grinding noise coming from front of forester.

[rastra]

hello.

i'm curious about these wheel bearings problems people have been
having. is there a sound associated with it?

i have a 2004 forester x, and everytime i do a slow turn of the wheel,
say, like turning into a parking space, i hear this griding noise.

i've mentioned it to the subaru service people, but they couldn't
replicate it. i hear it everytime!

could this be a wheel bearing problem?

any help would be much appreciated.

thanks.
daniel.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

hello.

i'm curious about these wheel bearings problems people have been
having. is there a sound associated with it?

i have a 2004 forester x, and everytime i do a slow turn of the wheel,
say, like turning into a parking space, i hear this griding noise.

i've mentioned it to the subaru service people, but they couldn't
replicate it. i hear it everytime!

could this be a wheel bearing problem?

any help would be much appreciated.

thanks.
daniel.

year, miles, history, recent work,engine, transmission,etc. would help
MOST of the issue with WBs has been on the rear.
Carl

 

[rastra]

thanks carl.

2004 forester x automatic
28,000 miles
service, i.e. oil changes, all up to date

my problem is in the front. there's this annoying grinding sound when
i do a slow turn, as in turning into a parking spot. just want to know
if this is normal.

thanks!
daniel.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

thanks carl.

2004 forester x automatic
28,000 miles
service, i.e. oil changes, all up to date

my problem is in the front. there's this annoying grinding sound when
i do a slow turn, as in turning into a parking spot. just want to know
if this is normal.

thanks!
daniel.

yikes - possible 'torque bind'. (surprised the dealer didn't find this)

Torque bind basically is occurs when the AWD system engages all 4 wheels
under inappropriate conditions - ie. dry, skid-free pavement. SOMTHING
is either 'lying' to the transmission which thinks a wheel is slipping
(use of a 'donut spare' or mixing sizes - even wear conditions - of
tires) OR failure of one or more of the following, Duty Solenoid 'C',
'clutch pack' in tranny tailshaft area or possibly some wiring or gummed
up valve seat in tranny. One thing to do (after confirming tires are
OK/matching,etc. - circumference 'should' be within 1/4" of each other)
check the manual for 'emergency spare use' and under the hood you should
find a fuse box whixh will have a spare fuse and an empty slot likely
marked FWD. put the spare fuse (15A IIRC) in there. There probably will
be a FWD light in the instrument cluster and , test drive the car in
slow/tight turns to see if the problem is better/gone. If it isn't,
likely the 'C' solenoid AT LEAST is bad. If it is gone, anything from a
tranny flush and refill - to a rebuilt tranny may be required.
The site was down earlier to day - but the guys at www.usmb.net might be
helpful. try searching the issue there. Or maybe someone here knows of a
Forester specific forum. I own an H^ OBW auto and a WRX stick. Mostly
just spouting what I've read on the issue. Not uncommon.

Hope it's something easy like mixed tires (uh - fix that immediately if so)

I suppose I couldv'e misread your post and you have a STEERING problem.

let us know how it goes OK?

Carl

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

thanks carl.

2004 forester x automatic
28,000 miles
service, i.e. oil changes, all up to date

my problem is in the front. there's this annoying grinding sound when
i do a slow turn, as in turning into a parking spot. just want to know
if this is normal.

thanks!
daniel.

Also, do you only HEAR it or does the car kinda 'buck' or 'pulse'?

sorry - shoulda asked that before the other crap I wrote! hah!

Carl

 

[rastra]

carl, thanks for the reply.

my car only pulses/bucks when i go to and from park, reverse,
drive.......never thought it could be a problem.

i guess steering could be another possibility, but i don't hear the
grinding sounds when turning at a higher rate of speed. only in slow
turns.

told subaru service dept about it last time i was there, and they said
they couldn't replicate it, which was strange.

i figured it may be just an AWD thing, but a grinding sound? c'mon.
i've never drive an AWD car before my forester, but that sounds crazy.

i'll tell them about it next time i'm there.

thanks.
daniel.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

carl, thanks for the reply.

my car only pulses/bucks when i go to and from park, reverse,
drive.......never thought it could be a problem.

i guess steering could be another possibility, but i don't hear the
grinding sounds when turning at a higher rate of speed. only in slow
turns.

told subaru service dept about it last time i was there, and they said
they couldn't replicate it, which was strange.

i figured it may be just an AWD thing, but a grinding sound? c'mon.
i've never drive an AWD car before my forester, but that sounds crazy.

i'll tell them about it next time i'm there.

thanks.
daniel.

