Cold Weather Whine

OK, I know our MT cars have quite a bit of gear whine in first and second gears. Until now, I've never heard any whine in third. However, now that the weather has gotten really cold, I hear some kind of whine while driving in third gear after a cold start. I can't even positively say this whine is coming from the transmission...It's just kind of a whining/whirring noise as I speed up or slow down while in third gear when the car is cold. After I drive a few miles and the car warms up, the noise goes away.

 

Has anyone in frigid climates had the same experience?

yes sir....3rd doesnt whine as much, but still does for me, even at warmer temps. 1st and 2nd are very prominet though...

I like the whine. It sounds mean.

Amsoil

Amsoil

 

Nosoil

Nosoil

 

Beeroil

It's been COLD here the last few days...like -10 degrees with a -30 degree wind chill.

 

When I first started my car this morning, there was an awful whine coming from the engine area for about 5 seconds...I know it takes a while for the oil to circulate on cold days, but jeeeez that noise is not pretty...it sends chills down my spine...If it happens again tomorrow I'm gonna get it checked out and possibly have "cold weather friendly" oil put in...

 

Just for kicks my clutch pedal will happily squeek away with every gear change as the gear whine hums along until things warm up.

 

I love this car but it's easily as noisy as my 97 Outback was on cold mornings...and that thing had a heat shield rattle that was LOUD.

Until all the various drivetrain parts are at operating temperature, including the tires, the GT will whine.

This is normal and should not be considered out of character with nearly any all-wheel drive system and/or manual transmissions in temperatures below 10-degrees (F).

 

[edit] PS: I have a friend with a new Volvo S40 T5 AWD that sounds like the wheels are going to fall off until it warms up! Partly due to the unusual sound of the 5-cylinder engine but the awd system is part-time so it doesn't warm up as quickly or react with the same assurance as the subaru full-time system.

Mine has always whined when it gets too cold. It lasts maybe three minutes and it seems to come more from the front of the engine. I always thought it was the power steering pump because of location. Never really thought that much about it.

 

I am running Mutol in the trans and it really helped with drivability in all temps.

 

I always drive slow until the gauge shows around a quarter warm anyway.

 

Peace,

 

Greg

It's been COLD here the last few days...like -10 degrees with a -30 degree wind chill.

 

When I first started my car this morning, there was an awful whine coming from the engine area for about 5 seconds...I know it takes a while for the oil to circulate on cold days, but jeeeez that noise is not pretty...it sends chills down my spine...If it happens again tomorrow I'm gonna get it checked out and possibly have "cold weather friendly" oil put in...

 

Just for kicks my clutch pedal will happily squeek away with every gear change as the gear whine hums along until things warm up.

 

I love this car but it's easily as noisy as my 97 Outback was on cold mornings...and that thing had a heat shield rattle that was LOUD.

 

 

You should PM me about the whine...I dont think it's that, cause I had it too, on a -10 morning, and i switched to Mobil 1 SuperSyn 5w-30, and still have it. I actually think it's the starter not disengaging from the engine! It's just a little cold and sluggish, and after the engine goes, the starter spins too fast, making the whine, until it gets disengaged.

I experience very similar, but minor, whining sounds. I also live in Colorado (very cold lately!) and hear much more noise at idle, as well as in most gears. The turbo is very quiet on this car, but I think what I hear during acceleration is a slight whine from the turbo (any gear). I guess it could be transmission related, too, but it is very hard for me to place.

It happened again this morning. It was 2 degrees when I started the car. It could very well be the starter, or possibly the turbo first starting to spin? I'll see what happens when I leave the office.

I get a strange whirring/whine noise and i'm out here in So Cal. I'm talking about 50 degree temps and after the car is warmed up it still occurs. I can only really tell when I am next to wall or something and have the window cracked and the music down. It's very faint, but there is definately a weird noise, definately not the turbo.

I bet it is the power steering fluid/pump.

 

Try moving the wheel just a little bit when stopped, see if it changes the sound at all.

 

-B

Today is not as cold (a balmy 18 degrees!) and the car made no unusual noises (other than the typical "subie" noises)

 

So I guess it's something that is only gonna happen when it's below zero...I'll have the dealer check it out.

I have a 2010 impreza, automatic transmission. I live in Canada Saskatchewan Saskatoon. On mornings -15C to -30C, third gear whines A LOT. With the engine warmed up, I just drive gently to warm the tranny up before it's a get away car. My ATF is clean and filled up. It must be something with third gear that makes it loud. It goes away when everything is warm.

Wow, this must be some kind of record for, "back from the dead"

 

Good job for a newbie finding this.

 

Now day's the power steering pump whines for a few seconds when its really cold.

 

In the 14 years I've been driving my wagon, I can't really say I notice any tranny noise when its cold. Well nothing that isn't always there on the 1st and 2nd, most that is the straight cut gears in the 5mt.

 

I'm currently driving a 2017 Dodge Journey while the wagon is at the body shop. it also whines when its started and below like 20F for a few seconds. It has 22,000 miles on it.

ive had that high pitched whine anytime the temp is under 15 when it first starts, parents accord also does it though so not just a subie thing

My first guess would also have been power steering. Virtually all of my vehicles, no matter make or model have power steering whine at least for a minute or so when it's extremely cold.