Whats causing humming noise in front of my car?

There is an intermittent humming noise in avensis, more so when turning. I have a problem and cant seem to get to the bottom of it, there is a slight humming noise when drive, but it sounds louder when you turn, it sounds like something is rubbing or there is a buldge in the tyre but theres not.


Just to mention a few things that have been done, all new anti roll bar links and bushins, changed a hub cause thought it was a bearin, got wheels balanced and when that made no difference swapped wheels with wheels on back in case it was the tyres. Boot rubbers and drives also seem ok. ???


It doesnt seem to be affecting the way it drives. Any help is welcome as it is driving me mad to find out whats causing it in case it is the start of someting bigger!


Any ideas apart from hubs or power steering?


Just trying to gather as many ideas to try later, thanks.|||Hi


Sounds like a wheel bearing.Easiest way to check is to drive the car on a road with lots of bends and listen to the noise change when you steer.


Less noise on straight ahead position but more turning left is a right hand wheel bearing.


Less noise ahead but more turning right is a left hand bearing.


By carefully swinging the car from left to right on a NONE busy road, you can detect which bearing is failing.


Be careful, but this method does work.


Good Luck|||Nice,someone trying things first themselves,you seem to have covered most things,it's your description that intrigues me,humming,not grinding or groaning,If it were here now I'd be looking for a sympathetic vibration,something in the exhaust system or heat shields,these can "hum" in vibration with engine speed or road speed.try them,good luck.|||heres a link for a diagram of what u need:http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thecinemasource.com/moviesdb/images/Kevin_Bacon%2520-%25201%2520-%2520Loverboy.jpg%26amp;imgrefurl=http://www.thecinemasource.com/celebrity/interviews/Kevin-Bacon-Bringing-Home-the-Bacon-interview-301-500.html%26amp;usg=__aC5SY9v5YiLHQh4dCuQ_Sb9rlEQ=%26amp;h=368%26amp;w=300%26amp;sz=65%26amp;hl=en%26amp;start=1%26amp;tbnid=E-VFzqhjpNNbmM:%26amp;tbnh=122%26amp;tbnw=99%26amp;prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkevin%2Bbacon%2Bsad%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG|||have you checked the power steering pump or the gearbox seals at the end of the driveshafts there the U shaped rubber sels that sit around the drive shafts where they meet the gear box.


also the power steering pump can sometimes buzz if the bearings are dry|||It sounds lke it could be the powered steering rack or the powered steering pump bearings or it could be the bearing in the alternator|||I see you mentioned Boot Rubbers which makes me think FWD or AWD. Have the output shaft bearings in the transmission checked.|||my Avensis has had 2 power steering pumps, due to this problem. The symptoms were at first a sort of whirring noise, which then becomes a rubbing droning noise. It did not affect the feel of the steering, at all, but was very annoying.


If you do decide to change the pump, it is not cheap. I did mine myself, as I was a mechanic for 15 years and I paid 拢300 for each pump! Mine is a non VVTI version (1999) so depending on your car, it may not be relevant?


My reason for spending this sort of silly money, were down to the simple fact, that the car is worth the money, due to overall greatness!