GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Yippie, this sounds expensive... In a nutshell, any time the car is moving you're hearing this metallic noise from the right front. Doesn't seem to me that it changes much when you're braking or turning. I took the wheel off to check on the brakes, the pads still have some (not much) meat left on them so that probably isn't it... (but given that it makes the sound with the brakes released didn't lead me to belive there was an issue anyway.) I threw it in neutral, grabbed the lugs and gave it a spin but didn't hear anything too terrible. Then again I couldn't spin it too fast. I'm thinking wheel bearing, what about you guys? And how much??? I called the guys at the tire shop that we get our routine stuff done at and they'll be happy to look at it, just have to get it up there.Grreat... I'm afraid to have her drive it, so we're down to one car now until we can get this sorted out. Gotta love it when crap blows up on a Friday afternoon. Naturally, the car was just fricken peachy yesterday, now it's making awful noises after sitting overnight.

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me... Good times!

Bonus! That was what I was suspecting.Got the Vibe going into the shop tonight. $cha-ching$Not even 60k on it yet, sheesh!

The CP Cursed Vibe syndrome is spreading to the wife's car. Maybe if you put a protective cover over the seat when you are in it you can halt further infection.

Maybe CP needs a shaman to cast a healing spell over his Vibe.

I need somethin', man. I guess my bad luck only infects Toyotas, 51k later and the Hyundai still hasn't fallen apart. Would have been nice to have this break on my car though, as it still has plenty of warranty. The Vibe is paid off though, so that helps - I guess. Odd update on the noise -- it seems to go away at higher speeds. Anywhere from 10 MPH to 40 it's a steady rattle rattle cling cling rattle... Get it over 40 and the noise becomes intermittent and eventually goes away.I'll know more tomorrow. The guys at the shop are pretty cool,hopefully they get it figured out.

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »Odd update on the noise -- it seems to go away at higher speeds. Anywhere from 10 MPH to 40 it's a steady rattle rattle cling cling rattle... Get it over 40 and the noise becomes intermittent and eventually goes away.That doesn't sound like a wheel bearing, it sounds like marbles in a hub cap! Once you get above 40 the centrifugal force keeps them from rattling. You probably don't have enclosed hub caps on a Vibe though?I just had the right front wheel bearing replaced on our minivan. There had been a slight whining noise hear inside the car at freeway speeds, at lower speeds nothing. Also, when making right turns there was a thump-thump-thump noise that varied with the speed of the car. FYI the part (Nissan) was $175, I don't remember the labor, the whole bill was $1100 but we had other service done as well, including rear brakes (not at a dealer).

Quote, originally posted by jimincalif »That doesn't sound like a wheel bearing, it sounds like marbles in a hub cap! Once you get above 40 the centrifugal force keeps them from rattling. You probably don't have enclosed hub caps on a Vibe though?LOL I told him it sounded like there was a rock or two in the wheel and he didn't believe me. Although I would think the rocks would have come out when he took the wheel off or that he would have heard them if that's what it was. I've had a rock do that in a rear wheel before and it made noise but not this exact noise...then it went cha-CHINK and was gone after it flew out.The noise did seem to respond to different forces...it would change a little when turning, and depending on whether you braked hard and fast or slowly and gently...if you braked hard and fast it would skitter, like something trying to continue up the inside of the circle...but if you braked more slowly it would just slow down gradually.

just replaced the front wheel bearing in the wife's 03 malibu. sounds just like your description. it was a 2 hour job in the driveway.

Naturally, they took it out for a drive this morning and it wasn't making any noise. They did look at it but didn't find anything wrong with it. woot, my curse is certainly back and in full effect. Kari's going to go pick it up now, we'll see what happens.

Last time I had something like this happen it was a bunch of dust built up in my brake pads, It made an awful grinding noise almost all the time. I took an air compressor to it and that helped it along with some brakleen. Hope you guys figure it out

So far so good... And luckily they didn't charge us for looking at it. (but hey, they already got $140 from us last week for a rotate/balance/alignment/oil change.)

You must have done something to bring on this bad Vibe luck. Did you pull the wheels off Pontiac Matchbox Cars when you were a child?

It hasn't done a thing all afternoon. I went for a test drive with them when I went to pick it up and it didn't do it then. They said we are more than welcome to bring it back when it's making the noise and they'll look at it then...until then I guess we shall assume something like a rock...they thought it might have been a rock in a brake pad that fell out last night.

Good news. Maybe the CP Vibe curse is not contagious. Just the same, when you are going somewhere together - take his car!

HAHAHAHA! That's acutally how it usually goes! I think that may be part of the reason how hers is a 2003 with 59k and mine is a 2006 with 51k. I thought about asking her to switch cars occasionally to keep the miles off mine but I suspect that may be detrimental to the health of her car.

CP... I'd say if you had a wheel bearing going out on you, you would hear a change in the noise, when moving at ~20mph and running the wheel left and right.. If you hear a distinct change when turning one direction or the other, than I would strongly consider it a wheel bearing... If not, I would go through the brakes, you need to anyway it sounds like.. I have the tutorial, if you have the tool and time.. !!