a tranny fluid change isnt all that bad, I would invest in throwing in 50 bucks and changing the fluid. It probably takes Nissan Matic D or F fluid, I dont remember, check the manual. It wont mess up the gears or nothing, if you use the right fluid.
07-10-2007, 06:45 AM
#8
Man am I glad to see this post pop up. I have the EXACT same thing and it's been driving me nuts - I also thought it was my tranny (5speed) because it only makes noise when the car is moving. I'm going to check the things you guys have suggested as I need to get it done before Friday (I'm leaving for CA on Saturday, and the day I get home in 2 weeks I'm making a 600 mile drive to NJ and back).
07-10-2007, 07:14 AM
#9
Originally Posted by nearthisbridge
Man am I glad to see this post pop up. I have the EXACT same thing and it's been driving me nuts - I also thought it was my tranny (5speed) because it only makes noise when the car is moving. I'm going to check the things you guys have suggested as I need to get it done before Friday (I'm leaving for CA on Saturday, and the day I get home in 2 weeks I'm making a 600 mile drive to NJ and back).
07-10-2007, 08:37 PM
#10
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Originally Posted by kassim503
It could be overinflation of the tires?
Highway speeds make it hotter, the long drive could of cranked up the psi until it makes a little noise.
Highway speeds make it hotter, the long drive could of cranked up the psi until it makes a little noise.
However the tires are inflated at 29-30 psi which is normal.
07-11-2007, 02:39 AM
#11
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,108
Originally Posted by matrix11229
Overinflation is possible, because I don't hear any more noise while driving in the city.
However the tires are inflated at 29-30 psi which is normal.
However the tires are inflated at 29-30 psi which is normal.
07-11-2007, 04:00 AM
#12
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 39
We popped a tire in Texas and got stuck on the side of the road, changed the tire and drove off a little hoping the rim wasnt warped when we started hearing a scraping sound... we jacked up the car, took the tire off, checked the brakes/rim and shruged.. put it back on and started going and heard more scraping, jacked back up the car... looked at the wheel and noticed that the tire had ripped a peice of plastic from the tire well and it was touching the damned tire...
Check for a rock.
Check for a rock.
07-11-2007, 08:33 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by Dexter
i'm almost positive it's CV joint bearing failure do you make click-click-click (or clunk-clunk-clunk) when you turn? 
07-11-2007, 09:53 PM
#15
Maybe ur rotor was rubbing up against the brake dust shield, mine made a similar noise last brake pad change. I took off the wheel, put car in neutral and spin the hub til the whirring sound went away by pushing on shield in diff spots.
07-12-2007, 06:32 AM
#16
Originally Posted by maxpeed96plat.
Maybe ur rotor was rubbing up against the brake dust shield, mine made a similar noise last brake pad change. I took off the wheel, put car in neutral and spin the hub til the whirring sound went away by pushing on shield in diff spots.
If it's only happen at low speed then
I had mine whining last year. It happened that I had to replace front rotors and pads, the whining noise is gone.
07-12-2007, 06:59 PM
#19
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Originally Posted by maxpeed96plat.
Maybe ur rotor was rubbing up against the brake dust shield, mine made a similar noise last brake pad change. I took off the wheel, put car in neutral and spin the hub til the whirring sound went away by pushing on shield in diff spots.
Thanks for your help guys !
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