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Front end noise

Tiny
WOMAN IN DISTRESS
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 SATURN ION
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 178,000 MILES
My Saturn ion has a few weird glitches. First the service engine light is always on, and it asks to check coolant for almost 3 years and all mechanics tell me that the coolant level is fine. But I have no way of knowing if there is a problem until I notice a change in preformance or strange sounds. This time, it's the noise that is getting to me. The sound of the engine is deeper and louder (almost sounds like a when you change road surfaces but loader) When accelarating it reaches a higher pitch before returning to the load rumble (jet engine is my best description) The last couple of days I feel a slight vibration in the brake pedal when slowing down. Suggestion by some well meaning but untrained people have ranged from tires to transmission to timing belt. Any ideas?
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Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 AT 3:38 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,871 POSTS
Sounds more like a noisy wheel bearing. They typically sound like an airplane engine. You won't hear the noise by running the car in gear jacked up, but you can identify which bearing is bad with a stethoscope from underneath.
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Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 AT 5:27 PM
Tiny
WOMAN IN DISTRESS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thank you. I told a mechanic in my family what you thought the problem might be, and he agreed to take the car out for a drive, and he agrees with me. He also told me I need new front tires and an alignment. The parts will cost about $450. And he can do the work for free.
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Friday, June 24th, 2011 AT 1:13 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Just to add to this one the best way to see if you have a bad front wheel bearing and which one it is. All you have to do is jack the front of the car up put it on jack stands so both front wheels are off the ground. Then put the car in neutral put one hand on the coil spring use the other hand to spin the tire as fast as you can. If you have a bad wheel bearing you will be able to feel the bad wheel bearing in the coil spring. Compare the left side to the right I have used this trick to find all my bad wheel bearings works great.I
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Friday, June 24th, 2011 AT 3:38 AM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,871 POSTS
Neat idea. I always found them with a stethoscope. Does your trick work on other brands of cars?
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Friday, June 24th, 2011 AT 4:43 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Yes I have used it on other brands of cars also if you can hear the bearing you can feel the bearing. Works on rear bearings also.
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Friday, June 24th, 2011 AT 5:20 AM

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