So about 6 months ago I noticed a whining noise coming from somewhere, it was low but audible. Its gotten progressively worse, and today it just got really really load even when doing 10mph.

It speeds up as I speed up and is like a wah wah wah wah wahwahwahwahwah until I hit 70+ and its literally one long super loud whine.

I go to check my wheels and the morons at the tire place neglected to put one of my lug bolts in and the others on my right rear where loose.

I tightened everything, start driving and the whine is just as loud.

Can anyone please help me diagnose what the hell this whine is? The car is an 04 limited with 46k miles. Super clean and never, ever abused, ever.

Thanks!

 

If it going up (louder) as you accelerate , its going to be around the fan belt.

 

Its definitely sounding like its coming from the rear of the car. It sounds like really loud tire noise but it can't be, I don't believe tires can be that loud can they? The tread on the tires is fine and the car is tracking true and straight.

 

FYI, it reverberates throughout the entire cabin. I doubt its a fan belt, this $hit is LOUD.

 

Didn't you post a few minutes earlier "Hit 140 and had room to spare, just not enough road. Car was extremely stable, but I have sportier rubber and suspension. YMMV" on the "Top Speed" thread. Did the rear end whining start before or after that speed run??? Just wondering....

 

That was my original Xfire I bought new in 04. I got T'boned by a drunk driver 5 years ago. There was a thread about it. This is Xfire number 2. This car has been babied like the first. I don't consider doing what the car was designed for "High speed long distance cruising" as abusing the car. I don't screech tires or do stop light racing.

Thanks

 

Had a lady bring her coupe by a few years back, whine so loud you couldn't even talk.
I suspected the diff, but jacked it up and put on stands, very little noise even when getting it up to 70 indicated.
Turned out to be nothing but the tires, she got a new set and all noise disappeared.

 

I had a tire fail on me like that, I think the steel belt failed somehow. New tires and the noise went away.
I cannot say for certain that is the cause, can a tire shop find that fault? If you have a friend with a set of wheels that fit you could see if he is a good friend and swap tires for a short drive.
If the side of the tread is in a sawtooth pattern that could cause a noise.
But to me whining is the result of metal being misused.

 

Wheel Bearing? Does it change when you turn (good wheel bearing clue)? If you drop the car into neutral at speed, let the engine idle down, does the sound stay the same (i.e., with the rotation of the tires)?

 

I would say either wheel bearing or tires, is the tire cupping on the insides, uneven wear around the insides ?

if you have a good stable set of jack stands, can put jacket stands under the back, with wheels off the ground, and someone in drivers seat the whole time, turn off traction control and let sires rotate slowly and can narrow down location where you hear the sound.
if it only makes noise when going down the road, and sitting still in neutral, review up can not hear the noise, rules oit the engine bay area, and in drive train.
front jacked up, can inspect the front tires and test play in bearings, trying to wiggle tire, rear has sealed bearings.

send acouple pics of the tire wear ?
1st I would check how the tires are wearing.....
if that is good, can keep narrowing down from there.

 

46k miles, I wouldn't think it would be wheel bearings or the center support carrier bearing.
can look around the differential to see if it looks like it has been leaking.