If you don't 'feel' any lurching when this occurs, sound only, then it
won't be torque bind. Take a tech for a ride with you or try a different
shop.


good luck

Carl

 

[flyfisher7]

If you don't 'feel' any lurching when this occurs, sound only, then it
won't be torque bind. Take a tech for a ride with you or try a different
shop.


good luck

Carl

I'm betting it is someting with his brakes. When the pads on my 98
Forester wore down the first indication was a scraping sound at low
speed when turning the wheel.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I'm betting it is someting with his brakes. When the pads on my 98
Forester wore down the first indication was a scraping sound at low
speed when turning the wheel.

That would be good if that's it, and the mileage is about right for a
grocery getter. But I wonder why the shop didn't check pad wear? Also,
should be alittle more 'squeal' sounding. I dunno. good idea though.

Carl

 

[Sheldon]

hello.

i'm curious about these wheel bearings problems people have been
having. is there a sound associated with it?

i have a 2004 forester x, and everytime i do a slow turn of the wheel,
say, like turning into a parking space, i hear this griding noise.

i've mentioned it to the subaru service people, but they couldn't
replicate it. i hear it everytime!

could this be a wheel bearing problem?

any help would be much appreciated.

thanks.
daniel.

Usually a wheel bearing is indicated by a grinding sound, or feeling, when
you steer gently from left to right on a straight road. That loads up the
bearing by putting more pressure on it. Grinding in slow turns is usually a
CV joint. When you say slow turns are you steering lock to lock, or just
going around a corner?

 

[Black WRX]

Interesting....I noticed exactly the same problem on my '02 WRX Wagon a
couple of days ago...62K miles....Can't figura out what's that and still
didn't take it to service....only ocurs during parking, when turning
wheel almost to lock position and it feels more like pulsating than
grinding.....

 

[Ratatooie]

Interesting....I noticed exactly the same problem on my '02 WRX Wagon a
couple of days ago...62K miles....Can't figura out what's that and still
didn't take it to service....only ocurs during parking, when turning
wheel almost to lock position and it feels more like pulsating than
grinding.....

See torque bind discussion above.

 

[rastra]

thanks guys for all the insight.

i hope it's only a brake pad, and nothing more.

sheldon - the sound is a low grinding noise when i turn, as opposed to
the higher pitch sound of the tires turning on pavement. haha...i do
that all the time when parking at work, but when i turn into a parking
spot, the noise is totally different.

not sure if i'm turning lock to lock.....stupid me, should have
observed this. i'll let you know what i find.

my 30,000 is coming up soon......i'll keep you updated.

thanks again.

daniel.

 

[BobN]

It is not likely to be a brake pad, which you would hear all the time not
only on turning. Noise when turning is usually 1) CV joint; 2) axle gone
bad; 3) torque bind. Hope you've been saving your pennies.

 

[Jim Stewart]

It is not likely to be a brake pad, which you would hear all the time not
only on turning. Noise when turning is usually 1) CV joint; 2) axle gone
bad; 3) torque bind. Hope you've been saving your pennies.

It's a long shot but cheap. Check
that your lugnuts are tight.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

It's a long shot but cheap. Check
that your lugnuts are tight.

Good idea.
I think we should also ask, would you hear this sitting still? Just
swinging the wheel back and forth?

Carl

 

[Dan]

Good idea.
I think we should also ask, would you hear this sitting still? Just
swinging the wheel back and forth?

Carl

Lug nuts are a definite possibility. In my experience (non-subie) a
wheel bearing or loose lug nuts will typically make more noise when you
load that side, so if it's a left bearing, it will make more noise on a
sharp RIGHT turn (which causes the weight to shift onto the outer/left
side). If it occurs the same in either direction, either both bearings
are failing equally (unlikely) or it's something else.

Dan