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Howling in front of car

J

jeangreyfan

New member
I have tried and tried to figure out what this is and I cannot. Hopefully someone on here will be able to help me. I have a 2007 Base model Grand Prix with 58,xxx on the clock. When I am driving on the highway I get a loud howling noise (like when I run over the lines on the road that are supposed to wake you up as if you are about to run off the road or if you are blowing air across the top of a coke bottle) that sounds like it is coming from the firewall of the car. It starts around 60 mph and grows louder/more constant when I accelerate to 80 mph. I've not had the car more than 80 yet. It does it when I have the windows and the sunroof all closed/rolled up but when I click the sunroof to open it stops. It's not the AC vents being sort of closed. Any suggestions would be great! Here are some of the things I've been told it could be:
Tires cupping
Transmission Mount
Windshield
Wheel Bearings
Blower Motor for AC (which I don't think it is because it does not stop when I turn the AC off)
Power Steering Pump (this made a similar noise but when I put fluid in the pump it stopped--this was more of a whine versus a howling)

Again, any suggestions would be great!

*****UPDATE*****

I drove on the highway on the way to get the car washed to test the windshield and sunroof for leaks...the noise would start now about 70-75mph and would stop when either of the two front windows were cracked. It would NOT stop when the rear windows were rolled down. The window and sunroof did not leak when I went through the auto car wash. I am still going to check the seals but since I found out my front tire...not the rear like the TPS said it was was low on air, I am going to take it down the highway again and see if it was just the tires howling...will post another update when I can. Thanks for all the suggestions.

*****UPDATE*****

It was NOT the tire that was low...I ran it up to 90 mph today and at first it didn't make the noise...then on the way back from town it howled like a banshee...it also DID NOT change volume when changing lanes...will try looking at the seals around the window and sunroof later...I was also told to check the heater to see if there is a vacuum leak...
 
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What would a visual sign of this be? The strip coming out? I've looked at the windshield and couldn't really tell if there was any loose weather stripping...but i thought the pressure buildup from having the cabin sealed might be pushing on something...I'll recheck it and see what I can find...thanks for the suggestion!
 
jeangreyfan said:
I have tried and tried to figure out what this is and I cannot. Hopefully someone on here will be able to help me. I have a 2007 Base model Grand Prix with 58,xxx on the clock. When I am driving on the highway I get a loud howling noise (like when I run over the lines on the road that are supposed to wake you up as if you are about to run off the road or if you are blowing air across the top of a coke bottle) that sounds like it is coming from the firewall of the car. It starts around 60 mph and grows louder/more constant when I accelerate to 80 mph. I've not had the car more than 80 yet. It does it when I have the windows and the sunroof all closed/rolled up but when I click the sunroof to open it stops. It's not the AC vents being sort of closed. Any suggestions would be great!
Click to expand...

Sounds like the sunroof seal. My bonnie's sunroof didn't pull all the way up, was close but not quite all the way and it did this. My GUESS would be to start with the sunroof seal.
 
jeangreyfan said:
What would a visual sign of this be? The strip coming out? I've looked at the windshield and couldn't really tell if there was any loose weather stripping...but i thought the pressure buildup from having the cabin sealed might be pushing on something...I'll recheck it and see what I can find...thanks for the suggestion!
Click to expand...
My strip wasnt coming out at all, but it was quite obvious what it was when I was driving in the rain one day and I saw some water running down the inside of the windshield. When I pulled up the weather stripping, I noticed a few spots that pulled right up. The sunroof might be a good place to start, there are just 3 torx screws on each side that hold it in. Or you could just get some plastic tape and tape up around the sunroof to see if it goes away

Edit: You could also do this around the windshield first. So you dont have to pull up the weather stripping and find out that wasnt it
 


i think it may be the cowl at the bottom of the windshield letting the howl in...its not flush with the windshield...i am going to try taping it down and seeing what will happen...will let everyone know...
 
*****UPDATE*****

It was NOT the cowl at the bottom of the windshield. I taped it down and drove around on the highway and it sang its heart out at about 75 or 80...also did it on the return trip from town...back to researching the problem...
 
update again...
it is NOT the sunroof...i adjusted it to where the sunroof was more flush with the top of the car and it still howled...i tried taping down the cowl on the windshield and it still howled...i also tried the wipers to see if it eliminated it at all and no dice...i am leaning toward a bad windshield seal...after i take it to the dealership to have it fixed I'll post...
 
it does have a cowl that is attached to the windshield...but i haven't checked the seal under the hood...I will check and see if it is loose and post...
 


I think there is air coming in the car somewhere I would start with removing the wiper cowl and look around under it.
 
i think im hearing the noise stop at times, does it only make the noise when you are on the gas, and no noise when off the gas?
 
it starts when i am on the gas and it will linger when i get off the accelerator and the noise will pop in and out sometimes...it's not consistent. the only consistency is the noise starts around 60mph and doesn't stop unless I go below 60. slick..i am going to check the cowl when it gets a bit cooler outside...ill let you all know.
 


KeithGTP03 said:
Dayum...sounds like you got a flute player in the back seat. Do you know if it can be heard outside of the car?
Click to expand...

if you would like to run alongside the car at 80 mph...by all means be my guest!! just kidding...i have no idea if it can be heard due to the speed of the car and the circumstance in which it is heard. I have no one near me that can drive alongside me to see if they can hear it.
 
lol...Grab a buddy, kick him/her out on a highway and drive off. Flip a ßitch and drive by the buddy/girlfriend @ 80 and see if they can hear it. The reason Im asking, if it can be heard on the outside of the car then its prolly not an air leak. And I cant run 80mph. Maybe 18mph for a second or two.
 
im leaning toward either the wheel bearings on the front or the windshield not being sealed...its strange cuz when i open the windows or the sunroof to try and hear the noise from outside, it stops...maybe that helps...
 
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