Whistling sound from front driver's wheel

Could be a warning tab on a brake pad touching the rotor or a wheel bearing.

It's an intermittent sound though, not constant. The time between the sounds gets shorter as I pick up speed. And it's not just when I apply the brakes, so it wouldn't be a brake pad, would it? I wish I could come up with a better word for it than "whistling", because it's not exactly. Maybe squeaking? I don't know. I guess I'll have no choice but to take it in and have it looked at. I was hoping to avoid that as I'm a single father on disability. Anyway, if u think of anything else, let me know. Thanks.

If it were the brake sensor or if part of the brake went metal to metal then it could be the pad.I have the noise very random and the noise be there when applying the brake or stop when the brakes are applied.

The sound is there both when brake are or are not being applied.

It is there all the time, except when I come to a complete stop. I can compare it to striking a key on a piano. As I drive slow, it is like striking the key every 2 seconds. Then as I speed up the time between the strikes shortens, as if I'm striking it every second, and then 1/2 a second. Then if I get on the highway and above 100 km/hr, I can no longer hear it. But once I slow down, I can hear it again until I stop, then it's gone. So it's definitely related to the spinning of the wheel. But when I check the wheel, I see nothing unusual. Nothing stuck in the tire or wheel well.

Hey, did you resolve this issue and find out what was causing this sound? Because I have a Saturn 2001, and I’m having the exact same issue now with my front wheel making the exact same sound! Just like you described it and how it behaves when driving or stopping. Any ideas? Thanks!

Hi,

It appears the thread was never finished. Let me try to help.

First, when you apply the brakes, does the noise change pitch? If it does, first inspect the brake pads as mentioned above. They have a steel sensor on them that is designed to touch the rotor when the brakes need to be replaced. That could be the noise.

Next, check the dust shield behind the brake rotor. They can get bent or rust and touch the rotor while it's moving.

I attached a pic of the sensors I mentioned. See if they appear to be touching the rotor. You should be able to see them through the wheel.

If you look under the vehicle, you will be able to see the dust cover behind the rotor. Inspect that as well.

One last thought. If you safely lift the front wheels off the ground, turn one at a time by hand and see if you can locate where it's coming from.

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,

Joe

See pic below.

Thanks so much, Joe, for the kind reply!

I have to say this is a big mystery, still unsolved...

About a week ago, when this sound started, it sounded like it was the brake pads' sensor (it actually didn't change pitch when I applied the brakes, but only with slowing down - even without the breaks - and accelerating). So, I took the car to my mechanic, and he replaced the brake pads with new ones. I thought that was it, and everything was fine driving home. But the next day, the sound all of a sudden appears again!

So, on the weekend I put the car up on the jack and rotated the front left wheel by hand. It indeed made the sound of metal scratching metal (i.e. the sensor again?). So, the next day I drove back to the mechanic, and I heard this annoying sound all the way over there (not a short drive). But then when I get to the mechanic - just as with Murphy's law - he gets into the car and drives it around (with me) to listen to the sound and it's gone! absolutely gone. He lifts the car up, inspects the wheels, and doesn't see, nor hear anything wrong! (I'm assuming he would see, or hear, if the dust shield was the culprit?). He said it might have been a stone or something that was possibly stuck between the rotor and that piece of metal next to it, but I don't know.

This is mind boggling. This Saturn (LW200, 2001) is just - something! I'm afraid to drive the car now, as I'm sure this sound will be back! Do you have a picture of the dust shield by any chance, so that I could take a look at it myself?

Thank you again!

AJ

Hi,

Did you check both front wheels to see if the sound was present? If not, which side made the noise?

I attached a pic below for you to see. The pic isn't specific to your vehicle, but basically, they are all the same or very similar.

The brake rotor sits directly in front of the dust shield. Take a look at it and let me know if you have questions.

Joe

See pic below.

Thanks Joe!

