Hi, good folks. I have a 2002 Civic EX with a manual transmission. At some point the car starting making a loud humming noise. I don't know how else to describe it - I liken it to the sound an electric golf cart or forklift makes.

It gets louder as I turn the wheel and it gets quieter as I accelerate.

I don't know how long it's been going on because I'm hard of hearing and noticed it one day when I had the window down and the radio off. I usually have the window up and the radio on.

I got a friend, who's a good shadetree mechanic, to look at it and it confounded him. He assumed from my description that it was the power steering but there's no obvious leak and the belt is tight. He listened to it a long time and gave up, unable to provide me with answers. He says he's never heard a car make a noise like that before.

There is no noticeable change at all in the vehicle's performance, even the steering.

In April it was fairly extensively damaged on the front end when a gal ran a stop sign in front of me, causing me to T-bone her. But I'm pretty sure the noise came much later because I specifically remember in early summer taking my sister for a ride with all the window down and the sunroof open and I did not hear the noise. So I don't think it was anything that was damaged in the wreck.

I hope I have provided enough details for you good Honda-lovin' folks to help me diagnose this. I'm hoping to avoid taking it to a shop due to limited funds - and if it turns out I'm going to have to have it professionally repaired I want to at least be forearmed so as not to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous mechanics.

Thanks!

 

whats the mileage? it sounds like your power steering pump may be going out, after a while especially if it was ever really low on fluid it can start to hum or wine. i had it happen to one of my older civics but along with the noise my power steering would slip in and out of working and not working. to make sure its your power steering over some other noise caused by the pressure on other parts from turning, i would put it on jacks stands or a lift and start it, then turn it left and right. if its the power steering pump it will likely do it then too. if it doesnt make the noise it could have something to do with your brakes or suspension. a few weeks ago my friends had a problem with his brakes making noise when he turned, replaced those and it stopped.

 

Hey, Schugg, thanks for answering. The car has 98,000 miles on it. No way can I lift it or put it on jack stands - and no way I can change a pump myself since I know nothing about bleeding lines. Plus a quick check of online prices for a steering pump it ain't happening any time soon! So my next question is, will driving it with a bad pump cause more damage than just to the pump?

Also, is it possible to have a bad pump yet have no problems at all with the steering? The power does not go in and out at all. Since I won't be able to run the test you suggest maybe knowing this will help rule it in or out.

I'm about 99% certain it's not the brakes.

Is there any test I can run that might rule the suspension in or out?

I'm tending to agree that it's the power steering pump, though. It's pretty evident it's a steering issue. My friend thought it was, too, just couldn't get a handle on exactly what after checking the obvious things (fluid level, belt tension).

This is really distressing because the reason I bought another Honda is because the first two I drove until they were well over 200,000 miles with nothing but a few spark plugs, brake linings, and batteries. Oh, and one CV joint but that wasn't until it was near its 200,000 mile mark. I can't afford to fix cars - if I could, I would have bought a FORD!

I appreciate your help on this Christmas Eve. Happy Holidays!

 

please send me photos of 2002 civic.

 

Why, exactly?

 

Um, I just scimmed your post, but i have heard of humming noises coming from both a bad catalytic converter, or a bad clutch, but idk just throwing out ideas...

 

The main input shaft bearing was going on the tranny for my old D17 before I did my swap, and it was making noises like you are describing. It was even worse on turns, and quieted down as I accelerated and shifted into higher gears. The bearing is cheap, but the labor will be quite expensive if you can't do it yourself. Does the noise change as your RPMs change?

 

good point, if the noise changes along with the rpms, then it obviously has something to do with something thats spinning, bearings, axles, even if your brakes are 99% good could still be the problem. but not likely, depending who installed them it can be done incorrectly. if i remember right 2002 civic brakes have the little stub in the middle of the back of the inside pad, and the caliper plunger thing that applies pressure has slots the stub must be inline with, if could possibly cause noise from un even pressure. but new civic may not have the whole stub on the back of the bad so im not sure. as for the power steering thing, you dont even have the jack that comes with the car? have to be some way you can try it.