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Chevrolet Suburban Noises and Sounds

mmcswainmmcswain Member Posts: 4
edited July 2014 in Chevrolet
I have a 1999 suburban and in the last two days I constantly hear the clicking of my blinkers even when they are not on. The clicking will stop when the brakes are applied. Is this the relay about to go out or is this some type of short? Thanks for your help in advance.

Comments

  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    You are going to need to do a little more investigatory work. Go and try a number of combinations of things, and observe what is right, and what is wrong with your lights. When a bulb is on, you will need to pay attention to the 'brightness' of the bulb as well.

    Start first with having someone just apply the brakes, and notice whether all of the brake lights come on correctly (and are of equal high brightness), as well as center stop lights.

    Now have someone turn on the left turn signals, and observe both the back and the front turn bulbs. Now do it with the brakes applied and observe whether the bulbs are acting correctly. Do the same procedure with the right turn signals.

    Now turn on the parking lights (you may want to do this at dusk), are all the parking lights on correctly front and back? Now do the whole right/left turn signal sequence with braking tested as well.

    I'm suspecting you will see some unexpected blinking at one or more of your lights.

    Let us know which of these yield some results that are unexpected.
  • mmcswainmmcswain Member Posts: 4
    I tried everything you suggested and everything worked like it should. Any other suggestions?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    So when the clicking is happening, what are the lights outside doing...nothing, or is something blinking?

    When it is clicking, is there an inside indicator light blinking?

    When it is clicking and you then turn on the turn signal, does the clicking change?

    Have you recently added a trailer hitch/wiring to this vehicle....or changed any of the bulbs in this vehicle?

    What trim level is this suburban? LS/LT/LTZ

    And have you wiggled (or turned on and then off), your 4 way blinker switch.

    And does this clicking occur without the key in? In the accessories key position? or in the engine ON position?
  • mmcswainmmcswain Member Posts: 4
    Im going to try to answer thes in order so,

    When the clicking is happening nothing is happening outside of the vehicle

    during the clicking the inside indicators are not working either

    when I turn on the turn signal it is in sequence with the constant clicking

    No bulb changes and no new wiring

    LS model

    I haven't tried the 4 way yet but I will

    It happens in the accessory position and in the ON position.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    I don't know the answer to your problem.

    You don't 'appear' to have a typical bulb filament problem, as you indicate you are seeing the correct intensities of the bulbs flashing....and everything externally is working absolutely correctly. The only thing that I would probably do to prove it if wasn't a bulb problem (because your problem might be much more expensive), is to actually remove all of the exterior bulbs and see whether you still had the clicking. If the clicking goes away, then you really do have a bulb problem and can start putting them back one by one until you find the culprit which caused the problem.

    In my 2007 Suburban, by looking at the service manual schematics this turn signal circuitry is actually controlled by a computer called the Body Control Module, which sits up underneath the dash by the steering column. What I don't know is whether you have this BCM in your model or not. In my previous generation Suburban, the flasher is a solid state plugin flasher. So I'm not sure which type you have. If you have lights (like dome lights and exterior courtesy lights) which brighten up slowly and dim down slowly, then you probably have a BCM.

    If can find a solid state plugin flasher, then that would be the next most likely possible culprit (besides the bulbs). If you can't find a plugin flasher, then I think you are looking at replacing the BCM.

    Perhaps someone else who may have actually had your problem can jump in with the resolution.
  • mmcswainmmcswain Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for all your help!
  • kfeltonkfelton Member Posts: 1
    I had my transmission checked. No problem, but whenever I turn a certain way I hear this strange noise. Sometime when I pull of after stopping there is a little slip and after that there is no problem.
  • pagimenopagimeno Member Posts: 5
    I have a 97' Tahoe with 130k miles.....and when the engine runs cold or warm runs perfect, but as soon as it's hot, like after 15 mins....it starts the noise, when I accelerate it makes this slapping, valving noise, I changed yesterday the Throttle Position Sensor, and it's a little better, but not enough.....it's driving me crazy.
    Any ideas on what can I do? THANKS!
  • ckshubin1ckshubin1 Member Posts: 11
    I have a 2005 Suburban LT3.

    When the car is turned on after being off and I go to 8-9 mph there is a "Pffft" sound in the driver's side door. It only does it the one time after being shut off and does not do it during any stop and go or regular driving. Only after the engine has been shut off and then you drive it does it make the sound.

    It's been at the dealer since Monday and I just got a call today saying that believe it or not this is a normal noise for the Suburban. Don't know whether or not to believe them. Is this a normal noise?
  • k25002haulk25002haul Member Posts: 6
    i own a 05 2500 burb LS2.i don't hear any noise like that.are there any other conditions to this sound? i am a chevy dealer tech . - tom m -
  • ckshubin1ckshubin1 Member Posts: 11
    No. no other conditions in which it does this.

    Only one time when the car is started and you get to 8-9 mph then there's a "Pffft". That's it. Can drive for hours in stop and go traffic and it won't do it again - until I turn off the car (i.e. - parked to run into a store etc). When I get back into the car and start it - it will do it the one time at 8-9 mph.

