Last fall I replaced half the axle.
Then starting in December, I began noticing a weird whining sound, hard shifting, engine vibrations. I had two surgeries this winter so was unable to diagnose anything myself. Thought it was probably a vacuum leak and/or mount and maybe other axle had issues. Took it to 2 different mechanics, all said it seemed fine to them.
As it got hotter out, issue was much worse. Engine was vibrating like crazy and whine would be quite noticeable, especially in stop and go traffic. Mechanic says it’s fine. One day I was coming home, hear loud squeal, lose power steering just as I’m parking. Serpentine belt had melted all over everything.
Mechanic says a pulley seized. Replaced compressor, water pump, rebuilt power steering pump. I drive car, I feel like it is not feeling right- hard shifting, vibrating. Mechanic convinced me the radiator fan is bad and causing the vibrations and sound, do transmission adaptive reset, and replace axle bolts. Get car back and it feels better at first, but then it all starts again, minus hard shifting. Feeling burned, I take it to three different mechanics. 2 say they don’t notice anything. 3rd says I need the other axle and the PCV. I find that plausible. We do it. I get in car to drive home. Immediately notice something is wrong. Engine sounds bad, whine is very loud. As I get home power steering is weakening. Figure I have no mechanic I can trust, I should take a look myself. I turn off car and the radiator fan won’t turn off. I turn the car on and off several times, won’t turn off. It goes until battery dies.
This entire time I’ve gotten 0 codes. I decide maybe that’s because car thinks it’s running properly. So I figure it could be fan control module or engine thermostat. Replace both, also find two small vacuum leaks. Also clean throttle body (it looked fine but since I was there why not). Fan no longer runs non-stop, but the whine is definitely there and bad enough it makes me not want to drive it.
This car has been a nightmare for the last year, I’m so over it. But I would like to fix it enough that I could get some value in a trade-in, which I def wouldn’t now. Not going to replace anything super expensive, but would like suggestions on how to diagnose this whine sound. Since December I’ve thought alternator would be a likely candidate, however every mechanic I’ve taken to says it’s fine. Not that I trust them.
-the whining sound follows RPMs, even parked.
-power steering is completely fine sometimes, but seems to get worse when the whining sound is worse
-A/C runs great, very cold. No issues with temperature.
-whining sound seems to be worse when hot out, especially if A/C is going and/or in stop and go traffic. Sometimes non-existent.
-I’ve not been having any check engine lights or codes this entire time
Video of sound attached. One is older and when the car was stopped, the other is from after I replaced thermostat and fan module. Check engine light went away, only time I’ve gotten it this whole time.
IMG_9370.MOV- (26.4 MiB) Downloaded 21 times
- IMG_5202.MOV
- (18.16 MiB) Downloaded 15 times
