whudini3000

iTrader: (1)

Been trying to figure this out for a while now. Just picked up a 2004 TL with 69k and just started getting a whirling noise from the front passenger side. I tried recording the sound, but it comes out faint on video. The sound ends at 900 rpms and only in 1st gear. Stop and go traffic, it is most prevalent. It seems to correlate with the spin of the tire(s) and silences after 900 rpms. It sounds like an electronic whirling and gains speed.

Tires on the vehicle are brand new kuhmo all season.


Thanks in advance.

PS tranny is great! The sound is louder in the cabin than it is outside......

DuRtYwUrKs

wheel bearings...

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

^*2 on wheel bearings...

Shring

a wheel bearing noise isn't going to go away after 900rpms. sounds like something else..

whudini3000

iTrader: (1)

I hopped in my g/f car this weekend to see if the same sound is present.... It was and a bit quieter. I wondering if its normal....

04AutoTL

We have an 04 and experience the same thing. It's the tires. Switch brands and it will go away. Wife goes thru tires every year so we put up the the whirling noise to go with the cheaper priced Kumo's.

whudini3000

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the your input. most informative!

04AutoTL

Im no expert by any means, but your description sounds exactly like what we experienced. We have 150,000 miles on wifes car and been through a lot of tires. The longest lasting tires we found have been the kumo platinums (got 40,000miles on them) Tried all the other brands paying up to $285 each for tires and only averaged 20,000-30,000 miles out of them.

04AutoTL

I guess what I meant to say but didnt is to have it looked at to make sure it's just the tires and not something else as others suggest it might be.

whudini3000

iTrader: (1)

I just got my tires rotated and guess what?! The noise was cut down substantially. It is indeed the tires. Excuse my french, but good fucking call man. I really appreciate it.

whudini3000

iTrader: (1)

Nail in the coffin: Low power steering fluid. Turns out the last owner bailed out on this vehicle and sold it for 13.2 @ 67k miles because he thought it was going to be a major cost he didnt want to incur. New tires and power steering fluid is slowly killing the sound. If i could best describe the noise once again, it sounded as if the car was going in reverse. No noise was created when wheels were moved left and right, noise only created in forward motion. Hopefully, this post will be helpful in the near future.

04AutoTL

kumo's are cheaper tires with a decent mileage rating but they do not wear very good. We have been finding them to be needed to be replaced at 30,000-35,000 miles even though they are rated for 60,000.