Noise problem
2003 Toyota Camry 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 110,00 miles

For the past several months my car has been making a horribly loud buzzing/grinding noise underneath the hood area. (not a squealing noise or a squeaking noise - sounds almost like a very old door buzzer)

Background information: I get the oil changed every 3,000 miles and just had the serpentine belt changed last week before leaving for vacation. The belt was fraying. I was told my water pump may be leaking, to pay attention to spots left underneath the car and that in the future I would want to go ahead and replace the water pump. Also, my engine light just came on and hasn't gone off. (Been on since last Monday) Usually, it was because of me not having tightened the gas cap (emissions) and once done correctly and after several trips the light would go off. One of the prior times the light came on I had a friend hook my car up to a diagnostics machine. He said the light had something to do with the emissions and there would be a part I would need to purchase for the car but not to worry about it because this type of thing wouldn't harm the car (I would notice black smoke/odor coming out of car but that was it). Also, at times I would change gears in the car as if it was a manual. (2nd gear to drive-which I've heard is bad)

Noise: I first noticed the strange noise coming from underneath the hood area when I was making a right-hand turn. Of course my car had slowed down and when I was making the turn and speeding up (probably around 2nd gear) I could hear a loud buzzing noise eeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Almost sounded like a dryer buzzer going off. I then noticed the noise while going up an entry ramp for a mountain road and I was turning right. From there I heard it while going on a straight road - beginning acceleration. And I've heard it while slowing down again to go around a curve but this time going left.

The noise is so loud that people outside the car can hear it and actually turn around and look to try and figure out what the noise was. It doesn't do it all the time but is beginning to pick up its pace. It does this noise between 2 and 2.5 RPM's (switching gears) Flat road, turning, going up hills.

Any information is appreciated.

Thank you,
Tanya in Virginia

 

Are you sure the noise is from under the hood, could it be from the front of the car? Left or right side?

 

Hi Joey,

For some reason I believe it's coming from the left side of the car but cannot say for sure. I just assumed the noise was coming from under the hood. Any ideas? Thanks for your reply.

 

Make a few right and left hand turns and 360 turns in each direction at urban speeds (such as if you were making a turn of a main street).

Listen for the noise.

A failing constant velocity joint on one of the cars axle can cause a clicking or popping noise that can be very load.

Typically the bad CV joint is on the opposite side of the direction of turn. Thus right turn and noise means left side axle CV joint. The noise can also occur when accelerating.

Any decent mechanic could tell if this was the problem just by listening to the sound. The mechanic can also look at the rubber boots around the joints to make sure they have not been damaged and allowed the grease to flow out and dirt to enter. Both will cause premature joint failure.

Might also be a wheel bearing, when the car turns it weight is shifted causing the bearings on one side to be under more load and thus perhaps make a noise if failing.

 

Hi,

I've taken the car to 2 mechanics. They've driven the car and the car hasn't made the noise my husband and I have heard. This past weekend when going up a mountain, switching from 1st to 2nd, we heard the noise. This is so very frustrating.