Anonymous

My Car Makes Humming Noise, What Could It Be?

11

11 Answers

Charlotte St. Aubyn Profile
This could be due to a number of reasons; wheel bearings can rub together because of lack of lubrication. You need to lubricate your bearings regularly as constant road use, especially in built up areas and driving on motorways, can bring about contamination. Even though the lubricant is a necessity to aid the movement of the wheels, if the wrong type is used, it can attract soil, water and all kinds of road debris. If the seal starts to leak, the bearings will in turn become damaged and once water starts to get inside, it can cause the bearings to rust.

Make sure you use a top quality lubricant as an inferior product can also cause these problems. To know if the humming sound is caused by the wheel bearings, you need to also pay attention to how the steering performs. Look out for a noise as you turn the wheel along with your vehicle vibrating and if the steering moves involuntarily when you break, these are all common signs.

Another possible cause is wheel balance or ‘out of balance wheels’; a tire becomes out of balance when a section of the tire becomes heavier than the others. You will notice this as the car will vibrate and make a noise as it goes along. The better quality tires you have, the longer they will keep the balance.

Another thing to check out is the timing belt or cam belt, if it has worn down then it can cause a noise, if you have recently had one put on make sure it is not too tight as this tension can cause deterioration of the belt as well. Do not rule out car attachments, such as a roof or bike rack, that may seem obvious but can be easily over looked.
lonnie moore Profile
lonnie moore answered
Another possibility would be wheel bearings (I'm assuming that your hum occurs while the car is moving), they can make a variety of sounds from a low growl or rumble to a hum.
Ronnie Maye Profile
Ronnie Maye answered
There could be a CVC joint going bad but they usually make a noise when turning left or right. I would check the tires and tire pressure. Tires can hum when the begin to wear wrong. If it is the tires you might check the struts or alignment.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
My car has been making a humming noise (very faunt) for about 1 1/2 yrs now. It only happens every now and then. (hardly ever) It is hard because to take it to a mechanic, they have to hear the noise and it happens so rarely I can't seem to get anyone to hear it. The Expedition runs great. No other symptoms. Should I be concerned/ I am trying to sell the truck. I have maintained the vehicle as required by ford.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
If it happened after hitting a curb it's probably a bent wheel hub and/or a bent rim.

Answer Question

Anonymous