Monotaur

Hi all,

I don't recall anyone else discussing this issue much, but lately my Max has been making a very high pitched noise during light acceleration (like ~1.5K RPM). Its intermittant, but when it happens I can vary the pitch by varying the accelerator ever so slightly. Unfortunlately, I'm not sure that it can be heard outside of the cabin or is more of an 'electronics' hum, although it's pretty loud so it might be more than an electronics hum (it usually only happens for about 3-4 secs, not enough time to roll down the window to see if I can hear it outside - too hot to leave it open all of the time).

Anyone else have this? I know the dealer would laugh at me if I asked him about it.

Thanks.

pae1215

iTrader: (3)

youre right, no one has had a high pitched problem, but peeps have had grinding noise

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=410835

check out post number 23

Monotaur

Thanks... Must have missed that one, I guess I should have searched.

Monotaur

Actually, that's not it... mine isn't a rattle, it's a high pitched noise... almost like what you sometimes hear when someone first turns on a muted-TV in the next room (if you know what I mean).

VTmaximaVT

that "rattle" does sound like high pitch metal
vibrating/buzzing sound....somewhat like old fashioned alarmed clock.

check this TSB,
http://www.infinitihelp.com/Ownershi.../NTB05-021.htm

I'm getting the support bracket (my dealer calls it a gusset) replaced after
3-4 days when the parts comes in. of course under warranty.
I'm also getting the rotors resurfaced under warranty, i have 28k miles on it.

my max also makes "knocking" sound when i drive it over speed bump or ramp.
it makes sound only when one of the rear wheels goes over the bump(only
when one of the rear springs compressed), I had to drove around with the technician b/c he couldn't duplicate the sound. after he looked under my car, he said he couldn't find what makes the noise. he said he'll take a look at it again when i get the bracket replaced.
what should i do when he can't find out the problem?

RHMax

I hear that too from time to time. I varies with engine speed. I thought it could be either the alternator or my turbo spooling

Monotaur

Thanks for the input everyone... this is definately not a rattel of buzz (I've already had one heat shield tightened due to rattling at around 2K RPM). I guess if it gets any worse I'll see if the dealer can replicate it (HA HA HA).

Oh, and VTmaximaVT, could that knocking sound be a bad strut?

VTmaximaVT

another dealer replaced the front struts even tho i told them it's coming from the rear, they were so sure that bad front struts made the sound (from the rear???)... anyways, they replaced them, and the knocking sound's still there.

SLuxury

Do you have an intake?
Could be a belt that's starting to become loose.
Did you install an underdrive pulley?

Monotaur

Nope, no intake or UDP... my car is bone stock.

RHMax

I can't quite make out where the sound is from, but it definitely is belt driven for sure. Could be alternator, power steering, or A/C compressor! The belts are slipping though. I hope whatever it is break within the waranty period, or normal because all of those seem to be okay so far. And the sound does come and go, and could be heat(weather) related.

Monotaur

Ah, it quite possibly could. I'll have to see if I keep hearing the sound during the winter months.

msoemax

I think this is the answer to your problems:
http://www.infinitihelp.com/Ownershi.../NTB05-024.htm

NYPD-Arnold

iTrader: (8)

I have this issue too, and I'm a 5th gen. It's possible that your belts are cracking. Take a look at them.

Monotaur

Thanks for the infor guys. I've got kind of an update. At the 30K mile maintenance, they cleaned out the trottle body assembly and that semed to change the behavior quite a bit (still squeeks in similiar circumstances, but I can't 'modulate' it as much by changing the gas pedal as I could before). Only thing is that this was during the winter so it didn't happen as much, and my problem seems to get worse when it warms up... so now that it is warm it's much worse. It seems that it's still mostly at low speeds acceleration (although road noise at higher speed could mask the sound), and lower acceleration.

Also, I noticed that after letting the car sit for a while (like overnight or during work, etc), and I take off that the first time I turn the wheel to the left and then to the right there is a belt that slips. The acceleration noise is a lot higher pitch than the belt slipping, but adds support to NYPD-Arlnod and RHMax's theory. I'm going to check the belts out here in a little bit. I'm over 36K miles now, so this probably isn't under warranty any longer (unless it is related to the TSB above and they consider this part of the drive train since it is related to the transmission???, but since this isn't an Altima...).

Oh, and also, whenever I rev through 1250 RPM (either up or down) there is a moderately loud "squeek". Anyone else have this? If you are next to a wall (or backing out of your garage) and give it some gas so that the tach passes through 1250 RPM with a window down you should be able to hear it. Has anyone else heard this? Is it something to be concerned about?

Thanks!

jjonesr5

i hear both of these noises as well. When accelerating i get a high pitched "whirring" noise coming from up front somewhere. It's not consistent, but it's definitely there and really noticeable. My car also clunks from the front end when going over bumps. Both front struts have been replaced which helped quite a bit, but it definitely still does it. It's at the dealership i bought it from (not a nissan dealer) for the 4th time and they can't get it right. The contract when i bought it used stated that they would fix the front end noises and they are fighting a losing battle.

xoomer.com

iTrader: (19)

Yes indeed. I think I know exactly what you're talking about. Almost like a continuous squeek or whistle. It varies with acceleration and it comes and goes. I hear it every now and then and I never stopped to see how it changes. I though I started to hear things untill my girl noticed that. Its almost like the ring in the ears.

