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Strange Noise (wheel bearings? transmission?)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by rugrat, Apr 24, 2012.

  1. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    Hello all,
    I am looking into getting a Prius and I have thread going on about that in the main 2004-2009 area.


    Anyways I am asking here because there is one I really like I drove yesterday except it had one problem and here is a better lace to ask the question where it is intended instead of deep in a thread and I want to get back to the seller sooner rather than later.

    I know sounds are kinda hard to describe on the internet... but I am going to try. So here is the problem

    The car was noisy and the noise was coming from the front. I do not think it was an engine noise as it was still there when my foot wasn't on the gas. It appeared to be based on speed. It went from a wurring to howl to a roar... at about 25-30mph it kinda sounded a bit like a Harley (albeit quieter) glug glug glug glug... It was pretty loud at 50 or 60mph though.... Is that front axles? Transmission? wheel nuts? That noise was definitely not there on the two other Prius's I have driven.
    It definalty was not wind related, but it was really...

    The seller is either willing to drop the price to compensate or have it fixed by Toyota

    Any thoughts to what is going on? and how serious it is?

    thanks,
    Matthias
     
    #1 rugrat, Apr 24, 2012
  2. cnschult

    cnschult Active Member

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    common problems that make noise up front include bad wheel bearings and a bad water pump.
     
    #2 cnschult, Apr 24, 2012
  3. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Yep thats a wheel beraing or at least thats how mine sounded when my driver front went out at 30,000 miles. Wurring to about 30-35 than started to make a wup wup wup noise.

    To test find a nice piece of quiet new blacktop. Driving about 25 miles an hour gently whip the wheel in one direction and then the other like trying to avoid something in the road. If the noise changes its a wheel bearing. And the offending bearing will be the bearing you lean into. Turn left and louder its the passenger. Turn right and louder its the driver side. If no noise change it may not be a wheel bearing and may be a CV joint. You did not post mileage.

    OR,

    If it still has Goodyear Integritie tires on the car as they are ridiculously noisey crappy tires. See if the car has Integrities. If so rotate the tires and see if the noise changes or abates.
     
    #3 edthefox5, Apr 24, 2012
  4. rugrat

    rugrat New Member

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    Ok thanks I test drove the car last night. It was way too loud to be the tires that was much more than tire noise. it has 77k on it.

    I am not in possession of the car so its kind of hard to look around, but just wondering how serious that was... which I am guessing it not... any ideas on how much Toyota would charge to fix that?

    I could maybe have the owner give that a try see if he notices anything.

    thanks,
    matthias
     
    #4 rugrat, Apr 24, 2012
  5. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    Replacing a front wheel bearing involves the entire sealed hub. The part is around $165 and then there is a fair amount of labor. It should be less than $500.

    Tom
     
    #5 qbee42, Apr 24, 2012
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