Whining or whistling when in motion

Tiny
FEARLESSNIGHT
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 56,000 MILES
I recently purchase a 2005 chevrolet equinox LT AWD. There is a high pitched whining noise or whistling noise that will come and go. One thing that is consistant is every time the noise is present once I hit 15 mpr. Or less the noise stops on a Q. When the noise is present if I turn to the left or right the noise stays completely the same. Thinking maybe it was the transmission or engine when the noise was present I threw it into neutral at about 50 mpr. And reved it up a little still no change in the noise. Whatever the noise is it seems to only be associated with wheel speed any ideas?
Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 AT 7:21 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Hello,

I have seen this problem before it is the wheel bearing hub. Here is a video to help you see what you are in for with diagrams below to help you with your car:

https://youtu.be/ZgiPRG6jffc

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.

Cheers
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DDCOTTER
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  • 2 POSTS
Thank you for this post I got a new bearing hub for $145.00 from Amazon all fixed! I love this site.
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DDCOTTER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
For myself, it isn't the act of braking, but decreasing speed to below 10 mph. It is somehow correlated to the speed at which the tires spin. If I am on a slippery surface and gun it, making my tires spin faster (but not the car) it gets louder. The sound is situated in the front passenger side of the car.
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Okay, then I am leaning back towards bearing with yours. IF it changes pitch wheel speed and not RPM, belt tensioner is out. You can verify this by reving the engine in park.

Does the noise change if you vere left or vere right?
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
LYNN ANDERSON
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I had the same problem. When I was going anywhere from 20 miles to 45 + miles per hour the right front wheel area had a whining noise. When I slowed down or stopped the noise stopped. It would come and go but finally would keep making the noise and became annoying.
I took it to the Chev Dealer and they said it was the "center support bearing". I had them grease it and was told it could last a week or 2 yrs.

Is this something that needs to be replaced and could you tell me where it is located? Also, does a shop have to replace it or can it be done by a home mechanic.
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KDOOM
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I had the same problem. This is the wheel Hub :)
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 11:20 AM (Merged)
Tiny
EQUINOXINDC
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Can’t believe I’ve finally found a thread with this same issue! Never solved last winter through online searches and a trip to the shop, it went away for the summer, and started up again last week here in DC with the dropped temps. This whistle/whine starts at 14 mph and is not affected by accelerating, breaking or turning - stays the same pitch and volume. Only thing that makes it stop is getting below 14 mph. Doesn’t seem to be heard outside the car; just from the inside. When I take my trusty 2005 AWD Equinox into the shop again this winter, which cause am I suggesting to them to look at for me? Thank you!
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 6:51 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,874 POSTS
There's two ways to verify which bearing is noisy. One is to run the engine in gear, with the vehicle on a hoist, then listen next to each bearing with a stethoscope. One will leave you wondering if it is bad, but you'll definitely know it when you listen to the noisy one. Don't be fooled by the noise changing when turning slightly, as in when changing lanes, and when the noise sounds like it is coming from a specific side of the vehicle. Sound transmits easily and a bad left bearing can sound like the noise is coming from the right side.

The second way to find this is to raise the front tires off the ground, reach over the top of the tire and wrap your fingertips lightly around the coil spring. Rotate the tire by hand and if that bearing is noisy, you'll feel the vibration in your fingertips.

When replacing these bolt-on style bearings, (and the pressed-in style too), it is critical that no vehicle weight be placed on the bearing when the axle nut is not tightened to specs. Some people set the vehicle down onto the tire so it will hold it from spinning when they torque the axle nut. Doing so instantly made the new bearing noisy, and is the reason some people experience repeat failures. Instead, stick a punch or screwdriver into a cooling slot in the rotor. That will hold it from spinning while the axle nut is tightened.

Always use a click-type torque wrench when tightening the axle nuts. The most common specs are in the area of 180 foot-pounds, but a lot of GM vehicles call for as much as 240 foot-pounds.

Here's links to some related articles:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/whirring-sound
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Monday, November 26th, 2018 AT 7:39 PM

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