Front End Noise

So I've been having this "whoomp whoomp whoomp" kinda thumping noise coming from my drivers side front wheel for a few months now. It happens between 40-60 MPH. It sounds almost like a tire noise so I recently bought new wheels and tires and no change in noise.

 

I brought it to the dealer twice now. The first time they told me the top cap on the front strut was on 180 degrees wrong. I picked the car up and fixed the strut. Still there. The second time, they had the car for a week and blamed everything from my wheels (which I already took out of the equation) to my rear window spoiler, to my led bulbs on my door. They also claim its a wind noise. Its DEFINITELY NOT a wind noise.

 

The noise is loudest when driving straight and going around a sweeping left turn and gets a little quieter when going around a right turn. It also doesn't matter if the car is in gear or not. As long as the car is rolling between 40-60 the noise is there. The dealer wants me to return the car to stock which entails swapping wheels with my step-father (he has a 2011 2.5i limited), putting my stock springs on, removing my rear window spoiler, and changing my led bulbs in the doors.

 

The first time we road tested it the shop foreman went with me and told me flat out it was the wheel bearing. But with the car on the lift, they couldn't hear anything wrong. I think I'm just going to return everything to stock and let them figure things out.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts of what this could be? I'm going with the wheel bearing. Other ideas are cv joint or something with the drive shaft?

 

 

If you read through this whole thing, thank you for listening to me bitch and blow off some steam.

So I've been having this "whoomp whoomp whoomp" kinda thumping noise coming from my drivers side front wheel for a few months now. It happens between 40-60 MPH. It sounds almost like a tire noise so I recently bought new wheels and tires and no change in noise.

 

I brought it to the dealer twice now. The first time they told me the top cap on the front strut was on 180 degrees wrong. I picked the car up and fixed the strut. Still there. The second time, they had the car for a week and blamed everything from my wheels (which I already took out of the equation) to my rear window spoiler, to my led bulbs on my door. They also claim its a wind noise. Its DEFINITELY NOT a wind noise.

 

The noise is loudest when driving straight and going around a sweeping left turn and gets a little quieter when going around a right turn. It also doesn't matter if the car is in gear or not. As long as the car is rolling between 40-60 the noise is there. The dealer wants me to return the car to stock which entails swapping wheels with my step-father (he has a 2011 2.5i limited), putting my stock springs on, removing my rear window spoiler, and changing my led bulbs in the doors.

 

The first time we road tested it the shop foreman went with me and told me flat out it was the wheel bearing. But with the car on the lift, they couldn't hear anything wrong. I think I'm just going to return everything to stock and let them figure things out.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts of what this could be? I'm going with the wheel bearing. Other ideas are cv joint or something with the drive shaft?

 

 

If you read through this whole thing, thank you for listening to me bitch and blow off some steam.

 

I don't know a lot about it, but I'd be inclined to trust the mechanic that said (confidently, it seems) that it was the wheel bearing... perhaps they couldn't hear it when on the lift because it only happens under load (ie the weight of the car actually on the wheel/bearing)? Just some thoughts, but IMO it seems unlikely to be anything aftermarket, unless your rim is misshaped?

The noise was there before I put the new wheels on. The same tech who told me it was the wheel bearing is the same tech who is now saying its a wind noise. I'm not buying it.

I have been personally dealing with my Legacy wheel bearings and unless I am misundrstanding your written noise, it does not sound like that would be problem. It would have to be underload for the mechanic to know if it was a bearing. Be prepared if it is a wheel bearing, for them to tell you it was from your rims. If you rims are not the exact same offset as factory, they will pin it to that. It happened to me on my WRX once. Good luck with everything.

Its really hard to try to explain what a noise sounds like while typing. It sounds like a sort of thumping, almost like a flat spot on a tire, except for there is no shaking or vibration and like I said, it did the same thing with my previous set of rims/tires. The dealer told me as long as my car is returned to stock, they won't void my warranty.

It may sound stupid, but make sure all the plastic parts underneath (fender liner, skid plate, bumper cover, etc) are properly secured with the necessary trim clips and that none are missing or loose. Also, make sure the hood bumpers are adjusted so that the hood closes properly with little to no play.

Not stupid at all. I checked EVERYTHING. Nothing that I found is loose. It is, without a doubt in my mind, something to do with the wheels turning. As I speed up, the noise gets faster and as I slow down, you can hear the noise get slower.

 

I made another appointment for next Thur. I'll have the car completely stock by then.

I had the EXACT same description of wheel noise as you.

 

The issue resolved itself when I topped up the tires with air.

 

Likely no help to you.... BUT it would be great if you would let us know what resolves your problem because it may be creeping up on my car.

Once you rule out tire noise by swapping wheels around to see if the noise follows the wheel/tire, it sounds like a bad wheel bearing to me.

 

I've had them go out on several vehicles I've owned over the years. The noises and conditions in which they make noise will vary big time. My Hyundai was the WORST. I replaced 2 and traded it in when a third started failing. ($500/ea to replace).

 

My Hyundai made similar whoop-whoop noises (was going to use wop..wop LOL..)

