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Pulsing noise when driving

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Superdrol, Nov 14, 2011.

  1. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    My car is approx two years old. I bought it in the beginning of 2010. I rotated my tires about 10,000 miles ago after not rotating them for over 20,000 miles. initially the dealer said it was cupping on the tires but I have driven them since for close to 10k miles.

    The same issue persists. Whenever I drive the car and it gets to around 30-40 mph accelerating or coasting I hear a very audible noise that almost sounds like pulsating vibration in the front of the cab. I've brought it to two different dealerships and they have both said it is the tire needing rebalanced but I somehow doubt that is the case.

    I've decreases the tire pressure to around 39 psi. I also noticed that it seems to be less when it is cold outside (30F or less).

    Is it possible that a wheel bearing is bad for the entire front end, or possibly defective OEM tires ? The car is relatively new still.
     
    #1 Superdrol, Nov 14, 2011
  2. firepa63

    firepa63 Former Prius Owner

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    My guess is tires... How many miles on them and what manufacturer made them?
     
    #2 firepa63, Nov 14, 2011
  3. Gurple42

    Gurple42 New Member

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    I'd rotate the tires again, see if the trouble goes away, if so, it's tires.
     
    #3 Gurple42, Nov 14, 2011
  4. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    The tires are likely worn irregularly due to the lack of rotation. Front tires will wear more on the shoulders due to cornering wear. Plus sometimes OEMs will compromise shoulder wear to improve rolling resistance.

    Alignment can also be a cause, since excessive toe will cause irregular wear which may lead to the noise problems you describe.

    At this point you can try rotating again if there is enough tread left, but the only viable option is to start with 4 new tires and a proper alignment.
     
    #4 The Critic, Nov 15, 2011
  5. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    They are Goodyear Assurance. They have approx. 27,000 miles on them.
     
    #5 Superdrol, Nov 15, 2011
  6. jsmithy

    jsmithy Hypermiler and Freedom Lover

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    Tires...I rotated my Goodyears at 10,000 and I my car developed the same noise. 40-45MPH is the peak of volume. After another 8,000 miles of driving after the rotation, the noise has only slightly diminished.
     
    #6 jsmithy, Nov 15, 2011
  7. Teakwood

    Teakwood Member

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    Could the problem be the balance of the tires?
     
    #7 Teakwood, Nov 15, 2011
  8. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    Possibly. I think it's the tire itself. The tires are harder rubber to decrease friction. My guess is more vibration is enhanced due to this issue. Like the above post after approx 7,000 miles the sound has decreased somewhat.

    It may be just poor design.
     
    #8 Superdrol, Nov 15, 2011
  9. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Most likely alignment that caused a poor wear pattern.

    MB860 ?
     
    #9 The Critic, Nov 15, 2011
  10. Superdrol

    Superdrol Member

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    I realigned the car a few weeks ago. The car doesn't hold it's alignment very well.
     
    #10 Superdrol, Nov 15, 2011
  11. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    if tire was hit on curb it may developed a bump. Even if it is balanced it will still give the vibration and noise. We just replaced 2 tires on minivan for the very reason. They were balanced, but not round.
     
    #11 cyclopathic, Nov 15, 2011
  12. energyandair

    energyandair Active Member

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    I have similar symptoms. Specifically:
    • A pulsing sound that is most noticeable above 60 kph (40 mph) on very smooth roads
    • Appears to be synchronized with wheel rotation and gets louder with increasing speed
    • No noticeable vibration in car or steering
    • Does not sound like something mechanical
    • Did not see anything obvious on the tires
    • Originally appeared to be at rear. After switching rear tires with front on same side it seems a bit quieter and its hard to be sure if its back or front
    My tires are 195/65/15 Michelin Primacy MXV4 just over 2 years old. They would have 20-25k miles on them.

    My plan is to jack up the car in the next couple of days if the weather cooperates so that I can check the tires more carefully.

    The next step would be an alignment and wheel balance.

    Has that worked for OP or anyone else?

    Does anyone have any other thoughts?
     
    #12 energyandair, Nov 5, 2014
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