Thump at low speeds, vibration at high.

Discuss any problems, warranty, repair, or replacement issues you are having with your Vibe & Matrix
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Kate158
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:51 pm

Thump at low speeds, vibration at high.

Post by Kate158 »

She's a 2009 AWD, and I smacked a deer with her right before this all started. It was the driver's side front, and we had to replace the radiator support arm, headlight, fender, hood, headlight, and valance. So it was a fairly bad hit. (I still have to pry the fuse box up from where it wedged itself).

The noise, however, seems to be coming from the passenger side rear. It's a steady thumping dependent on tire speed (I'd say once per rotation) and it's audible up to about 25 mph. After 55 mph, I start feeling a vibration, and the car sounds louder. The noise stops immediately when I brake, and d̶o̶e̶s̶ n̶o̶t̶ c̶h̶a̶n̶g̶e̶ w̶h̶e̶n̶ I̶ t̶u̶r̶n̶ gets louder when I turn left. It doesn't sound louder when I put down the windows. It started a week ago, and has gotten steadily worse.

The tires are in good condition; the lug nuts are tight; there's nothing hitting the drive shaft (that I can see); and the wheel wells are clear. The balance might be off, but I hear the "thump" below 5 mph, which seems pretty slow for a weight to be affecting things.

Any ideas?
Last edited by Kate158 on Sun Oct 02, 2022 7:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
andrewclaus
Posts: 482
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2017 6:38 pm
Location: Golden, CO

Re: Thump at low speeds, vibration at high.

Post by andrewclaus »

I'd start by rotating the tires, for a couple of reasons--to more carefully check them for visible damage, and to see if the noise seems to move when the tires move.
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joatmon
Posts: 10018
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 5:19 am
Location: SMC MD

Re: Thump at low speeds, vibration at high.

Post by joatmon »

and when you try rotating the tires, well chock the wheels on the ground, and when the back left tire is off the ground, put the car in neutral and try spinning the wheel by hand. Might be hard to get it up to 5 mph, but maybe the sound will still be noticeable
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Kate158
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:51 pm

Re: Thump at low speeds, vibration at high.

Post by Kate158 »

I just drove to town and back, and the noise was noticeably worse where the road took sharp left turns (either it's getting worse, or none of the turns on the way to work are sharp enough to change the noise). Based on that, and how the noise sounds in the cab (and doesn't sound louder if I turn down the windows) I'm thinking this is a mechanical issue.

So I probably won't rotate the tires, except as a last resort. I will try giving the rear wheels a spin tomorrow, after I wake up.
XRhodebeck
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2022 12:13 pm

Re: Thump at low speeds, vibration at high.

Post by XRhodebeck »

Maybe a wheel bearing? I’m currently replacing one on my 2009 awd, and sounds similar to what you’re experiencing. To check it, when you have the wheels off the ground for the rotation, see if there is play or wobble in the wheel by pushing and pulling on the wheel, it shouldn’t move much if at all.
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