Tyre Noise - Not Wheel Bearing Noise

[Frankenstrat]

My Golf has started developing wheel bearing noise (approx 48,000km odo reading), I think it's coming from the rear driver's side.

1) How can I check for worn wheel bearings with the car stationary?
2) Is this a warranty repair?
3) If so, do I have to take it back to where I bought the car (Wangarra VW) or can I take to the closest VW dealer to me (JH, VP)

[Umai Naa!!]

You would need to jack that corner of the car up, and rotate the wheel by hand. You'd hear a very similar noise to what you'd hear in the car as you'd drive. You also may feel some freeplay in the hub.

Also, check that your tyres aren't scalloped (extreme feathering). This is common with the Bridgestones. This could be the noise you're hearing.

[MkVIGTI]

You can go to any VW dealer for warranty work, no need to go back to where you bought it from.

[Frankenstrat]

Thanks boys, I appreciate the replies. The tyres aren't Bridgestones, they're Pirelli 205/55 R16, they're noisy at the best of times but they're grippy enough.

I do happen to have an old stethoscope tucked away in the house somewhere, so I might hold it to each wheel as I spin them in turn. That should pinpoint the errant bearing. I'll report back with the eventual outcome.

[jacs]

My Golf has started developing wheel bearing noise (approx 48,000km odo reading), I think it's coming from the rear driver's side.

1) How can I check for worn wheel bearings with the car stationary?
2) Is this a warranty repair?
3) If so, do I have to take it back to where I bought the car (Wangarra VW) or can I take to the closest VW dealer to me (JH, VP)

Hi, my daughters Corolla developed a noise in the rear which i swore was wheel bearing noise. To cut a long story short, we ended up changing the rear tyres (after one was damaged in an accident) and noise gone ! The original sp300e dunlops that became noisy still had at least 60% tread on them and appeared perfectly/evenly worn

[rossw]

A flat spotted or out of balance tyre will often sound like a worn wheel bearing.

[Frankenstrat]

To the best of my knowledge, the tyres don't have flat-spots nor have they been damaged. However, this weekend I shall jack her up and check each wheel in turn for free-play and listen with the stethoscope as I rotate each wheel in turn. I hope it IS just an out-of-balance tyre, that's an easy fix and I won't have to take any time off work.

[Steveo]

As Umai Naa!! says it could be the tyres. My Bridgestones are feathered and it really sounds like the bearings are gone. Had exactly this problem with a previous car (and Bridgestones) so I got the dealer to check during a service. Not a bearing problem.

Replaced the tyres and suddenly the "bearing" noise disappeared.

[Frankenstrat]

I jacked up the car on the weekend and checked each wheel in turn, there was no discernable noise coming from the hubs. I put my fingers on the coil springs too as I turned each of the wheels to see if I could feel any roughness, but no. I'm thinking you may be right that it's the tyres not the bearings. I did noticed an indication of scrubbing on the inside of the rear driver's side tyre. The stethoscope trick didn't work though, too much noise from the VW logo in the centre of the wheel as it turned.

I'll rotate the tyres next weekend to see if the noise abates.

[khamtran]

I had a similar problem with my Golf which I also thought could be bearing related. People suggested my tyres (Bridgestone RE050 Potenzas) could be scalloped and after taking it into VW South Yarra and then Beaurepaires this was confirmed. All 4 tyres were affected and the sad thing is the car had only done 20,000km at that point (with one tyre rotation during that time).

I ended up replacing all 4 tyres and the car was quiet again. I was told my enthusiastic cornering was the likely cause of the problem so now I don't take corners as hard. My replacement set of Goodyear Assurance AGs have done 25,000 km and are still quiet.

[Sentinel]

I seem to be having a similar problem - 118TSI at 30,000km. How can I tell if the tyres (Bridgestone Turanza) are causing it?

Also, what is feathering/scalloping, and are there any visual signs? What is the sound they make (mine is a kind of hum, higher pitched than normal road noise, but still pretty faint. Sometimes I can't tell if it's there, and it seems to go away on very smooth tarmac)?

If it's the tyres, will a different brand be better?

[khamtran]

I seem to be having a similar problem - 118TSI at 30,000km. How can I tell if the tyres (Bridgestone Turanza) are causing it?

Also, what is feathering/scalloping, and are there any visual signs? What is the sound they make (mine is a kind of hum, higher pitched than normal road noise, but still pretty faint. Sometimes I can't tell if it's there, and it seems to go away on very smooth tarmac)?

If it's the tyres, will a different brand be better?

I was told all tyres to some extent are prone to scalloping depending on how they are cared for (hard cornering, infrequent wheel balancing/alignment etc).

I wasn't able to tell by looking at my tyres but when the Volkswagen tech drove the car he said the tyres sounded scalloped. The Beaurepaires guys confirmed this by feeling the tyres while otating them by hand.

When I had this problem I could hear a low whoop whoop sound which increased in frequency with speed. I could also feel a slight vibration through the car.

[Frankenstrat]

I was told my enthusiastic cornering was the likely cause of the problem so now I don't take corners as hard.

Hmm, I think you may have a point there, there are a couple of roundabouts on my way home I do tend to take rather quickly (if it's safe to do so).

When I had this problem I could hear a low whoop whoop sound which increased in frequency with speed. I could also feel a slight vibration through the car.

With mine, it's a low frequency woo woo woo that seems to change with speed, but I can't say that I've noticed any vibration.

[Umai Naa!!]

I seem to be having a similar problem - 118TSI at 30,000km. How can I tell if the tyres (Bridgestone Turanza) are causing it?

Also, what is feathering/scalloping, and are there any visual signs? What is the sound they make (mine is a kind of hum, higher pitched than normal road noise, but still pretty faint. Sometimes I can't tell if it's there, and it seems to go away on very smooth tarmac)?

If it's the tyres, will a different brand be better?

If you run your hand over the shoulders of the tyre, and they're coarser than the middle, you'll find that the tread blocks will have kicked up at the leading edge, with a trough so to speak, in the centre, or some tread blocks at intervals will be significantly higher than others. You usually see this on the inside edge of the tyre more often than the outside edge.

[Sentinel]

If you run your hand over the shoulders of the tyre, and they're coarser than the middle, you'll find that the tread blocks will have kicked up at the leading edge, with a trough so to speak, in the centre, or some tread blocks at intervals will be significantly higher than others. You usually see this on the inside edge of the tyre more often than the outside edge.

Thank you! That's exactly the sort of information I need.

The humming/whining noise does seem to change depending on the texture of the tarmac, which suggests to me that it's probably tyre-related. The odd thing is that it doesn't seem to happen when the car is cold-started on a winter morning. It then takes about 20 minutes of driving to appear. If I start at midday, though, the noise begins almost immediately.

It's mostly apparent at speeds above 20 km/h, and doesn't seem to change in pitch depending on speed. Also, I say "seems" a lot, because it's not very loud, and sometimes I'm not sure it's even there. But I've driven this car since new, and I know all the sounds it makes, and I think this is an unpleasant, recently appearing one.

Sorry for my vagueness. But thanks again for the help!