Mild humming noise coming from 2013 Prius when driving

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by GatorMark, Apr 10, 2025.

  1. GatorMark

    GatorMark New Member

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    I have a mild humming noise coming from the front of my 2013 Toyota Prius when I drive the car. Everything I've researched suggests that the wheel bearings are failing. However, if I am accelerating and turning the wheel at the same time, the humming noise stops. Does this sound like a wheel bearing issue? Currently, the noise is minimal and is something I have started to hear within the past two weeks. Also, assuming it's a wheel bearing issue, I called the service center to see how much it would cost to replace both wheel bearings, and they said about $800 per wheel. That seems kind of expensive.
     
    #1 GatorMark, Apr 10, 2025
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    how many miles on her?
    could bearings, tyres or cvj.
    you don't need a dealer for that work, a good indie should be able to diagnose and repair.
     
    #2 bisco, Apr 10, 2025
  3. GatorMark

    GatorMark New Member

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    #3 GatorMark, Apr 10, 2025
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Silly costly . 45 to 60 min a side other things to possibly replace all inexpensive stuff end links or check lower ball joint. Like 30 bucks pop . Front struts at this time for my cars . So I'm not returning soon to this work then 2zr poops out car gone or similar think it out .
     
    #4 Tombukt2, Apr 11, 2025
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I’d diagnose thoroughly before loading the wheel bearing cannon. The noise going away when turning while accelerating “might” be Constant Velocity (CV) joints?
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Apr 11, 2025
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2025
  6. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Could be tires. How much tread is left? You could swop them left to right to left or rotate
    front to back to front and see if the noise is still there.

     
    #6 ASRDogman, Apr 11, 2025
  7. GatorMark

    GatorMark New Member

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    Update. I took the car to the Toyota dealership, and they said it was what I suspected, the wheel bearings. They replaced both front wheel bearings, and guess what, the noise is still there. I haven't taken the car back to them yet, but I will do so after I get new tires tomorrow.

    It's very strange. The humming woom woom woom noise is only noticeable when driving between 36 and 46 MPH. It doesn't matter whether you're accelerating or decelerating. It's always there.
     
    #7 GatorMark, Apr 16, 2025 at 2:11 PM
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  8. GatorMark

    GatorMark New Member

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    I just wanted to follow up with this post.

    The issue that I was having with my Prius, that I thought potentially could be a wheel bearing issue, was actually my tires.

    I needed new tires, but crazy thing is that the tires weren’t very worn. I had all four tires replaced and the problem went away. Crazy.
     
    #8 GatorMark, Apr 17, 2025 at 12:45 PM
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  9. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Glad you figured it out...

    See post #6......



     
    #9 ASRDogman, Apr 17, 2025 at 12:48 PM
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  10. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    For future reference; If it was wheel bearings - pitch and frequency should change as the wheel speed and direction changes. I would've told you to check your tires, if I saw this thread earlier - because the noise went away as you changed direction. Your tires was on it's edges rather than humming along on the center of your tire threads.

    Oh well; live and learn..... unfortunately your wallet is a bit lighter.
     
    #10 BiomedO1, Apr 17, 2025 at 1:29 PM
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    thank you toyota
     
    #11 bisco, Apr 17, 2025 at 8:05 PM
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