Howling in rear end

2003 SATURN VUE
65,000 MILES • 4 CYL • FWD • MANUAL
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ALAN ARNOLD
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  • 1 POST
When driving my vehicle there is a load howling. Seems to be coming from the rear end. What is the cause for this? I have heard that it could be the wheel bearings? The noise did not start until I moved from CA to NC. If it is the bearings, could the to much cargo weight cause the bearings to go out? Approximately six hundred pounds.
Sep 10, 2008 at 5:48 PM
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RACSAN3
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I had the same problem and replaced the bearings and it did not fix it. I replaced the tires and that did it. I know it is hard to believe, but I would bet your tires are shot.
Feb 23, 2009 at 5:21 PM
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MONICABRAN
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  • 2 POSTS
I had the same problem so I changed wheel bearings all the way around. Still heard it. Took back to shop. The new bearing they just put on was bad changed it out the noise was gone.
Aug 19, 2018 at 7:01 AM
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STEVE W.
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  • 15,113 POSTS
Tires and bearings are both noise sources. Worn bearings will make a growling sound as you drive which will usually change in level if you swerve the vehicle back and forth. The swerving changes the loading on the bearings and the noise changes. For tires, if they wear in a strange pattern or if they are molded with large tread blocks they can howl. An easy way to discover if the sound is from the tires is to listen to them as the road surface changes. If you are driving along at 55 mph and hear the noise and the road surface changes from asphalt to concrete or even to new asphalt the tire noise should change as well. If you have a dirt road nearby and drive it and still hear a howl it is not the tires.
Another testing method involves a tool called a Chassis Ear. It is a set of vibration sensors that you clamp to possible sources of noise, then you listen to the sensors as the vehicle is driven. You can select each sensor and pinpoint the noise by listening for the loudest area of noise.
Aug 20, 2018 at 10:57 AM