Casicua

I get the same thing- just noticed it last week. I didn't really notice it till the weather got warmer. I can't isolate the source, but it does sound like a belt slipping to me. This sucks, my car has only ~13K miles on it.
If I had to speculate, maybe I'd say it was the power steering belt from battling with all that torque steer of this massive thing.

Monotaur

That's exactly what it is... like a ringing in the ears.

I also find it odd that it seems to increase with temperature... anyone know what this could be? Could it really be a slipping belt? It seems too high pitched for that to me...

Bermont

Is your stereo on? ... even with the volume turned all the way down .. your altenator can cause a slight whistle through the speakers, due to a slight bit of electrostatic noise in the electrical system, cause by the charging system. It will also match the RPM of the car. Just an idea

EDIT ... just read all the previous posts in this thread .... scratch that Idea .. sounds more significant that just altenator noise .. my bad for not reading

Bermont

hmmm .. with increased temp outside, its probable that your running the A/C .... if thats the case .... your electromagnetic clutch may be slipping on the A/C compressor or the compressor for your A/C may be making that noise internally (spinning bearing race). Or if the load of the compressor is to great for the pulley you will hear it begin to slip slightly if the compressor is packing it in or the relief valve is over pressuring. If you have your temp control set on "AUTO" try turning it off and turn of A/C to see if the sound goes away ... just an ider GL!!!

Monotaur

Wow, thanks... I'll check that out over the next few days to see if that changes anything.

I'll let you know...

Thanks!

xoomer.com

iTrader: (19)

I am not sure....I think I hear that noise whether the A/C is on or not. I hear it come and go during summer and winter months. Next time it comes, I will pay more attention as to where its comming from.

Bernard

Bermont

Monotaur .. Wow .. just noticed how old this thread is! ... long time sufferer hopefully u can nip this elusive sound in the bud!

Killah Kane

I am also hearing this noise in my car. It sort of sounds like a high pitch whistle noise intermittently with very light acceleration. Its very subtle and doesnt bother me much, but now I am curious since you mentioned it too.....I wonder what the hell it is

Monotaur

Ok, after some experimentation during the long drive this past weekend, I'm pretty certain that this is coming from some portion of the air conditioning system. It's hard to duplicate and have time to test this all, but while it was really warm outside and I had the temp set to 68 or so and under light acceleration, I got the high pitched whining or whistling. Since I was also on level ground, I was able to 'hold' it by keeping the engine at a constant speed long enough to turn off the AC and turn it back on (actually, I turned everything off; "AUTO" to "OFF"). This got rid of the whining noise. I immediately turned it back on (I pressed "AUTO"), and it came back. About a second later it went away (as it normally does; mabe the engine speed changed slightly from a very slight change in the terrain, etc).

So, I'm not sure if it is the compressor or fan or what, but I think it's definately tied to the air conditioning system. I think it happens more when it is hot outside, so if the compressor turns on more when it heats up outside (and it's load is higher) then it makes sense that it is the compressor. If I get a chance to test this again I'll try to see if the fan speed has any effect on the noise.

The really sucky part is that I'm out of warranty now, and I know I'd probably have a hard time getting any mechanic (at the stealership or not) to hear it.

But it is starting to really drive me nuts.

Monotaur

Alright, so I asked my dealership about this today when I took my car in for an oil change. They said that they usually charge $65 or $70 an hour to diagnose A/C problems, but that they might be able to do this as a "courtesy" since I'm only about 1.8K miles out of warranty. I wasn't able to reproduce the problem (since it was in the 60's this morning when I dropped the car off and the A/C didn't have to work very hard), but they thought it was probably the bearings on the compressor somewhere that were wearing.

So, I'm going to see if I can take them up on the "courtesy" thing.

Thanks for the help everyone.

ralfy1

I was having the same problem, with the grocery cart sound. So I took the car in this morning around 8am, I placed my 3rd call to the service department at 3pm to see if they found out what was making the noise. I was told the car hadnt been looked at yet. At around 3:30 I got the call the car was all set, and that it was just a loose exaust bracket. They also were replacing a bad front strut, so I thought that they could not have fixed the problem that quick. To their credit when I picked up the car the noise was completly gone, so I guess it was just that easy to fix.

Monotaur

Its been a while and I've been away, so I thought I'd update this thread for the others that have this problem too. I took my car in for a "courtesy" appointment and they said that it is a vaccuum hose or something somewhere in the car. They said that the high pitched squeeling and 'squeek' noise at low RPM could be coming from any one of "12,000" connections, but they couldn't tell which one. If/when it gets worse they said to bring it back, but at least it is documented as being a problem now.

So, I'm not sure this brings anyone any closer to a resolution but at least it's documented for me (and it sounds like they'll fix it for free! ).