I have a 2007 Malibu Maxx, right at 100k. Just recently, this noise has developed. It sounds like its coming from the middle of the front end, and its a low frequency humming sound, almost like a wheel hub bearing. The noise is NOT audible at lower speeds, and is more noticeable at around 50mph. It DOES NOT seem to get louder with speed. Depending on if there is a passenger in the car, the sound might not even be heard at all. I have jacked up the front of the vehicle and done the wheel bearing check, grabbing the tire at the top and bottom, and there was no play noticed. I had a friend look at it, and he thought it may be the transmission extension housing bearing?


Have any of you guys ran across this? How often does the extension housings go out on these things? When these wheel bearings start going out, do they exhibit these symptoms, which are somewhat different than what im use to hearing when a wheel bearing goes out?


Any help that is offered is greatly appreciated.

 

the bearing can be noisy and still show no play in it. while driving at the speed the noise occurs; turn the wheel to sway the car from side to side. this will load and unload the bearing...if its a bearing, the noise should change as the bearing is loaded and unloaded. if the noise doesn't change, inspect your tires for feather edge wear.

 

Also check that your lug nuts are not loosening and torqued down.
I've had this low level helicopter sound before. Thought I was being followed.

 

Have you found where the noise is coming from. We have the same situation be it seems worse than yours.

 

Best of luck with finding tips for correcting this noise, Rftlts. We can imagine how this may become bothersome. If you decide you'd like to have your local dealership further inspect this for you, please let us know. We're happy to offer any additional assistance if necessary.

Amber N.
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

Hi Rftlts,

I have a 2001 Malibu that has a similar noise. Have you found the solution yet?

In my vehicle, the tires were worn down to the wear indicators and thought that maybe that the noise was coming from the intermittent contact on the road surface. Wishful thinking! I was hoping that the tires were the problem and would kill 2 problems with 1 solution. No luck. The noise or humming is noticeable to me around 20-25 mph and continues as the speed increases. The sound does change increasing in volume as speed increases, but not drastically. I haven't exceeded 70 mph.

It sounds like the noise like I would hear when driving over the rumble strips on the edge of the driving lane.

The noise continues as the vehicle is driven around a curve to the right, but decreases when driving around a curve to the left. I tried this doing about 30 mph around the curves on a cloverleaf intersection.

I am thinking about the cv joint, but, I have never heard that type of noise from a cv joint. I always heard the clicking type of noise when driving around curves when the fwd half shafts were going bad.

Thanks for any feedback. Hope you found the solution!

 

does this sound seem like it's coming thru the passenger side windshield

 

I don't know who malibu mann 0406 was asking about the solution. I could feel a vibration on the transmission tunnel at the time of the humming noise.

I had a friend look at it. He said that the right cv joint assy was already replaced at one time. He felt that the left side needed replacement. He felt that the hub bearing was loading on turns and that's why the noise was louder on a right turn and quiteter on a left turn.

I haven't done anything with it yet, being I have to do it outside and its about 20 degrees and snowing. Unless it gets really bad, I will wait till the weather breaks.

I would like to hear what others have found to be the cause of their problems.