# Help, Noise from front end while driving slow?



## ScottV (Jan 25, 2003)

When I am driving at below about 20 (turning through the parking lot and such), I can hear this low growling noise coming from the front end. Is this just noise from the brakes or could it be a wheel bearing or something like that? (I DO NOT have my foot on the brake when this happens by the way) It doesnt sound like it's coming from the tires, definitely somewhere around the axle. 


Anyone heard a noise like this? 
THANKS!


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## FireFly (May 2, 2002)

Could be your gauge cluster. Mine was replaced for making a noise at slow speeds.

If you car is a manaul then roll up windows, turn fan and radio off. Put in 1st gear and put your head close to gauge cluster. Give it gas and then put clutch in so you coast. As the MPG gauge goes back and forth, does it make a noise? 

That's what mine did- you can only hear it at slow speeds.


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## AG (Apr 24, 2002)

ScottV said:


> When I am driving at below about 20 (turning through the parking lot and such), I can hear this low growling noise coming from the front end. Is this just noise from the brakes or could it be a wheel bearing or something like that? (I DO NOT have my foot on the brake when this happens by the way) It doesnt sound like it's coming from the tires, definitely somewhere around the axle.
> 
> Anyone heard a noise like this?
> THANKS!


How many miles are on your car. Can you hear the noise when you turn the wheel to the left and right, or only when you turn the wheel in one direction. Also, does the noise appear to go away when the temperature drops?


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## cenotaph (Dec 19, 2001)

There is a known issue with early (pre-MY'02, IIRC) E46 control arms. Speciffically the bushings deteriorate at an accellerated rate, but it's easier to replace the whole arm. I had mine replaced at ~22k-23k miles. I don't know if this was through the warranty/maintenance or a TSB but the dealer did it for free.

Symtoms were a "creaking" noise when turning the wheel when the car was stopped or moving slowly.


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## ScottV (Jan 25, 2003)

Thanks for the replies so far. 

It's not the gauge cluster, definitely coming from the front wheel area. Control arms is a good guess, I've heard many people having trouble with them, but the noise I am hearing goes along with the movement of the car (rotation of the front wheel, but doesnt change when I turn the steering wheel). This is hard to explain, but the loudness/intensity of the noise goes up and down depending on what speed I am moving (but only at lower speeds).

The car has some miles on it (96K), so it could be anything really. Next time I have the car up on jackstands, I'm going to check the front end out. 

Can I visually check the control arm bushings, or should I just move the front wheels around and check for play?

Thanks!

(You guys are much more helpful here. Over on E46fanatics, got one decent reply and others asking if I ran over a cat  )


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

I'd worry a little about the wheel bearings. Control arms are definitely a good candidate (mine were replaced, too). Try changing your tire pressures. Bump the front tires up 10 PSI, and see if the noise goes away or changes.

Control arms generally cause brake shimmy under light braking in the vicinity of 45MPH, so go try that. I honestly don't know if you can visualize it, but if you have a jack and a pair of jack stands, get the front up in the air. If you spin the wheel and hear noise, there's a decent chance it's a wheel bearing. If you look under, the boomerang shaped object is your control arm. It's a good bet that if you can make one of the ends move around a bushing is gone.


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