Kenny1678
Member
So ever since I bought my 2018 with 47k on it, it's had this sort of wheel bearing-esque noise. The weird part about it is that it's loudest at ~50 and ~75mph. It's basically unnoticeable under 35. I noticed that it's slightly louder when turning left and almost silent turning right. Other than that, it seems that acceleration, braking, or being in neutral have no impact on the sound. I can feel it in the brake/throttle, but not either door card. It really feels like the noise is coming from directly behind the gauge cluster.
It sounds like a wheel bearing almost, but the pitch and volume don't exactly follow speed, like road noise pitches up and down in frequency at a faster rate of change than this noise.
Things I've done and the results:
Using spectroid to visualize the sound, it looks like the main noise is around 160hz, and it barely floats up and down with speed. It seems to me like the noise that I'm actually hearing is a harmonic of the actual noise that's resonating through the drivetrain.
I'm worried it might be transmission related, say differential or some bearing on something connected directly (or even through a gear) to the output shaft. That would explain why the pitch of the noise doesn't follow the pitch of road noise, and why I can feel it so strongly in the pedals.
If anyone has any advice on this, please let me know. I might just swap out the wheel bearing regardless, to further ensure I'm focusing my time and effort in the right place. I have the part in hand already, and I done think the rust is bad at all...
It sounds like a wheel bearing almost, but the pitch and volume don't exactly follow speed, like road noise pitches up and down in frequency at a faster rate of change than this noise.
Things I've done and the results:
- Lifted the car to check for bearing play
- Absolutely no play whatsoever. Confirmed exact same feeling on passenger side.
- Put the car in D with both front wheels suspended
- The driver's side tire has a clear "dip" spot. Like a cupped tire, but a single large cup. Passenger side OK. Weirdest part, the driver's side wheel was spinning 1/2 the speed of the passenger side... I didn't feel any major resistance difference when freely spinning each side...
- Swapped driver and passenger front tires
- This had seemingly no impact on the sound. May have to try swapping both fronts to the rear instead.
- Checked and inflated tires to correct pressure (was 35 on all 4 corners instead of 41)
- Also no impact.
Using spectroid to visualize the sound, it looks like the main noise is around 160hz, and it barely floats up and down with speed. It seems to me like the noise that I'm actually hearing is a harmonic of the actual noise that's resonating through the drivetrain.
I'm worried it might be transmission related, say differential or some bearing on something connected directly (or even through a gear) to the output shaft. That would explain why the pitch of the noise doesn't follow the pitch of road noise, and why I can feel it so strongly in the pedals.
If anyone has any advice on this, please let me know. I might just swap out the wheel bearing regardless, to further ensure I'm focusing my time and effort in the right place. I have the part in hand already, and I done think the rust is bad at all...