On my own, I checked only the front driver-side wheel, as that is where the sound seemed to be coming from, and indeed, when I put the car on the jack, that wheel made the metal-on-metal sound (see video attended!). At the mechanic, he turned both front wheels by hand, and none of them made a sound...

And thank you for the picture of the dust shield! I'll definitely check it!

AJ

I hear it. Check the backing plate and if it is good, just confirm nothing is touching. If nothing is found, the last thing is the wheel bearing.

Let me know.

Joe

Thank you! Will do!

AJ

Hi,

I noticed I haven't heard from you for a couple of days. Have you been able to check the backing plate/dust cover?

I don't mean to be a pain, but I'm just interested in knowing if it's fixed.

Take care.

Joe

Oh no, you're not being a pain at all, thank you for following up!

I actually drove the car to the mechanic again today, so that he could look at these things! The sound has been coming in and out these past few days. And of course, once I got to the mechanic, it was gone. No trace of it. So, I figured it must be related to heat. When the car is relatively cold, something makes the sound. When it is hot, that thing expands, and doesn't make the sound anymore (my mechanic is about 17 miles away from me, so it's enough for the car to get hot). I pleaded with him to lift the car up and simply look at the parts you mentioned, but he refused. Said he needs something to work with, i.e. he needs to hear the sound. Ugh.

So, the next time I hear this sound I am going to go to any car shop close to me, to have them look at it. I wish I could do it myself, but it's hard for me to see anything just lying under the car, and I don't really know what I'm looking at... :)

AJ

AJ,

That has to be frustrating. I think you have a good idea. Get it to someone that can hear it before it stops.

I remember about 5 years ago having a similar issue with an Audi A4. However, although the sound (which sounded like bad brakes) existed all the time, it would change pitch when the brakes were applied. The fix for that one was pad replacement. The inexpensive ones installed were causing the noise.

Regardless, if you want, take a few pics of the underside of the vehicle where the backing plate is located. I should be able to tell if it looks like a possibility.

Let me know what I can do to help.

Take care,

Joe

Thanks again Joe!

I tried to get my hand and phone in there as much as I could and took a bunch of pictures. Uploaded them all to this Google Drive folder, if you want to take a look! They might all be of the same thing, but I just snapped a bunch of them, to make sure I am not missing anything that might be an important clue!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DowiTJCoT99J4WHZhMoA5VS7rMH0rQ0D?usp=sharing

Let me know if you see anything there, and thank you again,

AJ

Hi,

It looks like the lower part of the dust shield is against the rotor. See the pic I attached. Check that and if it is, simply gently bend it away from the rotor and see if the sound is gone.

Let me know.

See pic below.

Thank you! How far should the dust shield be from the rotor, ideally?

Hi,

I would simply make it even all the way around without bending it where it mounts. All in all, 3/4" approximately?

Let me know if that takes care of the problem.

Joe

Thanks so much! Will do!

AJ

Hi,

You are very welcome. Let me know if that takes care of the problem.

Take care,

Joe

Hi again,

So, no luck. Turns out that was an optical illusion, and that bottom part of the dust cover wasn't touching the rotor. I could get my fingers between them. But also, there wasn't much room to move it even further from the rotor, as there's that big bolt right against it... I tried to move it a tiny bit, and took the car for a test drive, and... our favorite sound was there as usual... I think there's not much choice but to go to a shop, lift the car, and take the whole wheel apart?

At this point, that may be a choice. It makes it difficult not being there. The only other thing I can suggest is checking for play in a wheel bearing. If there is nothing visible touching, it has to be something hidden.

When you had the wheel off the ground, did you notice any play up down, side to side, or in and out in the wheel?

I may have asked you already, but is it possible for you to record it and upload it for me to hear? It may not be loud enough, but it may help. Also, in the rear of the wheel (not the tire) is there any evidence of something toughing?

Let me know.

Joe

Hi Joe,

I didn't notice anything when I had the wheel off the ground, other than that annoying scratching sound, that you could hear in that video I uploaded before (and also linked below). Also, I couldn't see anything in the rear, it's really hard to see anything unless you are directly underneath it (in a shop). If something was clearly touching - then that would be our culprit!

