Car makes noise - only when driving above five mph

General Questions
#1

Well, I saw this thread, so I thought I may as well ask about my own car.

2001 Toyota Corolla, automatic, 97K miles.

When the car idles it makes no noise. When I accelerate, it makes a loud, continuous noise. Almost like a dull roar. I’m quite sure it’s not the brakes nor the muffler. The sound is definitely coming from the hood. I just had the oil changed not too long ago. It doesn’t have a timing belt. It sounds kind of like when the timing belt went in the old car, only it doesn’t shake and shudder at all. The noise gets louder as I go in higher speeds, and I really don’t want to push it over 60 mph. It almost sounds like a really dry sound.

I’m going to take it into the mechanic - eventually - but I wanted to see if anyone had any idea what the problem was. I just got the car in January and I don’t know too much of the history, but I do know the previous owner took very good care of it.

Any ideas, or is it just impossible to tell like this?

#2

Wheel bearings, I’d say.

#3

Does it make the noise if you rev the engine up in neutral, or only when the car is rolling down the road? Do you hear the noise when cruising at a steady speed, or only when actually accelerating?

#4

More:
Does it do it both warm and cold?
Does the A/C make any difference?
Does it also make the noise if you are driving and put the car into neutral?

#5

I’ll go with tires. Did this sound just start or did it gradually get louder?

Un-rotated tires can get awfully noisy and will give you that dry sound. Could also be a bad brake pad dragging on the rotor.

You’d need to answer the questions above by myself, and Gary and Rick so it can be narrowed down.

#6

Does the vehicle have an electronic fan, or an engine driven fan with thermostatic clutch? If the latter, methinks your clutch is locking up and causing full time run.

#7

Sorry, I don’t know how I missed the updates. Ok, questions:

** Does it make the noise if you rev the engine up in neutral, or only when the car is rolling down the road? Do you hear the noise when cruising at a steady speed, or only when actually accelerating? **
I hear it when cruising at a steady speed. I haven’t tried the neutral thing; I can go out and try it if it will help?

** Does it do it both warm and cold?**
Yes.

** Does the A/C make any difference?**
Not noticeably.

** Does it also make the noise if you are driving and put the car into neutral?**
Again, I’ll try this one.

** Did this sound just start or did it gradually get louder?**
It started really soft and intermittent and now it’s grown into a full-fledged noise. It started right before we was off to vacation so we didnt’ have any spare money. Less than 3 weeks I’d day. I literally only drive it to work and back; almost never any extra mileage. I’ve taken two long trips since I got it - and I mean still under 100 miles one way, so not “long”.

** Does the vehicle have an electronic fan, or an engine driven fan with thermostatic clutch? If the latter, methinks your clutch is locking up and causing full time run.**
blank look How would I know? Would this be in the owner’s manual? I mean, I do read that thing.

#8

Yes, please do this and report back.

Please do.

Don’t sweat it, we can work around this.

#9

Raise hood. Observe whether fan is affixed to the engine side of the radiator, and connected with a wiring harness, or is an appendage on the front of the engine, with a belt driving it.

#10

Please do. If it makes the noise sitting still in neutral, it’s an engine (or one part of the transmission) noise. If it only makes it when the vehicle is moving, it’s a drivetrain or suspension noise. Big difference.

Congratulations on reading the owner’s manual; unfortunately this won’t be in there. What kind of car is it (year, make, model)?

#11

OP says 2001 Corolla :wink:

#12

All right, I went out and checked.

When the car is first turned on, it sounds almost like a new one - fairly silent running, no unusual sounds.

Sitting in park, I put it into neutral. No change.

I pulled out of the spot, and without speeding up significantly, put it into neutral. No change.

Then I pushed it up to 5-10 mph. Immediately I heard the sound. Put it into neutral, and the sound stayed exactly the same, no change in it whatsoever.

I listened closely to the noise. It sounds like whoOP, whoOP, whoOP, only very steady.

Thank you SO much for all your help.

#13

Uh, I was just testing you - yeah, that’s it, testing. :o

It’s an electric fan.

#14

Does it get louder as you speed up?

#15

Yes. not a lot, but maybe every 10 mph I can significantly hear a difference.

#16

Sounds like wheel bearings. Hie thee to a garage.

#17

Ok. Thanks for your help - is that likely to be expensive?

#18

At this point it sounds like it may well be a wheel bearing, which is probably in the 200-300 range.

Although it seems to be academic at this point, I’ll clarify that I wanted to know if you could hear the noise in neutral (or park - same difference in this case) with the engine revved up - not just idling - AND THE CAR SITTING STILL.