rear weel area griding noise when turning

I've a 2001 Accord with about 68k miles on it. I've recently started to
hear a slight grinding noise in the left rear wheel area when making a
left turn. It only happens on a left turn and only on a part of the
turn. When driving straight or turning right there is no noise.

I've had this problem in the past with other cars and it was a wheel
bearing. I'm wondering if it could be the same thing and if so if
getting it fixed on the Accord is an expensive process?

Thanks,

Jane

 

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me...

Professor
Check out FlashAlert at www.telstar-electronics.com

 

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If you don't use your park brake regularly, there might be some
adjustment issues. Try using your park brake every time you park, during
the next week, and see if your noise goes away.

'Curly'

 

Thanks Professor, Curly...

I drive a stick so I almost always use the parking brake combined with
leaving it in first or reverse depending on the slope. I'm just hoping
that this isn't expensive whatever it is. My income is from disability,
ugh! I see my mechanic this morning and hopefully the diagnosis isn't
too bad.

Jane

 

Yes... Curly could be right... there could be a brake issue back there.
Either way... shouldn't be a fortune to repair.

Professor
Check out FlashAlert at www.telstar-electronics.com

 

If the 01 accord has drum brakes this maybe the answer. Had it in my
97 accord - grinding when turning - checked the bearings - ok - took
off the drum and it was full of brake shoe dust - blew it out and nada
grinding now. Wheel bearings rarely go now - especially rear - fronts
go particularly after someone pulls out the rotor - pre 98 accords had
the rotor pressed into the whole bearing assembly - a pita to play
with.

Anyway if you suspect a wheel bearing is going - jack her up - place
hands at 6 and 12 oclock and try to rock it and repeat at 3 and 9.
Also turn it. Before rear bearings go, they really howl - fronts get
real loose - can feel it when turning the steering wheel - easy to
diagnose when on a jack.

Oh fyi - rear drum shoes have 188K on them and still lots of wear left
- just put in third set of pads on front - got 118 on OEM and about 65
on autozone pads. Put in OEM's and figure good till at least 300K.

 

Curly, Butch,

I took the car to my mechanic (I trust him) yesterday and we went for a
drive. He heard the noise on a left turn and checked the wheel
bearings. They are fine. He cleaned out the dust/dirt from the brake
area (also tighened up my emergency brake) and said if I continue to
hear it (I do) he's get a wheel assembly (what's that?) to replace the
part where the bearings are. He has no other ideas. Today I tried to
see if it made the same noise when left turning with the cluch down,
sort of coasting through the turn, but the traffic noise was so much
that I couldn't hear anything so don't know it that's it or not.

I loved the car. Bought it used with 48k on it, no accidents according
to the paperwork. I drove like a dream, still does in fact except for
the noise. Had one major problem, the check engine light kept going on,
driving me crazy -- it wasn't the gas cap thing -- so as it was within
the 12/12 warranty Honda put a new computer in it. I bought a Honda
because of their reputation (I'd always owned Toyota's but last car was
a Saturn) and hope that this isn't a lemon or the start of some major
repairs. UGH!

Thanks,

Jane

 

Is the wheels stock or aftermarket? If aftermarket, if might be worthwhile
to rotate front-to-back, just to rule out the wheels.

Pars

 

I believe that the wheels are the originals unless the dealer changed
them. I'm not entirely knowledgable on why a rotate would help determine
it but will ask the mechanic to do that this morning so that I don't
have to spend $ I don't have for a new part that even he is unsure will
fix the noise problem.

Even though I was shown the report on the car, I tend to not trust
dealers. My last care, the first and only "American" care I owned, a
Saturn, was purchased used with all of the convincing guarantees that
the dealer made. When the car was totalled from a small skid on black
ice (only involving myself, no other cars) the body shop asked me if I
was aware that the frame had been rivited, indicating an accident
repair. I was never aware of this. Thus I have little faith in the
rantings of dealers. I do trust my mechanic though but also know that
there are limits to knowledge.

Jane

 

There still be a bit of grinding noise but it should have diminished
significantly - now mine only grinds a bit. In over 1 million - yes
million miles of driving and maintaining friends honda's - only 600K of
that my honda's - have never had a rear wheel bearing problem - now
have had to replace a front wheel bearing cause the idiot (me) who
tightened the bearing assembly did not do it right.

Before a rear wheel bearing goes - it will growl so loud you can hear
it a mile away. Also make certain you rotate your tires every 10K - if
not the rear tires will cup like hell - I can hear some cars with badly
cupped tires with my windows closed when driving down the freeway -
when they get cupped - you generally have to listen to the howl for the
rest of the diminished life of the tires. Cupping occurs on a lot of
front wheel drive vehicles - but on the rear tires - strange have never
figured that one out.

It is not a bearing problem - had them on my old chevy's - oh boy can
they growl.

 

Hi Butch,

He has no idea what it could be other than a bearing but he checked them
again yesterday and said that they look fine. He drove the car with me
in it, made a few circles going left to confirm the noise after a wheel
rotate and it's still there. It's not loud like you state nor does he
think it's cupping. It seems to be coordinated with the turning of the
wheel itself. The sound is slow if going slow, fast if going fast when
turning left. He said either to change the bearings (I'd get the old one
back if that doesn't do it) or wait till it gets worse. He said I'm in
no danger of a wheel coming off though.

I probably didn't hear it before as I always drove with the radio on.
One time without the radio and bam, I hear the noise. I love the car
otherwise.

Jane