Drivetrain Sound

[DFurdas]

I purchase a 2008 CX-9 GT about 1 month ago. From the start I notice a whirring sound that seems to be coming from the front wheels. The sound increases/decreases in pitch as the vehicle speed increases/decreases. I'm concerned about it because it it getting louder. It starts at about 20mph and does not stop at all unless the vehicle stops.

Has anyone else experienced this. Is the sound level normal? Otherwise, I suspect wheel bearings are needed or cv joints or PTO?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

 

[ceric]

Jack up the CX9, put it into N (make sure you block other wheels), and turn each wheel one at a time to see if any one makes the noises you heard.
If yes, bearing.

 

[DFurdas]

So took the CX-9 into the dealer to have some diagnostics run and was advised that the left front and rear wheels need new bearings. Also was advised that left front tie rod needs to be replaced. All under warranty so I'm very thankful for that. I'd like to know what the first owner was doing with the CX-9 to warrant such repairs.

But I'm concerned that the right side of the vehicle should have new bearings replaced as well as the left. I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. I realize that bearings are not like brakes, in that you must replace left and right rotors when just one rotor may be defective. Thanks again!

Cheers.

 

[ceric]

Could be just a bad batch of bearings got installed on some CX9s.
Anyway, if you turn the wheels (I am sure the dealer did that), you would find which one is making noises.

 

[DFurdas]

I dropped the CX-9 off on Friday to have work done. They replace front and rear bearings on the driver's side and a tie rod end on the passenger side. Also has a wheel alignment done. All warranty work too, thankfully. I figure all totaled, I must have had more than $1,000 of work done on the vehicle. My CX-9 is as quiet as a mouse now! Not sure what the previous owner was doing with the vehicle or what the road conditions are like in Pennsylvania, but I'll put it down to a bad batch of bearings, as you suggested ceric. But all is still not quite as it should be.

I feel a pulsing when I make left turns, only from a stand-still, and it's intermittent. I can feel it in the steering wheel, the accelerator pedal and even the center console. Hopefully when I'm back at the dealer and we go for a road test, it will act up on cue. Anyway, gotta get all this quirks looked after and eliminated before warranty runs out, which is in less than 2,000 miles.

Cheers!