# Howling/Squealing at 55-60 mph



## HellaciousA (Oct 7, 2011)

2012 Cruze Eco manual trans, car has 29,000 miles on it, and has never been to the dealer once for service or warranty issues. The sound is coming from the front end of the car, sounds like its behind the dash and its a high pitched howl/squeal type sound. I have a K&N SRI, thought the filter was loose, but it's on tight. It will make the noise when the windows are down or up, the noise is there regardless of engine speed (rpm), the noise is also there regardless of light or hard braking. It disappears above 65 and below 55. Tire pressures are all set the same (35 psi) also. The noise continues regardless if the radio is on or off and doesn't change pitch with turning the volume up or down. I have a custom stereo set up with a mini dsp, aftermarket components, and subs, so I thought it may be line noise, but it isn't. The noise also stays the same whether the HVAC system is on or off.

I searched and couldn't find anyone with this issue. It sounds like a harmonic of something chaffing against something else. I've done the fix for the instrument cluster squeal, so it's not that either. 

I haven't torn the car apart yet, as I'd rather not go about this blind, just guessing where it is. I also would rather avoid going to the dealer for this as I've had too many issues in the past with them.

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Wheel bearings?


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## HellaciousA (Oct 7, 2011)

I thought bad wheel bearings was usually a clicking noise around turns? Would I have to measure the run-out to find out if they are bad or just spin the wheel with the car up in the air?


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

HellaciousA said:


> I thought bad wheel bearings was usually a clicking noise around turns? Would I have to measure the run-out to find out if they are bad or just spin the wheel with the car up in the air?


CV joints are a clicking noise around turns. Wheel bearings are a howling/whirring sound. They are most audible at higher speeds, but can seem to "vanish" at highway speeds. 

Does it get softer if the transmission is out of gear and the car is coasting, say down a decent hill?


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## HellaciousA (Oct 7, 2011)

You're right, I get the 2 mixed up some times. 

The tone stays the same in gear or while in neutral and coasting. Tone does not change when driving up or down a grade. I can't pinpoint the sound from one side of the car while driving.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Does it get quieter when turning a certain direction?


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## HellaciousA (Oct 7, 2011)

Nope, just a constant resonance howl. I just pulled both front wheels off, visual inspection of each side looks fine. Only noise I hear is the dragging of the rotors on the brake pads. I didn't have time to pull the rotor off to look closer at the hub itself.

I may have to bite the bullet and take it in to the dealer.


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## Cruze2.0Diesel (Jun 30, 2013)

If the tires are feathering then can have road noise and you just jack it up and grab the top and bottom of the wheel and push in and out to check wheel bearing play.


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## smorey78 (Apr 8, 2012)

i know what it is...take a pice of tape and run it across the top of the windshield. make sure to over lap the roof and the glass...so you will be covering the small rubber strip that is between the top of the windshield and the roof. drive car and if its gone use black rtv to glue the small rubber strip down. i had the same problem that fixed it


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## cmackvr6 (Mar 5, 2012)

I have a similar issue with mine. It is like a wind turbulence type of sound, like hollow plastic parts being blow into each other. I think it is the hack job they did on my splash shield personally.


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