jaesun

There is this noise coming from my front driver side tire/wheel well.

At first, the image that came to my head was like putting a baseball card on your bicycle wheel.

It happens at low speeds, and at random times (not always there). Every once in awhile, when the noise is there, I will hear it up to ~50 MPH (when accelerating), but then goes away. But most of the time when it is there, it is at speeds of 30 MPH or less (accelerate or decelerating in that range). It is not constantly there, but usually half the time I am driving in that speed range. When it is there, it is almost "rhythmic" (like putting a baseball card on your bicycle so to speak).

It is not my brakes (the noise doesn't go away or start when I apply my brakes).

It started (I believe, more on that later) when I was driving on a paved road, then went to a dirt road (wasn't off roading, just pulling into a dirt road, and was at ~20 MPH, nothing major in terms of the level in dirt road or anything like that).

At first, I thought it was maybe some dirt or rocks caught in the rotor area since I first noticed the noise right after I got onto the dirt road.

I pulled off my tire, but nothing was there. I checked the Back Rotor Plate (that plate thing right behind the rotor). Didn't seem to be anything there. (and the noise really sounds as if something is hitting that plate too).

I jacked up both my front tires, then put the car in drive to try and pinpoint the noise, but couldn't find it.

As I drive around more, I sometimes think it sounds like as if a spring is loose? And this is where the "more on that later" comes in. Not sure if this has anything to do with it, could be a completely seperate issue (if it even is). When I thought it was a spring, I also remember, that sometimes, when I am applying the brake to slow down, like exiting a freeway and making a turn, that sometimes while hitting the brakes and then hitting a bump in the road, that it sounded like (and felt) like a spring would "jump". Never really thought anything of it, as I just thought it was the bump in the road while hitting the brakes. But the sound seems similar like it could be from the same thing

I will edit with more details as they come (trying to put as much detail as I can)

0go-part

It sounds as if you have a bad wheel bearing..

But first make sure nothing has gotten caught in between the rotor and the dust shield

jaesun

looked up some videos, and it doesn't seem like that at all. (all videos seemed to have a bad wheel bearing be a "humming" noise)

I will try and get a video of it this weekend

safedriver

iTrader: (1)

I agree with the wheel bearing suggestion, but your lug nuts might be loose.

This is not the normal sequence for removing a wheel, but you're not going to remove it, you're just checking the lug nuts.

1. Jack up the wheel.
2. Try to tighten the lug nuts.
If you can not tighten them, then try this, (while the wheel is in the air)

1. Grab the tire at 6 o'clock and noon
2. Rock it back and forth, it should not move at all. Mine moved 1/16 of an inch and I had a bad bearing.

jaesun

I didn't get a video cuz the noise has since gone away and has yet to return. The thing with the braking from high speeds over a bump is still there though. I will retighten the lug nuts and check the movement of the wheel.

eundaddy

just because the noise does not go away because you press the brake does not mean it's not related to the brakes

ohdannyboy73

I had a similar issue with my SI after changing my rotors and pads. The sound made me think it was a wheel bearing, but it was just the brakes.