2007 HHR LT 2.2 with 198,000 on the clock.

This just started a few days ago, when I get up to about 18 mph there is a loud noise (sounds like a small dirt bike engine) that gets louder as the speed increases. In park & neutral with the rpm's raised there is no noise. Sounds like the noise is coming from the center of the car in the engine area. I took it to a transmission shop & they said it was not the transmission. I put the front up on jack stands & checked the front wheels & there was no play at all in the 3/9 or 6/12 areas of the front wheels. I spent the wheels by hand & no noise at all. I then put it in drive with the front wheels still off the ground & got it up to 50 mph & there was no noise whatsoever. Went for another test drive & the loud noise was still there. At 40 mph or so I steered hard right & the noise went away, & then the noise returned as i straightened the steering wheel. Six months ago I replaced the control arms, tie rod inner & outter, the sway bar links on both sides, & all new tires two months ago. Other than this noise issue, the car runs perfectly.

Does this sound like a front wheel hub problem to you guys?

 

Yep. Best to replace both sides.

 

Wheel hubs! Cv axles or flex pipe is cracked.

 

I will update after I change the hubs.

Thanks guys.

 

We’re gonna kick back and relax and wait😎

 

Ordered new front hubs from rock auto (with the discount code) & replaced the passenger front hub & the loud noise is now gone. The funny thing is, that once I took the old hub off it looked fine & didn't make any noise as I was spinning it left or right. So it only made the noise when the weight of the car loaded the bearing. This site rocks. Thanks

 

Nailed it in one! Do replace both sides. And torque the fasteners to spec, the 3 bolts to the knuckle are 85 ft lbs and the axle nut is 155 ft lbs.