Non-Axle Noise

There are a few other conditions that can sound just like axle noise and have to be considered while performing road test diagnosis. The five most common are exhaust, tires, roof racks, trim mouldings and transaxle.

Make sure that none of the following conditions are the cause of the noise before proceeding with transaxle teardown and diagnosis.
- In certain conditions, the pitch of the exhaust may sound very much like gear whines. At other times, it can be mistaken for a wheel bearing rumble.
- Tires, especially snow tires, can have a high-pitched tread whine or roar, similar to gear noise. Radial tires, to some degree, have this characteristic. Also, any non-standard tire with an unusual tread construction may emit a roar or whine-type noise.
- Trim and mouldings can also cause whistling or whining noise.
- Clunk may be a metallic noise heard when the automatic transaxle is engaged in REVERSE or DRIVE or it may occur when throttle is applied or released. It is caused by backlash somewhere in the driveline; it is felt or heard in the transaxle or halfshafts.
- Bearing rumble sounds like a low-pitched growl or gravelly sound. This condition is usually caused by a malfunctioning front hub/bearing assembly or rear bearing assembly. It may be most evident at slow or intermediate speeds of 32-72 kph (20-45 mph). If the vehicle is gently steered left or right with the noise present, it will become louder when the vehicle's weight is shifted onto the malfunctioning wheel bearing.

Noise Conditions
If noise is produced as part of a vibration condition, correcting the vibration will eliminate the noise.