97 Malibu V6 3.1L Noisy when speed up

Hello,

My 97 Malibu LS V6 got some rumbling noise, which sounds like "Wong Wong Wong Wong ..." and becomes louder when the speed is up. I also noticed that the fuel efficiency dropped significantly after this noise began. The ABS light was on sometims at the beginning of the problem, and now is always on.

I jacked the car and try to spin the fron wheels, they won't spin.

Can anybody help me solve this problem?

Thanks a lot!

Hello,

My 97 Malibu LS V6 got some noise, which sounds like "Wong Wong Wong..." and becomes louder when the speed is up. I also noticed that the fuel efficiency dropped significantly after this noise began. The ABS light was on sometims at the beginning of the problem, and now is always on.

I jacked the car and try to spin the fron wheels, they won't spin.

Can anybody help me solve this problem?

Thanks a lot!

The sound you describe sounds like a wheel bearing or axle half-shaft. But ABS would not trip a code for that, I don't think.

Mpg's goin' down is not usually related to ABS functions either. Get scanned and post back. Don't spend cash yet...

Hello cbec1999:

After I jacked the car up, and put it in Neutral to rotate the front tire. The tire won't spin unless I put a large force on it. It seems that the brake pad is holding the rotor. After I removed the tire and brake caliper to rotate the rotor, the rotor won't spin without I putting my hand on it to force it to rotate.

Are there two problems? One is the caliper being not able to retract (compress) the piston. The second problem might be the hub bearing being bad.

I will have my car scanned at the part store per your suggestion.

Thanks a lot!

Hello cbec1999:

After I jacked the car up, and put it in Neutral to rotate the front tire. The tire won't spin unless I put a large force on it. It seems that the brake pad is holding the rotor. After I removed the tire and brake caliper to rotate the rotor, the rotor won't spin without I putting my hand on it to force it to rotate.

Are there two problems? One is the caliper being not able to retract (compress) the piston. The second problem might be the hub bearing being bad.

I will have my car scanned at the part store per your suggestion.

Thanks a lot!

Tight brakes (non-releasing) might be a problem; I'm not sure. Are both sides the same?

As far as the rotor spinning after removing the caliper, it shouldn't be that hard to rotate. Even if the bearing is bad, it shouldn't be hard to spin - maybe easier. AND 'grind-ier; too. Grab the wheel studs, not the rotor, and see if you can move the wheel hub by the studs (NOT rotate, but lateral movement). That MIGHT tell you something, if there's lateral movement...

Hello cbec1999:

So far, I only checked the front right side of the vehicle. I tried the lateral movment, it won't move. The rotor or the hub just won't spin freely if I rotate them with Neutral engaged.

The friction brought by the brake pad is probably due to non-compressed caliper piston.

Please help me further diagnose the problem.

Thanks a lot!

if you are rolling down the road and you apply the brakes with your hands off the steeirng wheel, the car will pull in the direction of the sticking brake. if you loosen the bleeder on the suspected sticking caliper, and the wheel then frees up it may be a collapsed brake line [where the rubber meets the steel line] Jack up the car and remove the front tires. Block the rear tires, if you remove both calipers, xmission in neutral, and you still cannot rotate the wheels with a screwdriver on the stud-bolts it is not the brakes.

Hello cbec1999:

So far, I only checked the front right side of the vehicle. I tried the lateral movment, it won't move. The rotor or the hub just won't spin freely if I rotate them with Neutral engaged.

The friction brought by the brake pad is probably due to non-compressed caliper piston.

Please help me further diagnose the problem.

Thanks a lot!

Get both front wheels in the air, and compare if both are tight.

Post back.

The passenger side wheel is tight. It's found out to be the piston of the caliper being not sufficiently compressed. After this is corrected, it is not tight any more.

The second source of the noise which sounds like "Wong, Wong, Wong, Wong..." was confirmed to be the two bad front wheel hub bearings. After having them replaced today, the noise is totally gone. My Malibu is quiet again.

However, the ABS light is still on. The ABS sensor at the two front wheels should be good since they came together with the two new front hub bearings. Don't know why yet.

Any further comments on the ABS-Light-On problem? I can post a new thread on the ABS light problem, so that others can track and may get help as well.

Thanks a lot!

This post is to summarize the noise problem of my 97 Malibu and the solutions that might help the readers.

PROBLEM:
(1) The vehicle has "Wong, Wong, Wong, Wong...." noise which is propotional to the speed.


SOLUTIONS:
(1) It is well known by GM that it is due to the front whell bearings
(2) Ordered a pair of front wheel hub bearings with integrated ABS sensor from auto part store, cost $90 x 2 = $180
(3) Ordered a pair of front wheel hub nuts (axel nuts) and two sets of hub bearing to knuckle hold down bolts from GM Dealer, cost $18 x 2 + $4 x 3 x 2 = $60
(4) Replaced the bearings in a garage $180 for 2hrs labor

Total Cost: $420


RECOMMENDATIONS:
(1) Highly recommend to order new hub nuts, which are different from the old ones by GM to correct the hub bearing problem. The color of the new hub nut is silver, and the old one is black. GM has reduced spec. of the torque to install the hub nut from 285 ft/lbs to about 190 ft/lbs. It is very important, or you will find your new bearings gone bad in a few monthes. The torque to install the 3 hub bearing to knucle is reduced to 85ft/lbs

(2) You can replace the bearings yourself given you have the tools and the rust on the bolts are not too severe to be removed. The socket to remove the hub nut and the hub bearing puller can be loaned from auto zone or part source for free.

(3) Properly compress the piston of the brake caliper while reinstalling the barke to avoide unnecessary friction brought by the brake pads.

(4) Check if the metal dust cap/cover behind the rotor has contact with the rotor. The mechanics in the GM dealer bended my dust cap/cover to contact the rotor intentionly. This created the 3rd kind of noise and a lot of heat on the rotor. I found it out the second day and corrected it myself. Frankly speak, the GM dealers have no shame on themselves!

(5) Don't forget to ask the dealer to have the error code cleared, so that you can further diagnose if the ABS is functioning correctly after the two ABS sensors are replaced together with the two new front hub bearings.


I hope the above will help those whose vehicle has the similar problem, so as to save time and money to get the problem solved and to be safe!

Many thanks to the members here who helped and are still helping me diagnosing the problem!

Cheers!

However, the ABS light is still on. The ABS sensor at the two front wheels should be good since they came together with the two new front hub bearings. Don't know why yet.

Any further comments on the ABS-Light-On problem? I can post a new thread on the ABS light problem, so that others can track and may get help as well.
!

It's possible that a bad spark plug wire will cause false DTC codes, including ABS/ASR codes.

How is it idling when warm? Check all 16 spark plug ends for a secure (snapped-on) fit.

It's possible that a bad spark plug wire will cause false DTC codes, including ABS/ASR codes.

How is it idling when warm? Check all 16 spark plug ends for a secure (snapped-on) fit.


Hello cbec1999:

I will check them and post back. Thanks!

Hello cbec1999:

I will check them and post back. Thanks!

ABS system scanned and it turned out to be one of the rear ABS sensor circuit is broken.

i am looking at the same problem (on a 99 but i think its the same assembly) and was wondering, you got both new nuts and bolts just from any GM dealer, and where did you get you numbers, i wanted to make sure it was the same for the '99