GR Yaris "Whoo" noise when turning

[Spirited]

Stopped ahead of a roundabout. Initial acceleration in the roundabout, with the wheel turned, came with one short whoooo noise, a bit like a whistling.

Driving as usual, mixture of speed, etc, I couldn't hear it again, until a very similar situation at another roundabout (same story, same noise). A few roundabouts since then, but no such noise.

Third time I heard the same noise was as I was stationary and reversed uphill with the wheels turned. As I wasn't at a roundabout, I tried to replicate the noise. Back and forth a few times at the exact same spot. No noise.

No clue as to which area the noise comes from.

Any ideas as to what to check, much appreciated. That you.

 

[KimmE_GR]

Maybe just airflow through the cooling duct to the front brakes? Eventually the sound only comes when your wheels are in a specific angle or it depends if there is alot of wind coming from the front? Just an idea, could be completly wrong.^^

 

[Michael Knight]

Have noted some weird sounds after hot track laps but they have faded away.
Not sure if they're wheel bearing related or then just suspension moving.

 

[Spirited]

Maybe just airflow through the cooling duct to the front brakes? Eventually the sound only comes when your wheels are in a specific angle or it depends if there is alot of wind coming from the front? Just an idea, could be completly wrong.^^

Thank you, but in the first couple of instances it was really low speed, at higher speeds I hear nothing and in the third instance I heard it while reversing. So, it can't be airflow, but thanks for the idea.

 

[Spirited]

Have noted some weird sounds after hot track laps but they have faded away.
Not sure if they're wheel bearing related or then just suspension moving.

Thanks. Doesn't sound like suspension moving in my case.

"wheel bearing related"... You might be onto something there! I won't be surpsired if it turnes out it something even simpler but still wheel- or brake-related.

 

[kinboshi]

<unhelpful>Not heard it on mine, except when I go "whooooo" when the car take a corner out roundabout at an incomprehensible speed.</unhelpful>

<slightly helpful>Is the noise recordable? Loud enough to be picked up by a phone in the car when driving? Might help someone diagnose the cause </slightly helpful>

 

[KimmE_GR]

Thank you, but in the first couple of instances it was really low speed, at higher speeds I hear nothing and in the third instance I heard it while reversing. So, it can't be airflow, but thanks for the idea.

But it could still be windy or am i wrong?

 

[Onehp]

Might be related to the Torsen diff(s). Mine can scrabble when turning at low speed on loose surfaces but the tension in the drive axles perhaps could also manifest itself in slightly odd noises?

If you haven't had on oil change of the gearbox (diff integrated) might give that a go and check the oil, if not, no harm at least...

 

[Spirited]

<unhelpful>Not heard it on mine, except when I go "whooooo" when the car take a corner out roundabout at an incomprehensible speed.</unhelpful>

<slightly helpful>Is the noise recordable? Loud enough to be picked up by a phone in the car when driving? Might help someone diagnose the cause </slightly helpful>

Cornering in this car is indeed incomprehensible. Getting used to it now, which is dangerous. Also, getting increasingly annoyed by the understeer, so looking forward to playing with camber bolts.

The noise cannot yet be recreated (not deliberately, anyway) and would be very difficult to record. If I don't find the cause, it might get worse and therfore easier to record. Thanks

 

[Spirited]

Might be related to the Torsen diff(s). Mine can scrabble when turning at low speed but the tension in the drive axles perhaps could manifest itself in slightly odd noises?

If you haven't had on oil change of the gearbox (diff integrated) might give that a go and check the oil, if not, no harm at least...

Might be. It would be the last thing I'd like to check, though. I would expect diffs to also make such a noise at higher speeds or when pushed, which is not the case here, but I guess there is a myriad of things that can go wrong with them.

So, yes the noise didn't sound too different to noises I've heard from faulty diffs on other cars (therefore item added on my things to check; thanks), but this one felt to me more likely wheel related (perhaps this is just wishful thinking).

As for oils, good point again, but I've had these changed three times by the time I reached my current 10-15k miles, so the diffs have been well looked after so far and none of any initial metal parts should be in there by now.

The gearbox oil relates to the front diff which prompted me think, that if you pushed me for an answer, I'd say the noise probably comes from the front rather than the rear. Very difficult to tell for sure, though.

 

[Spirited]

... the diffs have been well looked after so far and none of any initial metal parts should be in there by now...

What I go and type sometimes! I meant metal particles generated at the initial few thousand miles. I'm confident that the metal parts are all in there still.

 

[MrJ]

<unhelpful>Not heard it on mine, except when I go "whooooo" when the car take a corner out roundabout at an incomprehensible speed.</unhelpful>

<slightly helpful>Is the noise recordable? Loud enough to be picked up by a phone in the car when driving? Might help someone diagnose the cause </slightly helpful>

<unhelpful> Is it haunted? Exorcism an option? </unhelpful>

<slightly helpful> Does it have front mudflaps fitted? Just thinking of non-mechanical things that could cause sounds and whether there could be anything rubbing or flexing? </slightly helpful>

 

[Dav1d]

<unhelpful> Is it haunted? Exorcism an option? </unhelpful>

<slightly helpful> Does it have front mudflaps fitted? Just thinking of non-mechanical things that could cause sounds and whether there could be anything rubbing or flexing? </slightly helpful>

Good point with the mudflaps. Not of any help but at low speed and full lock mine makes a noise which is either the power steering or (perhaps more likely) front mudflaps scraping. I’m pretty sure it’s the latter.

 

[Spirited]

<unhelpful> Is it haunted? Exorcism an option? </unhelpful>

<slightly helpful> Does it have front mudflaps fitted? Just thinking of non-mechanical things that could cause sounds and whether there could be anything rubbing or flexing? </slightly helpful>

Exorcism now done, just in case; no joy.

A kind of mudflaps is fitted, but it's the tiny arch guards by Automotive Passion. I think it can't be that.

But your post prompts me to make the distinction that the noise sounds quite mechanical, rather than something rubbing. Thanks.