High-pitched whistling at 30+ MPH - Can't take it anymore!
A couple of weeks before I had brakes on all 4 wheels and rotor resurfacing done at the Nissan dealership, my car developed a high-pitched whistling noise whenever I reached cruising speeds. It wasn't quite as loud as the obnoxious shreiking I've heard when the brake pads were worn down to the metal, but I figured that the whistling I was hearing had something to do with me being in need of brakes, since the car had clearly needed brakes for a while anyway. So I put up with the whistling for another couple weeks and figured that it'd be resolved after the service appointment.
Much to my disappointment, the whistling still persisted, at the same volume or perhaps even a bit louder than before. I thought that perhaps the brakes needed a little time to seat themselves properly, but after a week of normal driving, the whistling showed no signs of disappearing.
I've had cheap Toyota Corolla wheel covers on the car for a while, which had big chunks missing from them - not from me hitting curbs, but because they were so flimsy that they fell apart when I was having the tires rotated and the tire shop attempted to reattach the covers afterwards. I thought that the damaged wheel covers could be causing the whistling, so I removed them from the car completely and jumped on the highway. Things seemed to improve for the ten minute duration of my trip - there seemed to be little or no whistling at all, none I could hear over traffic anyway - so I was sure that I had pinpointed the problem. I stopped at the major auto parts store around here and bought a new set of generic 13" wheel covers, which I attached in the parking lot for my ten minute return trip back down the highway. Things seemed okay for a bit, but soon the whistling returned. I pulled off onto the shoulder, removed the new wheel covers completely, merged back into traffic - and that whistling was still there, even with no wheel covers at all.
The last idea that came to my mind with my somewhat limited automotive troubleshooting skills was "brake dust" - I knew it was a long shot, but I stopped at the manual car wash, sprayed the crap out of the inside and outside of the bare wheel, kept the wheel covers off, and took her for another spin - still whistling.
What could possibly be causing this? I'm starting to hear the whistling in my sleep - it's driving me crazy, and I don't want to have to put up with that throughout the duration of my upcoming 1,800-mile road trip. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give me.
Last edited by BillDawg : Aug 6th, 2003 at 04:51 PM.
hold up, whistling at cruising speeds with the brakes not pressed??? can you hear it inside the car with all the windows closed??? and it only happens when you reach a certain speed and disappears when you slow down??? could be body related, not brakes........
Yes, this whistling seems completely unaffected by whether or not I have the brake pedal depressed. It is slightly audible with the windows shut, but seeing as I haven't used the A/C in the car or at home yet at all this year and most likely never will (I'm cold blooded, I suppose ), all four windows are always open, and this whistling is driving me absolutely insane.
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I should probably clarify something that might make a bit of difference in your thoughts - this isn't just a straight, constant whistle. This is a "pulsating" whistle, which is why all my guesses have led me straight to the wheels. Hmmm ... what could it be?
I finally couldn't take it anymore this morning and begged the Nissan dealership five minutes from my work to take my car in for the day, shuttle me to work, and solve the problem. The front driver's side wheel bearing was shot, replaced to the tune of $274 parts/labor , but it's fixed nonetheless.
Whoever got a hold of it at the dealership thoroughly enjoyed pushing my driver's seat allllllll the way back, tilting the steering wheel up like a Greyhound bus, and putting my A/C on full-blast - I got a blast of it in my face when I started her up, and I HATE air conditioning - but it's fixed, so I guess I can't complain.
High-pitched whistling at 30+ MPH - Can't take it anymore!
, and I don't want to have to put up with that throughout the duration of my upcoming 1,800-mile road trip. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give me.
), all four windows are always open, and this whistling is driving me absolutely insane.
Problem fixed
, but it's fixed nonetheless. 
Linear Mode