    According to GM (says so on the paperwork ;-) this is a normal noise.
  • mcarson2mcarson2 Member Posts: 1
    so, what was the resolution? my tahoe is doing the same thing.
  • tryn2comeuptryn2comeup Member Posts: 3
    When i start my truck...2001 sub....within a minute there is a humming sound almost like a little motor working overtime coming from what seems to be under the truck around the rear driver side tire any ideas what this may be?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    The two motor devices you might hear are a fuel pump (usually can't hear this, unless it's going bad), and the air pump for the auto leveling suspension (if you are a higher trim level with this option, you can definitely normally hear this pump).
  • tryn2comeuptryn2comeup Member Posts: 3
    I know its not the fuel pump because i can hear it cut on when i turn the key (when it runs for a few seconds and cuts off)....So im assuming it would be the other is there any way of stopping the sound and what do you mean by if i am a higher trim level?...
  • pagimenopagimeno Member Posts: 5
    I have a 97' Tahoe with 130k miles.....and when the engine runs cold or warm runs perfect, but as soon as it's hot, like after 15 mins....it starts the noise, when I accelerate it makes this slapping, valving noise, I changed the Throttle Position Sensor, and it's seems a little better, but not enough.....it's driving me crazy. A mechanic I asked told me might be the Lower Intake, another one told me the Upper Intake....should I change the gaskets only? would be enough? or I should change the manifold too?
    Any ideas on what can I do? THANKS!
  • debbudebbu Member Posts: 1
    I have a 05 Sub. and have chirping noise from engine. Had the belt replaced twice and chirp was gone for a while now it is back. What else can we look for?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    I don't know specifically for your model year, but usually the air suspension isn't available on an LS or LT1/LT2 trim level, is optional on LT3, and standard on LTZ.
  • godbeheregodbehere Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 Suburban 1500. It has about 84k miles. I makes a noise when you are in reverse but does not make a noise in forward. It sounds like something is rubbing. Any ideas?
  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    I got new tires put on today (at Wal-Mart). Just after that, and ever since (dirven about 40 miles today), there is a squeaking noise coming from the front left tire area. I can recreate the sound by gently rocking the vehicle back and forth, in park, engine off. I can't pinpoint it exactly, but it is definitely coming from the left front tire/suspension area. It makes the noise almost continually whenever the vehicle is in motion, even on smooth roads. It is not dependent on braking or accelerating or turning. What do you think it might be? Did they perhaps set their jack on the wrong spot and bend a suspension component? Is it likely a "lube chassis" grease gun sort of job? I hope they didn't do significant damage. I appreciate any advice you might have. Thanks.
  • arriearrie Member Posts: 312
    I read about this noise a couple of weeks ago but don't remember where it was in this forum.

    That post explained about a this noise coming from the shock absorber and it has to do with some bushing or something like that. That post explained how GM has a TSB on it and how to replace these bushings.

    The problem might have started because your shocks probably extended all the way when they lift your car up for changing your tires, i.e. the shock probably moved to its end and caused this noise to appear due to that faulty bushing (or what ever it was).

    Wal-Mart guys have nothing to do with this.

    Arrie
  • ahightowerahightower Member Posts: 539
    Thanks Arrie. I sure appreciate the quick responset. And, I re-read my post and regret being so quick to blame Wal-Mart. (For what it's worth, the tires seem great. Very quiet, good handling.) I suspected something similar to what you have described after having slept on it. The noise was much much quieter this morning on the way to church, and as soon as I dropped the wife and kids at home so I could drive back to Wal-Mart, it disappeared completely. Not even the biggest bumps elicit a noise now, and I cannot recreate it by jumping up and down on the running board. I suspect it has "settled" again, or some grease has worked its way back up into there where it had been fully extended. So, unless it reappears, I'll consider the case closed.

    Now, regarding that TSB, one thing I did do last night was to log onto mygmlink.com website and search for recalls/TSB. Entered my VIN and nothing was noted for it. I suppose with a TSB they don't publish it, just address it if you have a complaint? And I presume it is not affected by in/out of warranty status? I would like to look up and read that TSB, but I don't suppose they'd do anything at a dealership unless they could re-create the symptom? And I don't want to get stuck with a diagnostic fee and be told everything is fine.
  • jaxkooljaxkool Member Posts: 2
    Did you ever find out what the problem is? We have exact same year/model and mileage and ours is doing the same thing.
  • keetenekeetene Member Posts: 1
    My 2004 Suburban has about 110K miles on it. It makes a squeaking noise in reverse, but does not make a noise in forward. Any ideas?
  • pdbtxpdbtx Member Posts: 2
    My 2003 Suburban 2WD (85,000 miles) has developed a rubbing noise particularly noticable when cold. The noise is only there when the car is moving and is related to road speed and load. It sounds like metal on rubber - I thought it could be the exhaust mountings but these checked out OK. I suspect the prop shaft or the drive end of the gearbox. It is gradually getting worse. Any ideas please ?
  • jaxkooljaxkool Member Posts: 2
    Hello all - our 2002 2WD 1500 (91,000 miles) had warn-out U-joints. The car made noise only in reverse, sounded like rubber/metal squeeking together. It was under $400 for parts/labor to have this repaired. It feels brand-new. Hope this helps.
  • pdbtxpdbtx Member Posts: 2
    Jaxkool - you were exactly right, I took it in to the Chevy dealers today and they replaced the prop shaft U-joints. Just over $300, sounds and feels perfect now.
    Many thanks. :)
    pdbtx
  • chevygolfguychevygolfguy Member Posts: 2
    I have an 08 Suburban 1500 and after some driving in the smokies for about 50 miles the steering wheel started to shake on braking and a slight noise sounded like a mack truck gearing down to a stop (only not as loud) I didnt' think i rode the brakes that hard. I have had other Suburans on that same trip and same conditions and never experienced it with any of them The truck 25,000 miles on it

