Buzzing? No - Sounding like a moped

Hi folks - All has been great with my 99Mali since fixing the intake antifreeze leak. For the past 2 days, however, I started to hear a buzzing sound seemingly from the front center of the car. I noticed the faster I drove the higher the pitch.

I thought at first it was probably something stuck on the tire treads, or the breaks, or something else. But whenever I rolled the windows down to verify the noise, nothing of the sort. The sound is similar to a moped or a piece of cardboard railing against bicycle rims. Thinking the sound was stemming from the drive train / the transmission I would put the car in neutral to hear if the sound would go away, but it did not; thus ruling out that possibility (or so I think... or so I hope).

Short of putting the car on a lift and getting BS by a shop... you need brakes, rotors, calipers... What is causing this buzz coming from the center panel and gets higher the faster I drive?

That does rule out specific gears of the tranmission, BUT it is a TRANSAXLE, the differential has zilch to do with what gear you are in and everything to do with ground speed. If your noise is ground speed related and in the center area of the car I would tend to think differential bearings or something, but I would definately rule out the axles, wheel bearings, etc. first. Usually wheel bearings change tone with turning one direction or the other.

Thanks for the reply... I'm not clear on something, are you suggesting the sound might be a transaxle issue?

As of this morning, I'm kinda focusing more on the center left front side of the car. I had my wife drive the car while I stood outside hoping to hear the sound but nothing. I'm gonna have to take the front tires off.

The way you are talking, yes. Center left though do you possibly just have a donut gasket leak on your exhaust?

I remember back in the day when I had my '98 Mali, the alternator was on its last legs when I'd heard this noise, right in the location you're desribing. Couldn't hear anything at idle.

Holy crap well wouldn't you know it! I replaced the right' front bearing. I pick up the car and sure enough sound is gone. Business as usual as you'd imagine... that is until 10 minutes into the proverbial test / victory lap, the battery icon comes on! Coincidence? I don't know, but it's suspect that you mention alternator... Makes me wonder... should I have waited? Then again, the sound was coming indeed from some sort of bearing.