I have a 2008 Volvo S40 with 11,000 miles on it. Over the last 3,000 miles it has developed an odd noise coming from the tires I think. When driving slow(under 20mph) it sounds like a wah wah wah wah wah sound as you coast along. It gets faster as you pick up speed till the sound is seemless. My tires are balanced and rotated every 5,000 miles. Wear seems normal. Sounds like road noise but goes up and down in pitch. Any idea on what this sound might be before I call the dealer?
Wah Wah Wah Wah sound coming from under car......
- Thread starter Chris B.
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Check tires for lumps on the tread area or sidewall that could indicate a separating tread.
What type of tires?
My Impala used to do that after 50k miles, and my fiance's Grand AM GT R/A does that now. Have you been in rainy weather/puddles with your car? Typically its a hub/wheel bearings with water intrusion. They might need to be repacked with grease.
Not unlikely due to low miles, if you drive in a lot of inclimate weather it increases the chances of water/debris pushing the grease out from between the bearings. Most cars do not have a sealed system and if they do, its usually the rears with drum brakes.
Not unlikely due to low miles, if you drive in a lot of inclimate weather it increases the chances of water/debris pushing the grease out from between the bearings. Most cars do not have a sealed system and if they do, its usually the rears with drum brakes.
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probably out of alignment and tires are starting to wear improperly.
Try rotating the tires front to back and see if the noise shifts. If the tires are not directional, you can also rotate them side to side.
Bad wheel bearing. Could also be a cupped tire if your car is out of alignment.
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Could be bad tires, flat spotted tires from long term sitting, or a bad bearing.
Kris is right, Try rotating the tires front to back and see if the noise shifts.. that's the cheapest troubleshooting step.
Kris is right, Try rotating the tires front to back and see if the noise shifts.. that's the cheapest troubleshooting step.
Probably a tire is no longer perfectly round but very slightly ovoid. I had bad tires that made sounds like what you describe.
Could be that the tires are unbalanced. Maybe one of the weights fell off the rim. Have the tires balanced and rotated and see if it goes away.
I am willing to bet that it is a bearing
Originally Posted By: berniedd
Probably a tire is no longer perfectly round but very slightly ovoid. I had bad tires that made sounds like what you describe.
it has been happening a. Lot with good year tirs. I am on the phone at least once every day calling good year for warranty adjsutments
Probably a tire is no longer perfectly round but very slightly ovoid. I had bad tires that made sounds like what you describe.
it has been happening a. Lot with good year tirs. I am on the phone at least once every day calling good year for warranty adjsutments
by chance do you have GEORGE HARRISON " Wah , Wah " in cd player ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd8K5juJ_1M .
I was going to say to check if someone installed a wah-wah pedal in your car...
mine does that if I open the rear windows, a weird road noise but with windows closed this wah wah noise goes away, actually a wind noise caused by the way the window is designed into the body.
My 98 Lumina was making the same noises from the rear. I was so sure it was bad bearings, I was ready to buy the rear bearing sets and put them on. Well, because it is FWD , the rear bearings are sealed and you replace the entire hub assembly and it is expensive. I then did some more trouble shooting, and a separated tire was the noise maker. I got 2 new tires for the rear and it was quiet and drove like new. Try the front to rear tire rotation and see if the noise travels to the front. Then you knowif it is tire related.
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