I have a noise that sounds like a small plane droning that changes pitch as speed increases. I think it's the left-side. Sound doesn't change when turning. It starts at 20 MPH. It doesn't stop when I brake slightly or take it out-of-gear. Very low mileage...around 60K. Thanks for any ideas or where I might ask online. bob
Jesse, suggested "wheel bearing".
Almost certainly a wheel bearing.
Take it to a tech immediately. There are some other possibilities, but the wheel bearing is certainly a major one and the conequences of wheel bearing failure are so severe that I would not drive it until that has been ruled out.
Yes.
--scott
Could also be tires. Try to find a street that has changes in road surface, like concrete to asphalt. If the sound changes, it's tires. You can also run your hand around the tread - a bad tire will feel like it has a sawtooth surface. It's usually also easy to see.
The sound of a wheel bearing will almost always change when you swing the car from side to side. There's also a chance it's in the trans, and the sound won't change at all going side to side.
We can rule out tires (I think)...both front tires are smooth-no ridges (less than a year old). Driving over snow cover...you still hear the noise. There doesn't seem to be a change in the sound moving the wheel back- and-forth. (sure hope it's not the tranny! *L*) Thanks for your input on this.
No apparent noise when jacked-up and spinning at 30MPH (of course there is little to load the bearing-no weight).
Makes it seem like a wheel bearing, as several people have mentioned.
A bit more...going 30-40MPH...it makes less noise turning left than turning right (right is about the same as going straight). Definitely seems to be the driver's side (left, here in the US/Canada).
Left wheel bearing. Usually the rights go bad first.
It was too cold to do the job myself...cost me $300 for the better quality one and labor. Oh well, it's fixed!
Yay! Thanks for the update.
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