# linear whine, bearings? 2011 Eco 50K



## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Two weeks ago I started to notice a gear-type whine or buzz. It's linear, increasing in pitch (not really volume) as I go faster and it doesn't change when I shift so i'm ruling out the transmission right now. Noticable at front of car. My son pointed to the floor in front our feet as the location he could pinpoint. Can't identify a side or front wheel that it is coming from so not sure about bearings.
I thought it could be tires, but just switched out my winter tires yesterday and there was no difference in the sound. 
Ideas?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Wheel bearings would be my first guess.


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Sometimes you can isolate a front bearing by finding a longish sweeping curve.
The failed side will be louder......long left sweeper, right side gets louder......long right sweeper, left side gets louder.

Your dealer will use a stethescope to isolate by having the car in gear, off the ground, and putting the probe against each knuckle at the hub.......bad bearings are amazingly noisey through the earpieces.

All that aside, your description is that of a failed bearing.

Rob


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hello Handles, 

I am sorry to hear you are having this concern with your Cruze. If you decide to have your Chevrolet dealership look into this for you, please do not hesitate to reach out to us via private message. Please be sure to include your name, VIN, phone number, and dealership name. 

Erica Tiffany
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Tires can sound like that to as they wear.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

spacedout said:


> Tires can sound like that to as they wear.


OP switched off winter tires, so that rules out tires. I'd agree it's likely a bad wheel bearing. They're not too bad to remove/replace on the Cruze.


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

In dealership right now...will pass on what I find out.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hello Handles, 

I will look forward to your update. If you need any assistance while at the dealership, please let me know. 

Erica Tiffany
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Front wheel bearings; Both sides. Either one was very silent, or they both went bad at the same time. Never heard the noise until 2 weeks ago. 
Big bucks, not under warranty. I'm going to attempt it myself.


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Replaced both front wheel bearings, per the dealership's diagnosis...and for much less than they wanted $300 per wheel to do. Problem is, once the job was completed I took the car for a spin. Same exact noise, no changes.
1. Anyone have any other ideas (most above also said wheel bearings)? 
2. Am I out the money I paid for the bearings, or can I do something about it, ie. present the dealership with the parts receipt?


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Anyone? Other thoughts to this sound? Doesn't change at all when shifting, turning, applying brakes, etc. Just speeding up and slowing down changes the sound. It's certainly something metallic. Thoughts regarding the bearings that I installed as dealer said I needed them?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

It's very rare for BOTH wheel bearings to go bad, and sucks that changing them didn't resolve the issue.

I'd pin this one on a transmission output bearing. I once had one that just made a constant drone that was only related to speed and could not be changed by swerving or loading/unloading either wheel.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

Maybe rotate the tires to see if it makes any difference. If it does then it must be something tire related.


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Not tires, as I posted, I switched from winter to summer tires and it didn't change at all. 

Jblackburn, would the outshaft bearing be the issue on the eco 6 speed?


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Handles said:


> Not tires, as I posted, I switched from winter to summer tires and it didn't change at all.
> 
> Jblackburn, would the outshaft bearing be the issue on the eco 6 speed?


Yes. Since your hum is speed dependent it must be between the gears and the ground. You have eliminated the tires by changing from winter to summer tires (I'm assuming the hum was occurring on the winter tires as well) and the wheel bearings. The only two places left are the drive axles, which spin around the structural axle and the transmission's interface with the drive axle. Transmission output shaft bearings are a legitimate possibility and should be covered under the power train warranty.


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Thanks. I'm getting it back to the dealer on Wednesday. They told me to bring the receipt from buying the new wheel bearings and they will "see what they can do". I'm not sure what that will mean, but it's better than a flat out 'no'.


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

obermd, 
You must be on to something. I took it in tonight and they do believe it is in/related to the transmission. They gave me a '14 diesel as a loaner car for potentially a day or two. I'm not liking the leather seats in it. Far shallower, wider, and less supportive than my '11 Eco, must be to fit the growing buttocks of the U.S. population.


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

Too bad the dealer ship didn't have a set of Chassis Ears.
That would have ruled out the wheel bearings from he git-go.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Keep us posted.


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## 2013LT (Jul 3, 2013)

I did post something here but the more I thought about it the less sense it made for the Cruze. Output bearings make sense. I know you've ruled out tires but have you had them balanced? My civic has major input shaft bearing noise and you can hear it when the clutch pedal is not in but when you push the pedal in it goes away. Also can't feel it in the wheels like you say.


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Got word this morning, transmission is shot. 54K on it and i've always babied this vehicle, no gear grabbin' for me anymore. Not exactly sure what the issue is. Covered under warranty and I'll have the '14 diesel to drive for the next several days. Could be worse i guess.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

It happens. Internal transmission bearing failures are fairly uncommon, but the tolerances are tight and not all meet specs as well as they should. 

I bought a rebuild kit for one, replaced everything while I was in there...only for a bearing to fail 20k later. I was not happy. 


Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Update: 
They had to put a completely new transmission in my car. Not sure why. Totally different part numbers, etc. After only one day, things seem fine, though getting it in 1st is a bit of a struggle.


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## Handles (Oct 8, 2012)

Hopefully final entry to this thread and that some on here can use my experiences to their advantage. As indicated earlier (for those just joining) I replaced both front wheel bearings on my own after a bad diagnosis from a dealership. The bearings weren't the problem and a new transmission was put in. But, I was out over $300 for the wheelbearings and cost of diagnosis. 
After a couple trips to the dealership wearing my spiked leather collar and wrist bands, and wielding a baseball bat with a 4"spike driven through it (kidding) they gave me a full refund of my aftermarket bearings and the diagnosis. Happy.


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