Odd intermittent groaning type noise from front of car

[Justin Smith]

I was hoping some of the esteemed members of this forum could help me identify a strange groaning type noise which has just started manifesting itself in my Auris (2013 VALVEMATIC ICON petrol 1.6, 49,000 miles).

The noise is not present all the time but it occurs even if the air con and/or the fan is off or the car is coasting in neutral (it's an automatic).
It only happens when the car is moving, and bumps etc do not seem to make it better or worse.
It does not appear to be dependent on the speed of the engine.

I have this nasty feeling, hopefully I'm wrong, that it's something to do with the transmission, which could be expensive..... ( ! )

 

 

 

[TonyHSD]

You need to record the noise and share. 

[Justin Smith]

1 hour ago, TonyHSD said:

You need to record the noise and share. 

I thought about that but it'd not be easy, mainly because the noise is generally hard to hear above road, wind and engine noise, but I'd also be driving at the time !

[Mooly]

Does it do it on perfectly flat roads?

Could it be a brake issue? Try and drive around a bit, at a decent speed if possible but be gentle on the brakes if you can. Then jump out and feel each disc through the wheels. Is one very much hotter than the others? 

 

[solero]

Is your "automatic" the multimode "automated manual" or the multidrive "cvt" gearbox?

It should say on the Badge on the b post eg K313 transmission would be a cvt gearbox.

 

[Corolly Poly]

I get the same. Seems to come from the passenger seat when I have a go at lorry drivers holding me up by overtaking each other when only going 1mph faster than each other!!!

[Justin Smith]

14 hours ago, Mooly said:

Does it do it on perfectly flat roads?

Could it be a brake issue? Try and drive around a bit, at a decent speed if possible but be gentle on the brakes if you can. Then jump out and feel each disc through the wheels. Is one very much hotter than the others? 

I was trying to record it this morning and it did seem to be influenced by using the brakes, they either seem to start it or stop it ! In addition the discs are quite worn, they have quite a wear ridge on the edges but are still smooth in the middle. The fronts in particular are worn but also the rears, in fact I have actually got the car in to have them sorted, but I have never heard worn discs make a noise like this before. Normally worn discs/pads is just as scraping type sound.

[Justin Smith]

I have managed to record it a bit here, at about 7 sec, and 16 sec, plus a bit at 38sec.

As an aside (which will strike a few chords I am sure) it was a right faff, not least because the recorder is far too complicated. It suffers from that bane of modern technology : "the multi function button", plus the fact that with micro processor controlled products it's easy to put extra features on so the designers do just that, but, in conjunction with the infamous multi function buttons, it makes them a nightmare to use.....

 

 

[Beyondzerocustomerservice]

Have you got a teenage son?

[Mooly]

That is a strange sound and it seems remarkably constant in pitch each time. On its own it doesn;t immediately suggest anything to me but on the other hand if the brakes really do affect it then you have to wonder.

I was thinking more of a sticky brake caliper binding tbh which is why I mentioned actually feeling the discs to see if one felt to hot compared to the others.

The fronts on my Auris hardly seem to have any wear at nearly 15yrs old and 111k whereas the rears have had pads and the discs are noticeably worn with a bit of a ridge. No detectable ridge on inner or outer edge on the front discs and the pads still look like new. Bizarre. The rear wheels are the ones that get dirty from brake dust, fronts stay absolutely clean. 

You say it is in for the brakes to be looked at so see what the outcome of that is. 

[Justin Smith]

17 hours ago, solero said:

Is your "automatic" the multimode "automated manual" or the multidrive "cvt" gearbox?

It should say on the badge on the b post eg K313 transmission would be a cvt gearbox.

 

It says 02A/K311.

[ShiftedReality1990]

Judging by the recording (had to put my headphones on to hear the noise as I'm deff) it sounds, to my rather average-trained-ears, that it could be related to the brakes, say the caliper(s)? Sticking slightly. Do you have any suspicion as to the location of the noise? Rear or front, left or right? You said you're booked in for a brake job? Perhaps this would provide you with the answer 👍

[solero]

K311 is a CVT gearbox.

Does it make the noise in neutral, or only in reverse and drive?

It does sound like the brakes too me. Noisy bearings in the cvt would be a constant noise.

[Justin Smith]

46 minutes ago, solero said:

K311 is a CVT gearbox.

Does it make the noise in neutral, or only in reverse and drive?

It does sound like the brakes too me. Noisy bearings in the cvt would be a constant noise.

It still makes the noise in neutral.

I am erring on the side of it being the brakes, but I have had cars for over 35 years and none has made that type of sound when the discs/pads were worn !

[solero]

jack it up on axle stands or put it upon a lift and it should be easy to locate source of noise.

Check gearbox/diff driveshaft area as well as brakes. Hopefully its the latter.

[TonyHSD]

Brake pads wear acoustic indicators usually produce grinding noises when driving and te noises disappear when pressing the brakes. 

[Justin Smith]

11 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

Brake pads wear acoustic indicators usually produce grinding noises when driving and te noises disappear when pressing the brakes. 

I agree, though I have had a car with worn discs and pads which will still made a noise (albeit a slightly different noise) when the brakes were applied.

[Mushu84]

Hi Justin,

 

 

Check the wheel plastic covers inside the wheel arches, also check under the car that the plastic covers are not touching the ground also check the heat shield are not touching the exhaust anywhere 

If any of these are not the cause, start by lifting up the car make sure the brakes are not sticky and the CV Drive shafts are ok not making any strange noises, maybe check wheel bearings 

[Justin Smith]

Well the front discs and pads have now been changed and the noise has disappeared.

Interestingly the mechanic heard it just moving the car onto the pit and he also thought it sounded very odd, nothing like one would usually get from worn discs and pads.
I did notice, before having the work done, that if the window was opened whilst only coasting (i.e. quieter) the more familiar scraping type noise (usually what worn brakes sound like...) was also audible.
The whole thing was weird !

[Perfection]

2 hours ago, Justin Smith said:

Well the front discs and pads have now been changed and the noise has disappeared.

Interestingly the mechanic heard it just moving the car onto the pit and he also thought it sounded very odd, nothing like one would usually get from worn discs and pads.
I did notice, before having the work done, that if the window was opened whilst only coasting (i.e. quieter) the more familiar scraping type noise (usually what worn brakes sound like...) was also audible.
The whole thing was weird !

It's the front brakes disc/pads noise. Had the same on our Auris. Nothing to worry about.

[ShiftedReality1990]

11 hours ago, Justin Smith said:

Well the front discs and pads have now been changed and the noise has disappeared.

Interestingly the mechanic heard it just moving the car onto the pit and he also thought it sounded very odd, nothing like one would usually get from worn discs and pads.
I did notice, before having the work done, that if the window was opened whilst only coasting (i.e. quieter) the more familiar scraping type noise (usually what worn brakes sound like...) was also audible.
The whole thing was weird !

Great to hear the noise has gone. It did sound like a brake related issue. I've heard many odd sounds from warn pads and discs. It's just one of those things. Glad to hear it's sorted now 👍