I’ve now had three separate instances, over a couple of weeks, of the car (a 2013 Skoda Octavia on just shy of 160,000 miles) making a whhooooooooooo howling noise after taking a reasonably sharp turn in the road. In all cases the noise has stopped by its self after 5 to 10 seconds with no obvious change to the feel of the car or easy way to get it to repeat the noise.

Anyone want to take a guess as to what I might need to get inspected/fixed? Based on zero practical experience I’m leaning towards it being a front wheel bearing but don’t exactly have a huge amount of confidence in that assessment.

Assuming it’s got power steering, is the reservoir topped up?

Assuming it’s got power steering, is the reservoir topped up?

I have not checked that but can easily have a look at lunch time. Ta for the suggestion.

EDIT: looks like the power steering system is probably electric, so no fluid to top up.

Stone stuck between disk and backing plate, or backing plate rubbing on disc

Some electrical PAS are electric pumps still have fluid.

Could be a bearing but it would be worse turning one way or another as the weight transfers.

What sort of speed does it happen. Does it go if you dip the clutch

At that mileage I’d just ignore it till something happened. If you chase every strange noise down on a car with 160,000 miles you’ll have a mental breakdown.

Stone stuck between disk and backing plate, or backing plate rubbing on disc

I’ve had that happen before and this is a very different sort of noise; more musical than screaming banshee.

What sort of speed does it happen. Does it go if you dip the clutch

Reasonably sure that the times it has happened have all been while pulling away at junctions where there is a tight turn on the exit. Can’t remember exactly but I think it might have happened going both directions. Also can’t say for sure but I think it continued even when dipping the clutch.

Ah now this is interesting! My 2014 Passat has developed a noise I could also describe as a “a whhooooooooooo howling” noise. It’s almost exhaust-y, but also wheel bearing-y, but mine is constant and doesn’t go away. Initially it started coming in at ~70mph, but that speed is gradually getting lower and now comes in at ~40mph.

108,000 miles, it’s going in for a service next week so I’ll report back if I get an answer.

I have a vague recollection of having needed to replace some bushes on this car already, so maybe it’s the same thing.

I also had a similar noise on the Audi which just turned out to be tyre tread on the fronts getting v.low, but that’s not it in this case.

(Ref chasing noises on cars with high mileages, disagree, I’ve had this car from new and this noise is the only bad one it makes and in all other regards except a few workhorse dings to the bodywork, it is as new and I plan to keep it ’til it stops or is legislated off the road)

Howling when cornering, I’d be thinking wheel bearing. Without hearing it it’s just a guess, though.

Either that or you’ve run over a werewolf. Is it worse when there’s a full moon?

WHen pulling away from a junction with a hard steering lock might be that the spindle on the PS pump is becoming briefly jammed and when you accelerate, the belt slips until the lock is released and then it starts to turn properly. If its a gradual failure over time, you’d not notice the slight increase in steering weight at very specific times.

I’d just drive it until it fails.

At that mileage I’d just ignore it till something happened. If you chase every strange noise down on a car with 160,000 miles you’ll have a mental breakdown.

Hi!

Re the noise – my Passat had a noise that was resonant and sounded exactly like a wind instrument of some kind or blowing over the top of a bottle, but deeper. It did it when I shut the engine off, but also at some points when the engine changed up at a constant low speed and load. It went away again as soon as I changed throttle position. I think it was because it was closing the intake flap to increase EGR, or in the shutdown situation to prevent diesel run-on; and the flap wasn’t quite closing all the way creating resonance as the air was sucked in.

There’s a small chance that you are hearing that after corners because you’re holding the throttle, but probably not.

At that mileage I’d just ignore it till something happened. If you chase every strange noise down on a car with 160,000 miles you’ll have a mental breakdown.

Depends on the car.

My Berlingo’s made it to 150,000 and is to be honest, absolutely ****ed. There’s squeaks, rattles, noises, leaks, and a resonating bounce at 50mph that’s either the engine mounts shaking themselves to bits, or the Siemens injection system (apparently “they all do that, just don’t drive at 50mph”).

