Droning noise above 30mph

[itgoodson]

Hi everyone, looking for a bit of advice re my Fabia 1.4 Mpi, 2000, 67000 miles

Above about 30mph I can hear an annoying 'droning' noise, somewhat high pitched, almost as if the engine was running in too low a gear (when it's not).

The faster I go, the more audible it becomes. I'm also getting fairly poor mpg, about 30-32, but that has been bad for a while (although I did replace a broken thermostat which did, for a little while, seem to improve the mpg to about 35).

I've complied a little list of things that i want to check in regard to the wheels and tyres:

Is a wheel loose? (check bearings)

Binding brakes?

Is the tyre worn?

Wheel alignment

But can anyone else suggest anything else? Is it very likely to be something to do with wheels and or tyres?

Cheers - Ian

[AwesomeSarah]

I would have thought , it would be more along the lines of the bearings....

Sarah

[WW_VRS]

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me. Get it checked, and I wouldn't wait too long with that to be on the safe side

[Mike B]

Above about 30mph I can hear an annoying 'droning' noise, somewhat high pitched.

The faster I go, the more audible it becomes.

Sounds like my wife!

[WW_VRS]

Sounds like my wife!

:rofl:I just hope she is not strapped to a wheel :P

[markyvrs]

Had the exact same problem. I'd put a tenner on a wheel bearing. I've had 2 replaced sor far, the last one when the car was 18 months old.

[AwesomeSarah]

I must admit , on the early cars they was an issue , so much so the part was superceeded quite early

Sarah

[AndyPandy]

I had exactly the same 2 weeks ago.It cost me £150 at a Skoda Dealer. Take it out of gear at 30 mph when its safe to do so ,the engine revs will go to tickover,if the noise stays the same it is a front wheel bearing. The only thing is I was convinced it was the drivers side , but quess what it was the passenger side!. Does anyone know how the garage find it out?. Do they put it on a rolling road,and feel for vibration,or is there a piece of equipment to find out?

[AndyPandy]

I had exactly the same 2 weeks ago.It cost me £150 at a Skoda Dealer. Take it out of gear at 30 mph when its safe to do so ,the engine revs will go to tickover,if the noise stays the same it is a front wheel bearing. The only thing is I was convinced it was the drivers side , but quess what it was the passenger side!. I could not detect any roughness,or noise when I jacked up front wheels. Does anyone know how the garage find it out?. Do they put it on a rolling road,and feel for vibration,or is there a piece of equipment to find out?

[KenONeill]

I'd think either a wheel bearing too, or an out of round tyre that's down to a tread wear indicator, and that's cheap to check. If one of the TWIs is nearer the tread surface than the others on that tyre, that's your culprit.

[markyvrs]

I had exactly the same 2 weeks ago.It cost me £150 at a Skoda Dealer. Take it out of gear at 30 mph when its safe to do so ,the engine revs will go to tickover,if the noise stays the same it is a front wheel bearing. The only thing is I was convinced it was the drivers side , but quess what it was the passenger side!. I could not detect any roughness,or noise when I jacked up front wheels. Does anyone know how the garage find it out?. Do they put it on a rolling road,and feel for vibration,or is there a piece of equipment to find out?

I believe they just get it up on the ramp and spin the wheels by hand.

[national]

Sounds like a wheel bearing or stub axle Was on mine

DEALER we can not identify it at this point just run it until it is obvious

Took it to STARPERFORMANCE next day and it was identified and fixed

Rear wheel bearing and stub axle

My guess is it was the rolling road, but I really have no idea, just that they cured it in an hour and I drove home in peacefull silence :-) money well spent

National

[itgoodson]

Right - I think I've got somewhere...

I jacked the car up, and the offside rear wheel is very difficult to turn by hand.

So is this going to be a brake issue? Is it something I can sort out by myself. I guess it would explain the higher fuel consumption and the droning noise.

I've also been hearing - for about the same length of time the droning noise has been happening - a clanking noise coming from the rear of the car when I go over a speed bump or even when I change gear a little too vigorously... could it be connected?

Cheers

[KenONeill]

Well, if one wheel is stiff to turn by hand, that suggests either the brake is binding, or the wheel bearing is well and truly FUBAR! Is the wheel showing signs of getting hot and/or smelling of burning friction material after a long run? If so, I'd think it's the brake, and there's no harm going in there with some brake cleaner and Copaslip.

The clank I just don't know about offhand.