Rumbling vibrational noise

[jwkim6]

Hey gang

MY 07 pilot has 126k miles and it makes a rumbling vibrational road noise when the car is moving. The faster i drive the faster the sound becomes. This leads me to think that it has to do with tires, wheels or rotors. The sound is most obvious when I'm coasting around 30-40 mph. When I go much faster, the noise is hard to hear due to wind noise. When I brake and come very close to a stop, the braking is not even. However the car does not pull to one side.

I put new tires around 90k. I didn't hear this noise problem until around 115k. I rotated and balanced the tires two time since 115k but the problem still exists. Any other suggestions?

thanks

[tuanngnt]

I got the same problem; but my car gets only 44,000 miles. The noise is from the rear.

[jwkim6]

i also want to mention that i got struts and shocks along with wheel alignment at 120k and the problem did not go away. I read somewhere that stabilizer links could be the source.

My noise seems like it's coming from the front. Hard to tell exactly where the noise is coming from. Maybe I'll drive out to the country and listen for the noise.

[hdzoro]

Have you done a transmission fluid change or a flush recently?

Originally Posted by jwkim6

i also want to mention that i got struts and shocks along with wheel alignment at 120k and the problem did not go away. I read somewhere that stabilizer links could be the source.

My noise seems like it's coming from the front. Hard to tell exactly where the noise is coming from. Maybe I'll drive out to the country and listen for the noise.

[tuanngnt]

Originally Posted by hdzoro

Have you done a transmission fluid change or a flush recently?

I did change once; but not recently; maybe 2 years ago.

[tuanngnt]

Originally Posted by tuanngnt

I did change once; but not recently; maybe 2 years ago.

I don't think it is VTM-4 because my pilot is 2WD so no need to bother the VTM-4 fuild. I did increase the tire pressure to 45 on both rear sides; but it did not reduce the noise at all. I hope it is not wheel bearing; if it is shock problem, then I am happy because it is easy to change.

One question, on Honda Pilot, shocks were installed on the rear and struts were installed on the front, is this correct?

[jwkim6]

@hdzoro - transmission fluid was changed at 107k, sept 2010. So that's only 20k miles ago. I don't hear the vibrational frequency change when the gears change.

@tuanngnt - front struts and rear shocks. Keep in mind that struts might be easy to change but they are expensive parts whereas wheel bearings are pretty cheap.

[rocky]

Have you ever changed the front diff fluid? Also, I can't be sure but do you have the noise cancellation system?

[jwkim6]

I had to do a little research on front differential and I think this is the same as transfer case. So I went through all my receiptes and noticed that the two times that I've gotten transmission fluid change, there was no record of transfer case fluid change. I think for my next big maintenance, I'll do transmission, transfer, VTM4 and see it the problematic sound goes away.

[slfalco]

Hi, don't mean to hijack this one, but I am having a kind of 'moaning' sound when turning at slow speeds, seems to be from the front of my 04 w/ 4WD... Does not happen with the vehicle stationary, and turning the steering wheel, so I don't think it is power steering related. I recently changed the rear VTM-4 fluid (with Honda stuff), and changed out some of the ATF as well (whatever drained out, per the FSM). Is there another separate fluid to change for the transfer case? I don't recall seeing anything about changing that...

[theirishscion]

Originally Posted by slfalco

Hi, don't mean to hijack this one, but I am having a kind of 'moaning' sound when turning at slow speeds, seems to be from the front of my 04 w/ 4WD... Does not happen with the vehicle stationary, and turning the steering wheel, so I don't think it is power steering related. I recently changed the rear VTM-4 fluid (with Honda stuff), and changed out some of the ATF as well (whatever drained out, per the FSM). Is there another separate fluid to change for the transfer case? I don't recall seeing anything about changing that...

That actually sounds a bit like contamination of the VTM fluid, which if memory serves can cause a moaning noise during low speed, sharp turns. Is it possible that you used a fluid pump that was contaminated by some other fluid (engine oil or ATF or something)

Ooh, is it possible that you inadvertently bought the differential fluid designed for the CRV, instead of VTM-4 fluid? Unlikely but I bet that would cause some strange effects.

Failing that, wheel bearings, half-shaft bearing, binding brake caliper or a horribly scalloped tire perhaps, depending on just how slow we're talking.

The fact that you changed it recently makes me suspicious. Rocky, you're watching this thread and know infinitely more about the early ones, what do you think?

[humanoid]

You don't have a transfer case fluid to worry about, 2006+ need to though. I agree with the post above, sounds like the VTM-4 fluid got contaminated with some other liquid. Maybe do a drain and refill with fresh VTM-4 fluid with a new pump?

[slfalco]

Thanks, the fluid pump I used was brand new (I had seen all the warnings here about contamination), I'll double-check the fluid I used.. Also, seems louder when turning left, not so noticeable when turning right... Also checked calipers, tires, etc... I would think wheel bearing would make noise regardless of turning vs going straight.. So maybe CV joint is a possibility (noise seems to be from right front, but hard to tell).... Didn't see any torn boots though....

[Slider]

jwkim6, does the noise change pitch when swerving side to side?

[dahogs]

Originally Posted by jwkim6

Hey gang

MY 07 pilot has 126k miles and it makes a rumbling vibrational road noise when the car is moving. The faster i drive the faster the sound becomes. This leads me to think that it has to do with tires, wheels or rotors. The sound is most obvious when I'm coasting around 30-40 mph. When I go much faster, the noise is hard to hear due to wind noise. When I brake and come very close to a stop, the braking is not even. However the car does not pull to one side.

I put new tires around 90k. I didn't hear this noise problem until around 115k. I rotated and balanced the tires two time since 115k but the problem still exists. Any other suggestions?

thanks

Have the parking brake checked, could be a bad parking brake cable. Do you use your parking brake a lot?

Had the rumbling problem, at one point it got so bad that I thought I had a flat tire, and pulled over to the shoulder of a major highway to check my tires.
The rumbling was emanating from the middle to rear of the car.

Once I had the cable replaced, the problem disappeared.

If the source of the noise/feel is emanating from the front, have the wheel bearings checked, which can feel/sound a lot like bad rotors if they need to be re-packed.