    Any ideas as to what was going on what to do about it?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Sounds like the heat has warped the front rotor(s). That is a lot of weight to slow on those hills, similar problem happened to me on the east coast mountains in my older Sub a number of years ago . This will give you pulsation when braking, can be felt in the brake pedal and sometimes the steering wheel. Look for Bendix rotors to replace them with, don't go cheap or you'll have the same problem again.
  • chevygolfguychevygolfguy Member Posts: 2
    thanks for the response. The vehicle is still under warranty. Do you know if this something GM will take care of under warranty?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Usually not, brakes are normal wear items.
  • jtbahastyjtbahasty Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Suburban. I have had it for 11 months. I love it and have had no problems with it. About a month ago, the radio started going off and on by itself as I was driving down the road. Several times it dings and tells me that the seatbelt in the passenger seat needs to be fastened, but no one or nothing is in the passenger seat. The stability message has also come up several times, too. Three times it has not cranked, and left me stranded. The dealership has changed the BCM and said that it was the problem, but it has now stranded me again. I know that it is an electrical problem and not a battery problem. Has anyone had these problems or heard of it?? HELP!!
    :confuse:
  • sledgysledgy Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 Suburban. Hazard and and signals work fine on the car. However when I have a trailer and put the left signal on, both left and right signal blink on the trailer. Right signal works as it should. When I pull the fuse on the right trailer signal light it stops blinking. Problem must be forward of the fuse? Anyone have any suggestions?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited March 2010
    Check the left trailer bulb. It's probably a dual filament bulb, and the one filament is broke laying over and touching the other (the filament that is on when the lights are on).

    Right bulb would work fine.

    Left bulb, when you put on the turn signal, would energize both the left turn filament , and the circuit for both bulbs running lights. Would appear to you the both sides are blinking.....although the right bulb would be blinking 'dimmer' than the left.
  • skeet1261skeet1261 Member Posts: 1
    I have 2002 Suburban that has a window problem. When I raise and lower the window it grinds as if it has dirt in the track. There is no damage to the glass. It also is slow to raise and sometimes stop on the way up. Time for a new motor and regulator?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Probably, take the door panel off to investigate further.
  • swifty20swifty20 Member Posts: 8
    I have a 2003 Suburbarn with 4x4. I recently had a 100k service on it where they serviced the transmission and rear end. Everytime that I turned left or right there was a growling noise. Sounded as if 4x4 was engaged. After taking it back on three different occasions they first told me it was the backs. I had the brakes replaced by another dealer. Did not need quite the work that they told me . I then took it back and they told me that they found the noise in the rear end. What they did was change the Fuild in the rear end from 75W90 syn to a 80W90 regular. The noise went away. I am wondering if they put the wrong fuild in to begin with or put the heavier wieght oil to cover the noise and any possible damage that they might have caused? I am debating on whether to change out the fuild myself and put the correct fuild in it just to verfiy or take it too the same dealer that did the brakes and let them do a diagnostic on it? Please advise.
  • swifty20swifty20 Member Posts: 8
    Tension Pulley?
  • kdv1963kdv1963 Member Posts: 2
    I am having the same issue. It started today, right after starting my Suburban, I heard the noise from below me, and shut the engine off. The noise continued, and I located the source, directly beneath the drivers seat under the vehicle..(2002 Suburban)..

    So sounds like it's the Air Pump for the Auto leveling suspension?...it just keeps running, and will not shut off. I had to disconnect the battery to shut it off.

    Is there something to do to shut it off temporarily (like a fuse?) or does this item need to be replaced?

    Thanks for any assistance.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited April 2010
    Why don't you unplug the pump?, instead of disconnecting the battery?
  • kdv1963kdv1963 Member Posts: 2
    I felt a slight shock when I first attempted unplugging at the source, so had to disconnect the battery, then the pump.

    It turns out to be the ABS module.

    thanks for responding.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    edited April 2010
    So the ABS (antilock brake) pump was running continuously, and no error/indicator light?
This discussion has been closed.