My 2003 Vue, 4 cyl CVT has developed this noise at about 100k.

Sounded like left front bearing. Replaced left spindle, no results.

Anyone been down this road and found the true cause?


Thanks!

 

Sounds like a tire issue to me, but I'm not a mechanic. I'd try rotating the tires from front to back and see if it still sounds the same.

 

I'm with Rube on initial diag. The issue either moves w the tire or it doesn't. Then take it from there.


To me, sounds like

• Unevenly worn tire due to alignment issues
• Tread is worn down to the wear indicators, and the noise you are hearing is the sound of the tread wear indicators vibrating the tire (as they are designed to do) as you go down the road.

When you move tires from front to back and vice versa, make sure you put a tire up in the front left that has sufficient thread and normal wear on it to ensure you are not skewing the test.

 

Thanks for the support, derf. Being an old fart, it's nice to have a young bucks input!

 

Tires have about 15k miles.

Had them rotated about a week ago with no change.

Thanks for your interest!

 

Are all the tires evenly worn across the tread? What pressure to you keep them at?

 

32 psi.
Have tires rotated every 5k miles.
tread wear is even.

 

Just to sync on terminology:

When you say you replaced the spindle, do you mean you replaced the entire hub with bearing intact, with a new hub w/ bearing intact?

Do you feel associated vibes through the steering wheel?

What brand and size tires are you running on? Are they all-season/performance/winter/off-road?

 

Since I am in Georgia and we get snow, on average, once every seven years, I run all weather Michelins. Yes, I know they are overkill for this ancient sled and will develop dry rot before they wear out. (I drive about 10k miles/year).

I replaced the entire spindle on the left front. Saw a u-tube video on replacing the hub. Fellow had beat on his for a couple of days trying to get it off. Finally bought wheel puller and voila. Wheel pullers were running about $75. I spent a morning roaming a local flea market and found one for $10. BOOM! Spindle was off in 30 seconds. Still had the noise, though.

Sure sounds like a wheel bearing or at least a bearing of some sort. I am sure that there are many Vues that have had the same problem.
Thanks for the forum's interest!

 

Alignment ok?


CVT internal bearing?
Carrier bearing?


(Guessing)