2011 Chevrolet Malibu Humming Noise When Accelerating

malibutrouble

I've had a humming noise coming from the car when I accelerate for about a week now. I recently bought a wheel bearing thinking that it may have went out. I have brought both of the front tires off the ground to do a "wiggle test" with no play in either. I'm stumped. Any other way I can tell if it's the wheel bearing without removing anything off the car? It doesn't make this noise until I get it to about 20-30 MPH and it doesn't seem to change when the weight of the car shifts. It's a low hum, almost like your running over the little threads on the shoulder of a highway but, low. Sounds to be coming from the front end but, honestly it's hard to pinpoint.

imidazol97

Is it the shoulder ribs of your tires? Slightly worn unevenly by over inflation or under inflation?

Have the tires been rotated regularly at 7-8 K miles? The Contiprocontacts on my son's Cruze did this after about 50K. I think they had been over inflated so the centers wore thinner, and the outer treads were making this kind of low sound on smooth pavements. I couldn't feel that the inner/outer ribs were worn unevenly like from alignment. It was like a wheelbearing.

Putting them on the back changed things. And then it was time to replace them because they were about 35% and winter was coming, so new Michelins!

malibutrouble

imidazol97 said:

Is it the shoulder ribs of your tires? Slightly worn unevenly by over inflation or under inflation? Have the tires been rotated regularly at 7-8 K miles? The Contiprocontacts on my son's Cruze did this after about 50K. I think they had been over inflated so the centers wore thinner, and the outer treads were making this kind of low sound on smooth pavements. I couldn't feel that the inner/outer ribs were worn unevenly like from alignment. It was like a wheelbearing. Putting them on the back changed things. And then it was time to replace them because they were about 35% and winter was coming, so new Michelins!

I do admit that the tires have not been rotated since I got the car about a year ago. I've put roughly 26k on them. I just had the front two replaced a few months ago with some cheap tires but, they still have roughly 80% tread or more. Before, it looked as though I had been front wheel drag racing...Ive looked over the two back tires and while they are low on tread, it seems as if they still have enough to last me until I can get the money up to have them replaced. No rough spots. I can't exactly pin point the location of the noise. It sounds as if its coming from the front driver side but, inside the car, it kind of echoes making it seem as if it could be the front or rear driver side. I can shift the weight of the car by turning the steering wheel slightly or hard with no noise change that I can tell. This issue points to the wheel bearing but, only checks one box...Noise.