I have an '01 SL2, auto transmission, that just went over 100k miles. Lately it makes a whining noise from a stop that changes in pitch as I accelerate or decelerate. After the car gets into about 3rd or 4th gear you don't hear it at all. This happens with the AC on or off and you don't hear it when the car is in neutral and you rev the engine and you also don't hear it while idling. The reminds me of ignition/alternator noise that feeds back through a badly installed car amplifier. Is this transmission related? It doesn't have any problem going into revers and it seems to shift smoothly in all gears. Also, is there a way to check the trouble codes myself or do I have to take it to a dealer? On my Dodge truck I can just turn the ignition on-off-on-off-on and it lists any codes on the digital odometer. Thanks for your help!

 

ODBII reader for codes ---is SES light actually on?

As for whining:
You indicated no whining when not moving...
You indicated pitch change which seems to be unhearable past 3rd gear.

Check front tires for uneven wear or for the wear indicators showing

 

Might even be a bad outer wheel bearing

 

Well the tires are brand new and you don't hear this sound while it's stopped or idling. It really pertains to the car accelerating up through the first couple of gears and then once you reach your cruising speed you don't hear it as much.

 

+ 1 on the wheel bearing possibility OA (wanted to rule out tires first)

Did onset of sound match acquisition of said new tires? What kinda tires ya have on there?

If it is tire related, you would not expect it to be heard while the car's not moving...
The fact that you don't hear it when idling or revving in neutral seemingly rules out alot of under the hood things--but not all.

Trying to rule out the simple stuff before we go on a complicated trip around the car

Try this (on a road with no other cars around!)

go up through the gears like normal, then once you are in a gear where the noise IS present, take your foot off the gas and gently shift to neutral and listen for what happens...

Please post the results.

 

OK - here's another question WRT (with respect to) your strange sound ....

You state that ..."Lately it makes a whining noise from a stop that changes in pitch as I accelerate or decelerate."...

Does the sound follow the speed of the engine (rises and falls as your car shifts through the gears), or is the sound a gradual rise in tone/volume as your speed increases ???

 

Well got the bad news today from my mechanic on my SL2. It looks to him that the Mobil Quick Lube place apparently damaged my transmission filter trying to remove it, maybe mistaking it for my oil filter and most of my fluid leaked out shortly thereafter. He says there is tranny fluid all on the under side of the car.

I probably put about 300 miles on it before it started making the whining noise. He thinks that the tranny is probably damaged but recommends that I take it back to Mobil to get n their face about it. I think I still have the service receipt and I know their sticker is still on my windshield. Any thoughts or suggestions? How much does a rebuilt SL2 tranny cost these days? It still seems to shift thru all the gears okay but who knows for how long???

Man this just makes me sick...

 

Ahhh, yes -- another case of ignorant/incopetent people calling themselves a "QUIK LUBE" shoppe, and screwing up someone's ride. Document the issues, and the damage (with pictures if possible), then go to the owner of the place, and calmly but firmly give him both the facts, and what you expect them to do about it.

Remember, bad 'word-of-mouth' advertising could cost him much more than a replacement tranny.....

 

Thats why I do mine myself, and not a shop.

But yes, get the receipt if you have it (you will prolly need it) and document everything, may even want your mechanic to document too, get pictures of the damaged filter, etc. and take it to the highest manager or owner of the place, some times its the same, others its two different people, and show him what his shop did, their mistake, and tell him what you would like him to do to correct the problem, and work something out.