Ok, I just noticed I placed this in the wrong forum, so I am placing it here, hoping to get some help.

Purchased 07' H3 in November. Right away I noticed a noise coming from what seems to be the front left tire area. Its a rotational sound, that will increase with speed, decrease as I slow down. I have it in drive, as well as neutral. When the wheels are moving, the sound is happening.

4 trips back to the dealer and each time they claim to have fixed it, but its still here. They have adjusted backing plates, adjusted heat shield?, as well as rotating tires.

Recently I noticed that it will get louder as I travel. It will not be too loud at first now, but after each 5 miles it will get louder and louder.

The sound is similar to a grinding/brake noise, but it does not stop when you engage the pedal as that sound often does. The brakes are fine. This sound is almost like a rubbing sound, but it gets worse with every mile.

Any help is appreciated..... I am frustrated now as it sounds like a "clunker" when I come down the street and pass the neighbors, lol. This seems to be a tough one, with 4 visits and still no fix...... The dealer is clueless here, but they take the time to try and make me feel like they did something. I just want to get to the bottom of it, thats all. I love my H3, but this noise is an issue. Anyone??? Anything similar? Im lost here. Cant make sense of it......

 

Without being outside as you drive by it makes it hard to guesstimate what the problem could be. But rotational wise to me is typically associated w/ wheels or drive train.

Since it has stumped the dealership so many times, I would rule out the obvious, and day it's not the dust shield for the rotor. However looking at your profile pic, I would wonder if the wheels aren't contributing to your problem. A tech would take them off to inspect the area and than poof there goes the problem, rotating them wouldn't help either. It's early and I'm on my first cup of coffee so I hope this makes sense to you.

Did you buy those wheels? Or did they come on the vehicle? Any specs on them? Back spacing, hub size, etc?

If those aren't the issue than it could be something to do with the driveshaft, perhaps the yoke off the transmission? As the rear tires spin so does it, and it will increase in rpms w/ the vehicles speed...

 

This is a very long shot but I have had the center caps make noise. Good luck.

 

What dealer are you taking it to? There are other members from Jersey that may be able to recommend a good dealer. You may also want to take it to a former HUMMER dealership which is probably a Cadillac dealer now. They may have some former HUMMER techs in the back that will know what it is the first time they hear it.

My guesses: wheel bearing, half shaft, front drive shaft. If you still have the OEM rims or a buddy who has them. Try swapping them to eliminate that from your list of possible causes.

 

Thank you guys. As far as "the usual" suspects...... they say its all been checked. Such as a bad wheel bearing will usually make the noise all of the time, rather than being intermittent.

The thing that is throwing us off is the way it will increase as you drive the vehicle. A trip around the corner, I may not hear it. But 15 minutes into a ride, it begins and it gets worse with time. Park her over night and the next morning we do not hear it as I drive away from the house.

I am located in Central Jersey, Brick/Pt Pleasant area, to be exact. I have taken it to the place I purchased it, as they are covering it under the original warranty when I purchased it. At this point, I dont mind paying for it, if it will be fixed right.

As for the wheels, I will get more info. They were on it when I purchased it. They were my first guess, but would they come and go like this? I can hear the tire sounding different on different road surfaces around town, but thats not the issue. This is a distinct rubbing/grinding sound.

I was thinking that by taking it our of gear, I would eliminate the drive train, but what your saying here makes sense and coasting down the street, out of gear will still leave the yoke and such operational.

I dont know......this is just one of those things I am determined to find. Thank you again for the replies!!!

 

Sounds like you are looking at all the same things I'd think of. One other thing to consider, sound travels weird on a car. I've been fooled more than once thinking the sound was coming from one wheel or area and it turned out to be something else entirely. It could be a diff or TC issue, or even something you already had looked at but a different wheel. Way too hard to diagnose over the forum based on description, just don't assume it has to be a problem at the front left wheel.

 

You need someone with a listening device.
They attach it to places to where they think the noise might be coming from.
That is how I found one on a previous vehicle I owned. Found out the right whell wasn't torqued correctly

 

I have driven a long time on a dry wheel bearing in other cars. These new sealed types are much more forgiving the the old messy do it yourself greasy messy ones.
One I knocked apart was dusty dry inside!
I bet a dollar on the w b.

 

I cal the dollar and raise ya two. I had the same issue. At first i had to really listen to hear any noise.... Then a bit later it was as you described and could hear it better after it was run for a while..... Went Christmas shopping and...... On Tue way home on Tue highway the dash lit up with abs fault, traction failed and stab failed.... Jacked up the front right where the noise was... Completely failed bearing and the tire flops back and forth like it woulda fell off. It sounded terrible comin home after it failed.... Ordered a timken replacement and it should be here the seventh of Feb.... Hope this helps... If not wb i agree with tainter in his guesses.

 

Somthing simple to check--Ice inside the tire