Cant figure out this front end noise, help????

[Vibe Raider]

This is a continuation of the creaking post. I have to this point replaced the Pads, rotors and pad clips. I even bled the brakes. Brake job complete now and noise will not go away. It is a creaking noise that shows up while applying the brake and it on rotation. Another thing i just noticed is even in park sitting in the garage I bumped the car and u can hear a little sqeel, so i then pushed the car back and forth in park and it makes lots of noise............now 30 minutes later I went in there and the car has cooled off and i wanted to describe the noise but its gone???????????????Im going nuts with this crap. My wife is beginning to hate the car. Its embarrising to drive due to the noise everytime you apply the brake...HELP. If I cant figure it out soon Im gonna have to take it to the Stealership.BTW the dealership sucks here. I brought it in and told them i needed a new PCM and they told me it was fine. After 4 more trips there. I had a new Battery, Alternator, Starter and some other part....cant quite remember. They finally did what i said and the starting problem was solved. I feel i can do better here since this is where i figured out the PCM problem. hopefully you can help with this one. I am starting to wonder if its something to do with the aftermarket wheels. Had them for at least a year now so not sure.

[WaveAction]

could be anything like ball joints, or even the actual struts themselves, it's hard to tell..i really dont know what im talking about..honestly..lol

[Sublimewind]

Do you have a different set of wheels you could try?? I know when I put on my winter wheels, I have to keep telling myself that it's the wheels, all the different noises I hear... It "is" possible that it's a front wheel bearing... considering what you have described.. It would make sence to me, when you apply the brakes, it loads the bearing differently and miss-aligns it somehow... Do a little test, go down the road ~30mph, in a safe place, and rock the steering wheel back and forth... do you get any noise turning one direction that you don't turning the other??? Having noise while turning one way vs another is usually one of the first signs of a wheel bearing crapping out.... I just replaced one this weekend on my brother caviler... man that one was BAD... some of the bearing were shattered, somewere egg shaped, some looked like teeth..!!! Also, sometimes cars roll off the lot that were never ment to drive... I had a VW that was like that... by the time I got rid of that car, I could have bought it NEW again, in what was spent in repairs...!!!! That was my first car, bought new... Now, i'm like this, I vowed, if I could help someone to fix something that was in my power to help with I would... I've learned a LOT since that car... and i've only owned 3 other cars since then...

[zionzr2]

is there anyway you could post a recording of the noise?

[kevera]

Sounds like a bearing issue as previously said.My sunfire had a similar noise about a month ago,swore it was a braking issue.Turns out the axle nut came loose a quarter turn.

[Vibe Raider]

Im going to take my recorder and hope it will pick up the sound over the motor.

[Vibe Raider]

went out and the noise wasnt there for even me to hear. took some turns and no noise during turns either. To make it worse I have a new dent in the wifes car from backing into the garage door . It didnt go up all the way. Wasnt paying attention. i hate this ****. Now i need a new panel for over the rear window. Maybe I can get some help on that 1.....

[Vibe Raider]

Took it to the stealer today and the noise is mysteriously gone. Since they cant hear it they cant fix it.....Hell I can hear it and cant fix it. As for the damage on the car from above post, ....wife is either taking it well or shes saving that fight for later........Now I have two things I cant figure out, wonderful.

[Mavrik]

tighten the nuts on top of the struts that hold them to the body of the car under the hood. Of course I put a lot of stress on mine but the right side came loose one time. Not enough to snap of or anything. But I was getting a squeaking/clunk sound and it was really intermit. After tightening those down, the noise never returned.

[KrazyB]

Is there any kind of clunk when you press the brakes for the first time while the car is moving? I have this problem and have never figured it out. Every one thought that it was the brakes aligning for the first time each time it was driven. Just and idea.

[Sublimewind]

Quote, originally posted by KrazyB »Is there any kind of clunk when you press the brakes for the first time while the car is moving? I have this problem and have never figured it out. Every one thought that it was the brakes aligning for the first time each time it was driven. Just and idea.That to me, sounds like the pads shifting, can you re-produce it by backing up and then moving forward? I would say you have already tested this.. but, I have to ask..

[Vibe Raider]

been about a week or more maybe 2 and the noise seems to have gone away ever since I swapped the rotors for new ones. So from what i can tell the place that cut the rotors must have cut them wrong. Thanks guys

[Sublimewind]

Wow, no kidding, thanks for the update.... Not getting updates is the plague of this site... people come in with thier problems, we fix them, and they never post an update (I shouldn't say NEVER, but often)thanks, glad to hear you got it worked out..

[njcorny]

I have had a noise happen numerous times on my vibe - coming from either of the front wheels when turning or applying the brakes. It first happened after driving through a construction zone in Montana. When I got to Lethbridge, I pulled into Canadian Tire and they thought it was a bearing, but when they took the wheel off, they found a small stone that had become lodged between the brake and the shield behind the brake. It was such a relief to be able to get that cleared up. Since then it has happened again numerous times, especially since I live on a gravel road. It also happens when we have snow, and there is more gravel on the city streets and highways. So now I know that if I hear that grinding sound when I hit the brakes, just look for the rock behind the brake rotor. Sometimes it can be removed without taking the wheel off, but usually the wheel has to come right off. It doesn't damage anything, but the noise can be pretty bad if the rock is big enough.