 

What absolutely KILLS me is the fact the Techs said they couldn't see/feel/hear any wheel bearing issues when they had the car on the rack? Wadda bunch of Tards. 99% of the time you can't tell with the vehicle on the rack. Only by road test and listening while driving. Rears are a total be-otch to diagnose. Fronts aren't too bad.

 

Joel

Sounds like it may be a wheel bearing beginning to go. Subaru had problems with wheel bearing suppliers over the years.

Son of a...mine is doing the same thing. Starts at 45mph.

OK, so a small update. I swapped my wheels today with my stepfathers 17" limited wheels. My first observation is that my wheels look much nicer on a GGM. My second observation is that I no longer hear the noise. Now if I had only heard this noise with my current setup then I would say its definitely the wheels or tires but I heard it when I had Coppertones LGT wheels as well.

 

Just to give a little background, here is my current and previous wheel/tire combos:

 

Previous: 18" LGT wheels w/225/45R18 Falken ZE912 A/S

 

Current: MB Motoring Alpina 18" wheels w/225/45R18 General Gmax AS03

 

Borrowed: 17" Limited wheels w/215/50R17 Bridgestone Turanza EL400

 

 

So to sum it up, my previous and current made the noise where my borrowed do not. Am I missing something here? Could it be that the wider A/S tires could have any effect on whatever is causing the noise? I'm stumped.

Of course that would be the case... right? It couldn't just stay consistent and predictable... that would be "too easy". How do the offsets compare? Previous tires were in good condition, right? Not super-worn and no dead spots...? Maybe an imbalance in the tire? Did you try rotating the tires and see if the problem moved with that tire? I don't really know much, just brainstorming...

I would have put money on the fact that my car would have still made the noise with the 17's. FML!

 

The offsets were 55 for the LGT wheels and 40 for the Alpinas and they both made the noise. I'm not sure what the offset is on the Limited 17". The Falkens had about 32,000 miles on them and were evenly worn and the Generals are brand new, and of course, both made the noise. I figured the Falkens were wearing down and that's where the noise was coming from so thats why I got the Generals.

 

I rotated the tires and the noise stayed in the front drivers side. Now with the 17's not making any noise, I guess it would be a waste of time to bring it to the dealer.

Grrrrrrr... sucks!

***UPDATE***

 

I changed out my front drivers side wheel hub tonight with a Timken hub/bearing assembly. Unfortunately, no change in noise. What I have noticed recently is that the car shimmys between 65-75 MPH. I give up. I guess I'll fix it when it gets real bad.

sounds like cupped tires and balenace issue

Tires are brand new

I have seen them cup in a couple hundred miles... if the noise is gone with swapping to other wheels and goes away the first place i would look is tires

 

Jay

It made the same noise with my 18" LGT wheels and my old Falkens

That still don't change that it went away with other tires that was on another veh for a WHILE... and noise is gone I would look at tires and see if there cupped and if so get a ALINGEMENT... As soon as noise goes away when you change something that what u start looking at point plain and simple

 

Jay

I wouldn't disregard a screwy tire.. Maybe a bad belt or something in the tire... Weirder things have happened

***UPDATE***

 

I changed out my front drivers side wheel hub tonight with a Timken hub/bearing assembly. Unfortunately, no change in noise. What I have noticed recently is that the car shimmys between 65-75 MPH. I give up. I guess I'll fix it when it gets real bad.

 

Can you better describe how the shimmy behaves in this speed range?

 

Is it just worse than at 40? Does it go away above 80? Does the shimmy come from "nowhere" and is 100% at the same speed? Does it build, peak, fade at a specific speed range, and always at the that range? If you put less air in tires (30 psi), does the shimmy stay at the same place or does the peak shift down? Same for 40psi; does the shimmy peak higher? Does the magnitude of the shimmy get worse or better with lower pressure or higher pressure, or does it just not matter what the pressure is set at?

 

If you have a chance, go though all of this and see if you can figure out the behavior.

Can you better describe how the shimmy behaves in this speed range?

 

Is it just worse than at 40? Does it go away above 80? Does the shimmy come from "nowhere" and is 100% at the same speed? Does it build, peak, fade at a specific speed range, and always at the that range? If you put less air in tires (30 psi), does the shimmy stay at the same place or does the peak shift down? Same for 40psi; does the shimmy peak higher? Does the magnitude of the shimmy get worse or better with lower pressure or higher pressure, or does it just not matter what the pressure is set at?

 

If you have a chance, go though all of this and see if you can figure out the behavior.

 

 

The shimmy is nonexistent at 40. It starts at 65 and goes away just before 80. The noise starts at 40 and goes till about 60. The noise and shimmy never occur together. Its like I trade the noise for the shimmy at 60-65

 

Its always at the same speed. I don't feel a "build up". It just starts at 65, shimmys equally till 80. No peak but fades out at 80.

 

I haven't tried changing psi. I'll have to do this tomorrow and report back on those last questions.

Tie Rods? The noise could be an early harmonic of the shimmy. I had a car years ago that did pretty much the same until I changed out the tie rods and ball joints.