W203 Auto Whine at Motorway Speed

[alindsay81]

Hi All. I have a W203 C220 Auto and at motorway speed i hear a whine that sounds like its coming from the rear/middle of the car. Im guessing its the gearbox. The pitch of the whine changes with speed.

Is this something i should be worried about ?

 

[markg14]

I had a similar whine on my W202 and thought (like you) that it was the gearbox or diff. But then I turned the aircon off and it disappeared. Recharge of the aircon cured it.

 

[television]

Hell and welcome, if the whine is there when pulling, and with your foot off the accelerator, then a wheel bearing comes to mind, they start making a noise from about 25 mph and up

 

[alindsay81]

Thanks for the replys guys, I will look into the aircon thing, tho i do have it turned off at the minute.

It does sound like it could be coming from a wheel bearing, tho theres only 34k on the clock. but i guess they can go anytime ?

 

[television]

Thanks for the replys guys, I will look into the aircon thing, tho i do have it turned off at the minute.

It does sound like it could be coming from a wheel bearing, tho theres only 34k on the clock. but i guess they can go anytime ?

A pot whole can knock them out, by jacking each rear wheel, you can rotate the wheel to feel in roughness, but its hard as the propshaft is always engaged

 

[alindsay81]

thanks so much, i will try this at the weekend

 

[television]

When you jack the car, do take care as the parking brake must be off, when turning the wheel be hand, if faulty it will feel like a small vibration, not silky smooth.

 

[markg14]

Forgot to add that I have also had noise that suggested a wheel bearing was on the way out, when in fact it was only the tyre. I was so convinced that it was a wheel bearing, I actually booked it in to be investigated/changed, and the weekend before it was due I had new tyres fitted - hey presto, no more whining!

 

[television]

Forgot to add that I have also had noise that suggested a wheel bearing was on the way out, when in fact it was only the tyre. I was so convinced that it was a wheel bearing, I actually booked it in to be investigated/changed, and the weekend before it was due I had new tyres fitted - hey presto, no more whining!

Very good point there Mark,,I had some Avons that were unbearable at 50 mph

 

[alindsay81]

Thanks mark. I will keep this in mind, my tyers are quite new so i wont be changing them for a while.

Television, thanks for the advice

 

[alindsay81]

Can i put the car into N and back into D while driving @ 60mph to see if the sound stops and comes back ? Is there any merit in doing this ?

 

[television]

Yes there is in that it will take any drive chain components out of the equation, or should do

 

[alindsay81]

Yes there is in that it will take any drive chain components out of the equation, or should do

Putting it into N had no effect on sound.

Finally got round to jacking the rear of the car up, both wheels spun perfectly, so i guess its not a wheel bearing?


any other suggestions

 

[television]

It is very hard to pick up a wheel bearing on the rear due to the drive train joined up.

When a wheel bearing failed on my V70R it was hard to pick up. I think that it might pay you to let a skilled man try the car, or sit in it

 

[alindsay81]

now i think about, the brakes did rub slightly on both sides and i had the pads changed 500 miles ago. Could this be the source of the sound... and my low mpg?

Trip Miles 411.6
Litre To Fill 52.2
Gallons To Fill 11.48
MPG 35.8

Computer said i got 36.0 MPG

 

[LYNALL]

Disc brake always rub slightly, i would say a whine is going to be from the diff, steady speed on and off the power very slightly, noise varies, oil level okay and leaks?



Lynall

 

[alindsay81]

No leaks, I will now check for a method of checking diff oil and gearbox oil ?

 

[television]

A noisy diff normally sings / hums when pulling and almost never when the throttle is lifted, bearings hum all of the time

 

[jimsinessex]

It does sound like it could be coming from a wheel bearing, tho theres only 34k on the clock. but i guess they can go anytime ?

They certainly can!!!!

My 320CDI CLK which was new on 28th Nov 2008 had a front wheel bearing go last month. No knocks, potholes or kerb bashing.

The dealer reported it had been supplied from factory without grease. This fills me with foreboding for the next 200,000 miles that I expect to do pretty quickly!

Jim

 

[rpe2]

I drove the mother-in-law's W203 t'other night, terrible loud hum over 50MPH, couldn't work it out.

Checked the wheels, no issue, pulled over again, only when getting back to the car did it occur to me what the problem was (or wasn't).

Fater in Law has put some Mickey Mouse Roof bars on and the hum at certain speeds, remove them, problem solved.

Does you car have any roof appendages?