Technical Panda Cross - humming noise...

[Peter Rawlings]

strange 'humming' noise - from where?

4x4 Cross, 2016, 122+ miles TA engine

Recent issues dealt with include blown hose from turbo to intercooler (£210+vat, and only available via Fiat). This has sorted the running issues (yay!!) and suspect the issue with one cylinder very very occasionally getting warm enough to trigger a warning light maybe sorted too (not had a problem for many months and the pipe must have been leaking for a while I think). New rear springs and brakes all around plus major service and 4 new Michelin Cross Climate tyres (excellent) the car is up and running really well....and such good grip with the Michelins...

However, there is a low humming noise when driving. The engine has been checked (pressures fine etc) and the gearbox (oil in good shape and no leaks) and the wheels are ok (no bearings gone) and the original exhaust is all good - my mechanic keeps it in good nick and ready to pass the MOT any time (worth the hassle to get things sorted when they occur)...so....

What causes this sound? is it the prop shaft? or something else??

Ideas please as scratching my balding head...!!!

Thanks, as always..

Pete

Just chatted to the mechanic and they did identify bearing wear in the prop shaft. So is this it? and is it a replacement of the whole prop shaft or just a section? (I have no idea what this means really but mechanic has suggested I ask!!!)

 

[The Panda Nut]

Are you sure its not the tyres. I have Michelins for the winter and they do make a noise. Search on here re prop shaft thers a lot of info. Mainly seems to start with vibration and shaking.

 

[Peter Rawlings]

Are you sure its not the tyres. I have Michelins for the winter and they do make a noise. Search on here re prop shaft thers a lot of info. Mainly seems to start with vibration and shaking.

Thanks. I did wonder about the tyres but believed the noise to be present beforehand, although not totally sure. Also I had the Michelins before (several tyre changes ago so several a few years back) and there was no noise. But then I have been told that the latest version if the tyres are different to when first introduced…so I guess i had better check this out. It is strange that the tyres should be so noisy though….but then they are super grippy….I will look into them now and thanks for the advice…

 

[jrkitching]

Thanks. I did wonder about the tyres but believed the noise to be present beforehand, although not totally sure. Also I had the Michelins before (several tyre changes ago so several a few years back) and there was no noise. But then I have been told that the latest version if the tyres are different to when first introduced…so I guess i had better check this out. It is strange that the tyres should be so noisy though….but then they are super grippy….I will look into them now and thanks for the advice…

One way to confirm this is to see if the noise changes when driving on different road surfaces; some generate significantly less tyre noise than others.

 

[Peter Rawlings]

One way to confirm this is to see if the noise changes when driving on different road surfaces; some generate significantly less tyre noise than others.

Thanks. Yeh I have wondered about that too. The road surfaces here are generally very good and well maintained so I guess I will have to hunt around for this, apart from going off-road of course!

The noise is a constant rolling hum of lesser amplitude when slow and present when rolling along in neutral too, so maybe this points to the tyres rather than the prop shaft . I have read reviews of the Cross Climate 2 (I had the first iteration fitted before) and it comes out pretty well for this sort of tyre except not as sharp as it could be in the wet (great in snow…where is this nowadays?) and some readings of noise too, so am hopeful that this is indeed the case as £400+ invested in them ! If it is the case then I just need to keep the music on . That would be a happy solution and give me confidence that nothing really untoward is going to break whilst driving away from home…

 

[The Panda Nut]

Thanks. I did wonder about the tyres but believed the noise to be present beforehand, although not totally sure. Also I had the Michelins before (several tyre changes ago so several a few years back) and there was no noise. But then I have been told that the latest version if the tyres are different to when first introduced…so I guess i had better check this out. It is strange that the tyres should be so noisy though….but then they are super grippy….I will look into them now and thanks for the advice…

I have found Cross CLimates and the Michelin Alpins do make a sort of low humming sound more noticable on certain road surfaces. Most humming noises are wheel bearing origins, and can start fairly low key and remain that way for a long time before becoming obvious. Rumble can often be heard a way before you will find movement. You could try ajcking under the suspensionare untill you just have enough cleanace to rotate the wheel and see if anything shows. On my Panda 4x4 when I put the Michelins on there is definitely much more noise than on the summer tyres.

 

[The Panda Nut]

but then they are super grippy

I run on Michelin Alpins from the autmn and its very noticable how much better the grip is in wet and muddy roads. Like being on rails and cope with very wet conditions realy well too so I think its worth a trade off. I think I find the noise most notable on the smoothest road surfaces. I hope this is all is.

 

[Peter Rawlings]

I have found Cross CLimates and the Michelin Alpins do make a sort of low humming sound more noticable on certain road surfaces. Most humming noises are wheel bearing origins, and can start fairly low key and remain that way for a long time before becoming obvious. Rumble can often be heard a way before you will find movement. You could try ajcking under the suspensionare untill you just have enough cleanace to rotate the wheel and see if anything shows. On my Panda 4x4 when I put the Michelins on there is definitely much more noise than on the summer tyres.

Thanks so much. I will take the car to the mechanic and request that check on bearings (again). We have certainly considered the bearings, especially given the mileage….and your comments about the tyres are heartening! Thanks for your comments Panda Nut!

 

[Panda IIs]

Thanks so much. I will take the car to the mechanic and request that check on bearings (again). We have certainly considered the bearings, especially given the mileage….and your comments about the tyres are heartening! Thanks for your comments Panda Nut!

Rear diff??

 

[Peter Rawlings]

I run on Michelin Alpins from the autmn and its very noticable how much better the grip is in wet and muddy roads. Like being on rails and cope with very wet conditions realy well too so I think its worth a trade off. I think I find the noise most notable on the smoothest road surfaces. I hope this is all is.

Rear diff??

Ooo will get that checked also! Good call..

 

[Peter Rawlings]

strange 'humming' noise - from where?

4x4 Cross, 2016, 122+ miles TA engine

Recent issues dealt with include blown hose from turbo to intercooler (£210+vat, and only available via Fiat). This has sorted the running issues (yay!!) and suspect the issue with one cylinder very very occasionally getting warm enough to trigger a warning light maybe sorted too (not had a problem for many months and the pipe must have been leaking for a while I think). New rear springs and brakes all around plus major service and 4 new Michelin Cross Climate tyres (excellent) the car is up and running really well....and such good grip with the Michelins...

However, there is a low humming noise when driving. The engine has been checked (pressures fine etc) and the gearbox (oil in good shape and no leaks) and the wheels are ok (no bearings gone) and the original exhaust is all good - my mechanic keeps it in good nick and ready to pass the MOT any time (worth the hassle to get things sorted when they occur)...so....

What causes this sound? is it the prop shaft? or something else??

Ideas please as scratching my balding head...!!!

Thanks, as always..

Pete

Just chatted to the mechanic and they did identify bearing wear in the prop shaft. So is this it? and is it a replacement of the whole prop shaft or just a section? (I have no idea what this means really but mechanic has suggested I ask!!!)

Update:
Nothing seems obviously broken …AND with the hot weather and the windows open I do not hear much except the tyres! I guess it is the Michelins that are noisy! Anyhow the car is driving brilliantly again with the new turbo hose fitted so I think I will wait to see if something becomes more obvious than the tyres!!! Thanks folks!!! (this is such a brilliant forum for the activity of its members)…