Screeching Noise

[mbr1965]

I have a 2001 Nissan Sentra GXE. For the past couple of months, when turning the wheel to the right, I get a screeching noise. As soon as I straighten out the wheel, the sound disappears. This does not happen if I am making a right hand turn from a stop, only when already in motion and there is a bend in the road. Any ideas what would be causing this and how much I'd be looking at to have it repaired?

Thanks.

[curtis73]

Can you eleborate on the screeching? It could be anything from a belt slipping to tires squealing from bad alignment. If you can describe anything else it would help us narrow it down.

[mbr1965]

The best I can describe it is to me it sound like metal grinding against metal. But as soon as I straighten out from the turn, the sound disappears.

[curtis73]

Hmmm. Nothing's popping into my head as an obvious answer, so I'll make some wild guesses. Maybe the guesses will spark something in your head and we'll get there.

It could be a brake wear indicator. Have they been screeching at all? When you go around turns, sometimes things flex enough that the brakes gently touch the rotor and a brake squeal occurs in a turn.

Its possible (although unlikely) that its a bearing. Usually the big press-in ball bearings on FWD cars start sounding like knobby mud tires when they start to fail. Kind of a low growl.

Golly, help me out here folks. Anyone have any brilliant ideas?

[mbr1965]

Well thanks. Guess I'll have to breakdown and just take it into a mechanic. Since I'm so technically illerate, I had been hoping to go in with an idea of what was wrong and what to expect in the way of billing. Thanks for your ideas. Much appreciated.

[public]

Originally Posted by curtis73

Golly, help me out here folks. Anyone have any brilliant ideas?

YOU usually have the best, most detailed answers. Us shadetrees are just pretenders.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by public

YOU usually have the best, most detailed answers. Us shadetrees are just pretenders.

Yeah, well I feel lucky

I have had this happen with loose/rusty brake rotor splash shields. Sometimes they wobble abound a bit (especially if they are rusty) and rub on the rotor around corners. This effect is amplified if the wheel bearings are a bit loose.

mbr1965's info says he or she live in Hamilton, Ontario, (and seeing as that's about 1 hour drive away from me) I know its just a big rust magnet. I suspect the Hamilton road crews get paid for spreading road salt by the ton.

Curtis you are forgiven for not knowing this..................nothing rusts in southern California..........