Rear Differential (??) Whine

Or, it sounds like the rear diff, but could be somewhere else. The wagon body seems to amplify it.

 

I started getting this in the summer. It is speed-dependent, and starts at relatively low speeds, getting louder as speeds increase. I originally thought it was the summer tires (Michelin Pilot Exaltos), but then I installed the RE92s on the stock wheels for the winter for awhile, and I then had Hankook Icebear W300s installed, with no change.

 

It has been getting louder lately. I will eventually get it to the dealer (not convenient for me) when it gets louder yet, as dealer techs seem to be deaf for sounds (BTDT on other cars).

 

Wondered if anone else has run into this? It started at around 12K miles, and I now have 25K on it (5MT LGT LTD wagon)

Dude...i drive a 2005 Legacy GT Lim. Auto Sedan. I get that wierd whining sound, almost sounds like a dieing meowing cat, and its usually from speed 5mph, and lesss...usually hear it when rolling without accelarating, or i hear it when rolling down something. Took it to the shop, thought it was the front driver side wheel, they took the entire break apart...nothing...

check your fluids??

Its the transmission tahts whining.

It seems that subaru cut the gears a little straighter to give them some more strength. Unfortunately that makes them louder.

Kinda doubt it's the tranny, with the noise having gotten louder since new. When non-car-people who are passengers notice it, it ain't original!!

 

I haven't checked the fluids, as that is something that I would have the dealer do at this point. Sometimes it pays to play the "clueless owner", especially when warranty work is involved!!

Did you check your tire pressures. Not sure about the other tires but I know I had what i thought was a rear differential whine with my LGT 2001.

 

It took me a while but I found that inflating the RE92 a few PSI over Subaru's recomendation would make the sound go away.

Yep. Tire pressures are one of those things that I'm anal about!!

 

When the noise was the same across three very different sets of tires on two different rims, I feel that it is safe to rule out tires.

Every legacy gt I have driven exhibited gear whine. My car quieted down a little once I changed the fluids. However, its always been loud and noticable by any/all passengers.

All that I can say is that the car did not do it for the first 12-15K of it's life. Could be that the gears get louder with age.....but I doubt it. Over half of my ~25 cars over the last 39 years of driving have had manual trannies, and the only time I've had a "whine" like this is when I killed a couple of rear diffs with "abusive driving"!!

 

I won't be able to get to the dealer until late January when I have some days off from beig out-of-town, but I'll bet a buck that the rear diff (if not the rear CVs....or driveshaft, for that matter) will need help.

 

My purpose in starting ths thread was to see if anyone else had experienced this issue.

^ I doubt that too.. I'd change the fluid, it might be low for some really ODD reason..

whining that gets louder with speed, although it should plateau at a certain speed, is usually a clue for a bad bearing, typically axle not pinion.

Checking the fluid level is way to easy not to do it first before going to a dealership and putting up with a potential hassle of they not knowing what to do.

 

If fluid level is right, then bite the bullet and have them take a listen. Unless you quarter mile the car on a routine basis and/or have added gobs of power, it may just be "noise" or then again infant mortality.

How many miles on the car? You mentioned that it's getting louder lately, bearing(s) will do that.

 

Let us know what you uncover.

Good Luck!

25K on the car right now.

25K is not much at all, but to far along for infant mortality per say.

At what mileage would you say the noise first appeared?

Are you abusive on the drive train?

25K is not much at all, but to far along for infant mortality per say.

At what mileage would you say the noise first appeared?

Are you abusive on the drive train?

 

Of course I'm abusive to the drivetrain, that's why I bought the car!!

 

Not really, as the only way to be "abusive" is to do stupid stuff, and quick starts and shifts don't qualify IMHO. If some truly likes sidestep-clutch starts (which are worthless in the LGT, anyway), the clutch would be the first to go.

 

Even launches on the car are just not that tough (compared to other RWD and FWD manual-tranny cars I've had), since you have to use the "clutch slip" method

 

"Hard driving" is not gonna kill a wheel bearing (if that's the issue), unless someone is out playing "WRC Wannabe".

 

First I noticed it was at about 12K, but that was around the time that I put on the summer wheels/tires late last Spring, so I just suspected that it was the tires. The noise seemed to pick up volume as the cold weather hit. I then went to the RE92s for a few weeks, then had the Icebears mounted on the stock wheels, and the sound didn't change through the tire swaps.

 

I do a lot of dirt road driving (work-related), as well as a pretty rough stretch of dirt road just getting in & out of the subdivision. OTOH, maybe that "does" qualify as "WRC Wannabe" driving!!

bearings aside, it could be one of the joints have taken all they can in your dirt road driving.

 

Hard driving, regardless of how you impart the loads, puts greater strain on all parts. A part that's minimal and gets overly stressed will show it's weakness first. Could be a bearing, gear, case, anything from an engineering perspective.

Several others (including myself) reported similar whining sounds in the below thread... seems you are not alone.

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24514

my car was delivered over a liter low (the tranny dipstick wasn't even wet). after topping up, the tranny was much quieter. it could be that your car has been low for a while now and the gears a spalled.

My car also makes a strange whining noise. Fluid levels are okay. The car is due for an oil change and I will just take it to the dealer and have them check it out. I notice it most when the windows are down and the radio is off. Doesn't sound like a wheel bearing, it almost sounds like the alternator whine you would get if you wired up your stereo wrong...

I got $10 that says it's a wheel bearing...we've already replaced a few on '05 Legacy's and Outbacks...

Yeah, from thins Ive read here, I'm suspecting a rear wheel bearing. When I get back home in a couple weeks, I'll be there for about a week so it will be time for the dealer. Couple more weeks of some dirt roads, also the job site is a sea of mud right now (rain and temps near 40)!!

We have the SAME exact noise.

 

A hum or whine.

 

Definately speed related, not RPM related.

 

Almost sounds like when you put playing cards in the spokes of your bike as a kid, only....ride it at like 30-50mph!!!

 

I'm worried about it because I cant track it down to where it's coming from.

 

Only other analogy is it sounds like a driveshaft is whipping or out of balance (I've had this on older 4x4 trucks).

 

She has 18K on the car now, I'd say she first started complaining about it around 12K or so.

 

 

It's NOT tire pressure (run 35 on all corners). Tires all look good tread wise.

 

 

Between this, the broken day/night mirror, the broken heated seat bottom, and the still annoying stutter, this hasn't been my ideal vision of Subaru quality.

Bumpin' this one up....

 

FINALLY got around to taking it in to the dealer for the whine, plus a few other minor issues. Since the nearest dealer is 25 miles away, it's an iconvenience.

 

Anyway, the noise was a rear wheel bearing. it's on overnight order, and will be installed tomorrow.

 

FWIW, I got a std '06 Forester as a loaner. Not sure who said the newer remote entry modules were less sensitive, but this one ain't!!

When I changed the transmission fluid to redline NS I noticed a reduction in gear whine, even though there wasn't a lot to begin with.

I just started noticing the same thing a few days ago. I've only had the car for a week now (bought it used with 17k miles). I'm going to visit a dealer tomorrow morning.

Between this, the broken day/night mirror, the broken heated seat bottom, and the still annoying stutter, this hasn't been my ideal vision of Subaru quality.

 

Is that all? Many had more issues. Sorry, it ain't a BMW, but I do agree it should be better than it is now - it's not anywhere near being the cheapest car these days. As for the whine - I had mine fixed several months ago - it was a rear wheel bearing. I don't think I'd be buying another Subaru.