I also uploaded to the same link a recording of the sound while driving. It's the same scratching sound from the video, just in higher pitch, as the wheel is turning faster...

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DowiTJCoT99J4WHZhMoA5VS7rMH0rQ0D?usp=sharing

Let me know if this rings a bell!

Thanks,

AJ

Hi,

Do me a favor. Remove the wheel and push the caliper back away from the rotor so the brake pads aren't touching the rotor. See if the sound goes away. Also, when the wheel is off, go all around that backing plate and see if it is touching in a different place.

Let me know. Also, I attached a pic below showing how to release pressure from the brake pads.

Let me know what you find. I did listen to all three videos, and it sounds like one of the two.

Joe

See pic below.

Hi Joe,

Okay, so brought the car to a mechanic near me, and of course, the sound was on all the way there, but the minute the mechanic got in my car for a test drive, it was gone!! But, when they put the car on the lift, and took the wheel off and one of them stepped on the gas, we finally heard the sound! Hallelujah! See the video attached (it's actually cropped here, so I've uploaded the video also to that same Google Drive folder). So, they said it didn't sound like it was coming from the brakes at all, and not related to the pads touching the rotor, but from something behind the brakes (the wheel bearing?). What do you think?

Thanks,

AJ

It sounds much different in the video. Just to eliminate a possibility with the brakes, I would try to remove pressure from the pads. However, not that I heard the video, it does sound like something different. At this point, the next step would require the removal of the hub and CV axle for inspection.

Interestingly, even though it could be the bearing, it doesn't have a traditional bearing sound.

Let me know if you have questions and if there is anything I can do to help.

Take care,

Joe

Thank you! So, you mean removing the entire rotor-caliper-pads complex?

And hmm... does it sound like anything else that you could recognize, if not the bearing?

AJ

Hi,

It wouldn't hurt to remove everything. However, if the caliper is removed, don't press the brake pedal. It will cause the caliper piston to shoot out. LOL

Let me know.

Joe

Oh yes, I won't be touching it. my mechanic will :) back to him (17 miles drive again) on Friday. What a saga...

Hi,

Today's cars have become more and more interesting to work on. If you have a chance, let me know what he tells you. Something small is touching or the bearing is the cause. I'm really interested in knowing what is found.

Take care of yourself,

Joe

Hi again Joe,

So, he diagnosed that it must be the wheel bearing. Even though he said that he had never heard such a sound coming from a wheel bearing, he pin-pointed the sound to be coming from it, and so he went ahead and repealed it. So far, that seems to have taken care of the problem! But guess what, all of a sudden today, I have no back lights (other than the brake light) and no dashboard light! Ah! There is no way on earth these could be related, right? must a fuse or something? This car is haunted!

But thank you so much for all the guidance and advice, it's been of tremendous help! Glad we have solved that one! (And now, on to the new thing, hahaha.)

AJ

Hi,

AJ, I agree with him. I never heard a bearing make that sound either. Regardless, I'm glad it's fixed.

As far as the lights, do me a favor. Start a new thread related to the lighting issue. Copy and paste the new issue you indicated and either I will, or another tech will guide you.

I would do it from here, but we try to keep threads specific to one topic. That way, it is more helpful to others. I hope you understand.

Here is the link to start a new one:

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/new

Again, I hope you understand. Also, please feel free to come back anytime in the future. You are always welcome here.

Take good care of yourself.

Joe

Hi Joe,

Of course! I totally understand! My bad... but actually I think we might not need a new thread, as it seems to be just a fuse this time... But, with this car, I am sure you guys will hear from me sooner or later, when the next thing breaks! :-) (in a new thread of course!)

Thank you again for all your help, and for caring, you've been more than wonderful, and this website is awesome!!

All the best to you too, and take good care,

AJ

AJ,

You are very welcome. And certainly, you are always welcome here.

Take care of yourself.

Joe