Whirring noise when driving.

[SeatLeonDuggy]

Hello.

My 2014 1.6TDI MK3 Leon has for a while now made a whirring noise when driving. It doesn't matter if it's in gear or in neutral and freewheeling, the noise is the same. I took it to Halfords and they replaced the passenger CV/drive shaft, but the sound is still there. Any experience or info would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

 

[RUM4MO]

Do you think that it could be a failing wheel bearing?

Typically, a failing wheel bearing makes an almost droning noise that starts at maybe 30 or 40 or 50MPH and possibly if you increase the speed you can "drive through it", another way that I can describe this noise is, it is a bit like the "wah wah" noise that offroad tyres like some army trucks use, ie big blocky tyres,

It seems like any/all VW Group cars suffer from failed wheel bearings for some reason, in the case of my wife's 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI, at 35K miles and just over 6 years old! The original front wheel bearing assembly was a SNR France, and I replaced it(both sides) with F-A-G bearing assembly, very annoying! My old 2000 VW Passat 4Motion asked for new front bearings when it was maybe 8 years old, that I found acceptable but still annoying. When/if bought from a VW Group dealership, these bearing assemblies are big money, I sourced the same items and my preferred brand, F-A-G, seeing as SKF had changed the design and I did not want to trust that move. I'd be interested to know if the failure rate for SNR France is higher than other trusted brands, I did not buy a VW Group car to end up with French manufactured bits in it!

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to jack it up today and rota each wheel/see if there is any play. Halfords did say when I first brought it in that they didn't believe it was a bearing and identified the CV axle as the culprit. They were very busy though and it felt like they weren't giving it their full attention.

My bigger concern is that is gear related. I'll try my best to cross off potential causes before going to a garage again.

 

[adam davies]

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to jack it up today and rota each wheel/see if there is any play. Halfords did say when I first brought it in that they didn't believe it was a bearing and identified the CV axle as the culprit. They were very busy though and it felt like they weren't giving it their full attention.

My bigger concern is that is gear related. I'll try my best to cross off potential causes before going to a garage again.

Its not gear related if it happens in neutral.
Like you saids its either a dodgy cv which should be obvious, you should see a broken cv boot with grease leaking. The other thing it could be is tracking is out and the tyres have squared off check for flat spots on the tyre it will be like a 50p piece if there is saw toothing going on.

 

[Giuseppe Busso]

Check my thread

Strange whining sound

I noticed this sound yesterday. Initially I thought it was wheel bearings but I checked it and it wasn’t. I went at a local workshop, general service not SEAT dealer, and we drove the car around for some miles and under many circumstances, and told me that it’s from gearbox. I found the way to...

www.seatcupra.net

I also found that 3 versions of Leon have the same MQ250 Gearbox, also known as 02S

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

Just had it looked at my local garage. The gearbox only had a litre of oil in it when they drained it out (think it's meant to have 2.1L). Filled it with new oil and the noise is still there. They quoted me £2000 for a new gearbox. Unfortunately I can't afford it, so I'm going to keep driving it until if fails. It has done 131000 miles, so it's not worth the cost.

My question is how long will it last? I'm very hopeful for a year! I've read a few posts from different car owners saying their cars managed it

 

[adam davies]

Just had it looked at my local garage. The gearbox only had a litre of oil in it when they drained it out (think it's meant to have 2.1L). Filled it with new oil and the noise is still there. They quoted me £2000 for a new gearbox. Unfortunately I can't afford it, so I'm going to keep driving it until if fails. It has done 131000 miles, so it's not worth the cost.

My question is how long will it last? I'm very hopeful for a year! I've read a few posts from different car owners saying their cars managed it

Thats unfortunate. Where has the oil gone has it got a leak. May last a month may last a year, syncros will probably be worn. Whats it like changing between gears.

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

I honestly don't know where it has gone. I've never noticed oil coming from the car.

I tried to record the sound but it isn't loud enough to be picked up. Just a lowish whirring sound. The gear changes are smooth.

Is buying a rebuild kit a land getting it fitted a cheaper/viable option?

 

[adam davies]

I honestly don't know where it has gone. I've never noticed oil coming from the car.

I tried to record the sound but it isn't loud enough to be picked up. Just a lowish whirring sound. The gear changes are smooth.

Is buying a rebuild kit a land getting it fitted a cheaper/viable option?

Down where i live we have a local guy who everyone uses to rebuild gearboxes, in southwales his name is john the box.
You are best searching google for a local gearbox rebuilder close to you. Possibly cost a few hundered quid to rebuild i would have thought. Jist a matter of getting the box off a dropping it to a place.
If your only keeping the car a year and it changes gear fine, i would be inclined to leave it and sell it on to a garage at a later date.
Your other option is to buy a used gearbox from ebay loads of 0s2 gearboxes on there from 350 to 500

 

[x11r]

Your oil was probably lost when halfords did your driveshaft , I would not use halfords at all for anything , How old are your tyres ,?