The Focus it replaced still ran like new at the same age (and had far fewer receipts for having to fix stuff).

if it’s a 2013 octavia III (rather than a late model Octavia II) then it’s a FULL electric PAS. So it won’t be the PAS pump, cos there isn’t one. Doesn’t mean it isn’t PAS related mind… but more likely to be a wheel bearing. If however, its a late MK II, it could quite happilly be the pump as they had a hydraulic system.

Could also be something catching/rubbing when at a particular steering angle – bit of inner wing liner flapping about, or something.

In short – no easy answer!

actually – I’m wrong – MKII is fully electric too. definitely not PAS pump.

At that mileage I’d just ignore it till something happened.

And that’s how people get stuck on the hard shoulder in the rain, or end up in a panic when it breaks down 2 days before a holiday…whether it’s done 2000 miles or 200,000 miles.

You get to know your car and all the rattles, squeaks and clonks. New noises need checking out regardless.

I once ignored a wierd tugging sensation thinking it was my crappy old handbrake that used to turn it’s brake drums elliptical and stick on briefly. A few days later the car made a sudden change of direction and then went a bit squirrelly whilst on a dual carriageway. Rear wheel almost fell off and it turns out the wheel bearing had seized and self distructed. Missed my ride, luckily made it to a layby, had to wait ages for a flatbed recovery truck, and had to pick a garage on the spot to get it dropped off so couldn’t shop around for a price. I took a chance with the slightly damaged stub axle and a few years later the car failed it’s last MOT for something related to the bearing/stub axle on that side. (The current owner presumably scrapped it)

And that’s how people get stuck on the hard shoulder in the rain, or end up in a panic when it breaks down 2 days before a holiday…whether it’s done 2000 miles or 200,000 miles.

That happens anyway to cars that have done 160,000 miles, preventative maintenance is fine and sensible but sometimes it’s easier to just leave things to develop until they’re easier to identify rather than spending hours of your life on a weekend taking everything apart to find nothing is wrong.

In my experience there are two types of failures on old cars, ones that happen suddenly and dramatically that you wouldn’t have been able to notice in advance anyway, and ones that slowly get worse until it’s obvious what it is, then you fix it.

To be fair to the skoda there isn’t anything that rattles or shakes on it, it’s pretty much sound bar the dings and scrapes it’s picked up over the years. Just the one new noise that gives the definite impression something isn’t happy.

For want of a better theory I’ll see if I can get the front wheels off the ground tomorrow and see if there is any noticeable play there. I suspect there won’t be given it still seems to be driving fine but isn’t going to cost anything to check.

On turning, under acceleration, but difficult to get it to do it on demand, is it awd or the like? Is the Haldex clutch in need of a service possibly?

IANA(anything useful), so absolutely a guess, could be a chipped windscreen for all my experience, but I’ve been in a few which have had funny noises coming from the awd system when pulling out of turnings.

Turbo is shagged.

That happens anyway to cars that have done 160,000 miles

Naaa, it doesn’t unless you’re lax about it and let little noises develop into big problems.

See above, a cheap wheel bearing fix could have saved getting stuck on the hard shoulder, the stub axle and thence the whole car.

If it was turbo it would do it on every harsh acceleration.

My money on wheel bearing or maybe diff.

But as with any of these threads it’s just a pin the tail on the donkey guess.

Naaa, it doesn’t unless you’re lax about it and let little noises develop into big problems.

Agreed, my last car was over 200,000 and the only noise was clonking from the front suspension (which I’d already replaced) after a few minutes it would stop and was a well known issue so I was happy to ignore it.

Oh, I could also mention the quiet knocking from my Iveco campervan, you couldn’t really hear it but you could feel it through the footwell. Ignored it and then a few months later realised the lower shock mount was loose (very easy fix). Except because I didn’t sort it out, it elongated the hole in the wishbone. Wishbone over £200 parts only for the sake of checking it, thankfully as it’s a truck, the shock bracket is bolted to the wishbone so I was able to replace that, can’t imagine I got any change from £60 though.

Duncancallum, I don’t believe harsh acceleration was mentioned, it’s the lateral forces exerted when cornering acting on the end float tolerances.

If it sounds like it could be from the inside or under the dash, I’d suggest the aircon… I can feel my car get colder inside when cornering sometimes

I’d be surprised. If it was latterel forces surely any sustained corners ie round abouts etc would then cause the same noise?