BearsLexus

On the way home from work last night, I started hearing a high pitched whine from the front end... I immediately pulled over, checked my oil, since this thing leaks like a sieve... A little low, but nothing terrible... I topped it up and restarted it... idles just fine. I roll forward a little, nothing seems out of the ordinary. No CELs.
I start driving again, and for the first few seconds no problem... then the whining comes back WAY louder, so I begin pulling off the highway again, and as I am getting down to low speeds, and am on the brakes, I think my right front wheel locked up...
I am thinking wheel bearing seized... any other thoughts? I'll be digging in to this in just a few minutes.

salimshah

How about the caliper hang causing un-needed braking and heating and more braking. But the wheel bearing/brake should have made an impact on steering.

It just might be a pebble/rock stuck in the brake area.

Got to raise the wheel off the ground and check.

Salim

BearsLexus

I pulled the right front wheel off, removed the brakes... nothing fell out. I decided to put everything back together and drive it up and down the driveway a few times. I did get a lock up again, but after putting it in park, looking at all the brakes, and getting back in, it was freed again.
I have notice the "Humming" when I am on the brakes, like at a stop light, getting louder.
Could it be something like a power brake pump going bad? I am rather in the dark on this.
The "humming" goes away when I am driving or put the car in neutral and take my foot off the pedal.
If I had some way of posting a video with sound, I'd do that so that people could hear what I'm hearing... it isn't quiet.

hypervish

You could upload the video onto youtube, or photo bucket and then embed the link here.

BearsLexus

I'll look into doing that when I get back from rent-a-car... I REALLY don't think that this humming noise is normal. I've never driven another car that did this....

salimshah

Put parking brake, chock 3 wheels, put trans in "N" and jack up the suspect wheel. Give it a spin and trace. You can have some one apply brakes and let go. Then spin the wheel and after 2 revs or so, it should start rolling smoothly.

Try bleeding the brake fluid and if it dark, you may like to replace the fluid in system.

Salim

Baetke

There is no power brake pump. Power brakes work off of vacuum from the intake manifold. Maybe the ABS motor is running when it shouldn't?

BearsLexus

Thanks for the info, guys... I am home again, and will be working on things today. Have had a nasty case of the Norovirus, so have been really under the weather... still have it, but getting better. I'll see about getting the video with the humming noise up so you all can hear what I'm hearing... I know it isn't normal, and I can only assume that it is linked in some way to my current problem. It's been going on for so long with no problems that I just figured it was an idiosyncrasy that I just had to deal with.

BearsLexus

well, son-of-a-gun... I cannot get the stupid car to replicate any of my issues. I have driven it up and down my driveway, around the block, and the mile or so between home and the autozone a couple of times now.
I brought 'er up to speed, braked hard, brought 'er up to speed again numerous times to no avail. I can't even get it to make the loud humming sound I was getting before.
I think I will cautiously take it up the highway a mile or so to the next exit and see if I can replicate anything.

BearsLexus

Well, I got it to replicate the problem. I'm fairly certain it is a transmission problem. Son-of-a-*****. Got some of the sound on video, but it will take 167 minutes to upload my 3 minute video...
Basically, i got a high pitched whine, a couple of clunks and such... I got off the highway and turned onto a side road, got out to investigate, smelled tranny fluid (I think) didn't find any leaks, checked it - it is at a good level, but the car really didn't want to move... Put it in gear and it kind of refused - both in forward and reverse. I was blocking the road so I gave it some gas, it clunked and started moving. I was able to get it home.
I think I am thoroughly fu*ked.

Baetke

Just want to make sure you checked your tranny flluid level properly. With the engine running, cycle the transmission through each position pausing for about 5-10 seconds in each position. Then with the transmission in Park and the engine running, check the fluid level on the dipstick (hot marks if you have been driving it for 20-30 minutes). Engine must be running to get an accurate reading.

BearsLexus

I checked after driving with the engine running. It doesn't change the fact that there are terrible noises coming from my car, and I can't fix this problem with a couple hundred dollars. Ug.

BearsLexus

Well, I found a transmission repair shop close to home, that has been around for 23 years and comes highly recommended. Plus, he's willing to work with my aftermarket warranty company, which is good... they'll pay out up to $2000 per claim, and considering I've been looking around online and have found multiple transmissions for $1950 to $2181, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. I'll just need to get something to drive till it's fixed.