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

Yeah, I did wonder that myself 🫤
The two on the front are only a year and a half old and have plenty of tread left. I know the back ones are getting close to legal limit.

Your oil was probably lost when halfords did your driveshaft , I would not use halfords at all for anything , How old are your tyres ,?

Yeah, I did wonder that myself 🫤

The two on the front are only a year and a half old and have plenty of tread left. I know the back ones are getting close to legal limit.

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

Down where i live we have a local guy who everyone uses to rebuild gearboxes, in southwales his name is john the box.
You are best searching google for a local gearbox rebuilder close to you. Possibly cost a few hundered quid to rebuild i would have thought. Jist a matter of getting the box off a dropping it to a place.
If your only keeping the car a year and it changes gear fine, i would be inclined to leave it and sell it on to a garage at a later date.
Your other option is to buy a used gearbox from ebay loads of 0s2 gearboxes on there from 350 to 500

I've took your advice and had a look at a few on eBay. This one in the pictures below is £315 on offer from a car with 94k miles. It matches my car specs and BHP. Enquiring with a mechanic a rough estimate of how much/how long he thinks it would take to swap them out.

 

[x11r]

Yeah, I did wonder that myself 🫤
The two on the front are only a year and a half old and have plenty of tread left. I know the back ones are getting close to legal limit.

Yeah, I did wonder that myself 🫤

The two on the front are only a year and a half old and have plenty of tread left. I know the back ones are getting close to legal limit.

It sounds that its potentially your rear tyres, I drove saab's for years until they went down the pan and on my last saab which was a 93 I had a horrendous noise that sounded like a wheel bearing but it was the rear tyres !

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

It sounds that its potentially your rear tyres, I drove saab's for years until they went down the pan and on my last saab which was a 93 I had a horrendous noise that sounded like a wheel bearing but it was the rear tyres !

I wonder if it's worth putting on some cheapish rear part worn tyres and see if it makes a difference?

It sounds that its potentially your rear tyres, I drove saab's for years until they went down the pan and on my last saab which was a 93 I had a horrendous noise that sounded like a wheel bearing but it was the rear tyres !

I wonder if it's worth putting on some cheapish rear part worn tyres and see if it makes a difference?

 

[x11r]

I wonder if it's worth putting on some cheapish rear part worn tyres and see if it makes a difference?

I wonder if it's worth putting on some cheapish rear part worn tyres and see if it makes a difference?

Part worns might not cure it , My Cupra 290 started getting noisy at the rear and the tyres were only 1/2 worn !

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

Part worns might not cure it , My Cupra 290 started getting noisy at the rear and the tyres were only 1/2 worn

Just can't believe that two garages wouldn't detect the tyres as the issue.

 

[SuperV8]

I wonder if it's worth putting on some cheapish rear part worn tyres and see if it makes a difference?

I wonder if it's worth putting on some cheapish rear part worn tyres and see if it makes a difference?

I would always start with the cheapest option first - a new gearbox would be last on my list!
I would swap your tyres round first. Front on the rear, and rears on the front to see if this changes/effects the noise? If yes its your tyres. Presume your tyres are mounted correctly - directional/asymmetric/LH/RH etc.. A work mate had some Avon directional tyres which made a right noise - changing brand cured his noise.

I changed my front wheel bearings recently. Had a feint whump whump rhythmic noise but only at higher speeds above 60-70mph. Was only very mild - my partner couldn't hear it for example! but I could! My car had done 95-100k miles at the time. The wheel bearings felt fine with no play or roughness (but front driveshafts can make it difficult to 'feel' the front wheel bearings) so I wasn't really sure it was my bearings - until I went around a slow corner with my window open and I heard a slight brake 'chirp' this had to be a wheel bearing! I then repeated the test and I was able the noise was repeatable - in a turn more side load on the tyre is applied through the wheel bearing which moves the disc temporarily out of true (disc is bolted to the wheel bearing flange) and contacting the pad which made the noise.
I changed both front wheel bearings and no more whump whump.

 

[x11r]

Just can't believe that two garages wouldn't detect the tyres as the issue.

I took my Saab for an Mot and they said I needed two new wheel bearings , I then spoke to a friend who is a Saab specialist and he said ignore them by new tyres ! And he was spot on.

 

[SeatLeonDuggy]

I've bought a gearbox from a big/well reviewed breakers on eBay for £350. It matches the car exactly, as well as the engine code. It's from a car that had 54k miles, so hopefully have a lot of life left in it. They don't test the gearboxes, so just got to hope that it works and there's no issues. Have a mechanic that can for it for £500 cash. Thank you for all your messages, much appreciated