whirring/groaning noise while turning

Just bought a used '97 Sable with the 3.0 Vulcan and love the car. I just upgraded from an '87 Escort, so you can probably imagine how much I love my car now! LOL

Anyway, wondering what could be making this whirring noise while turing the car slightly. You can notice it if you're driving at city or hwy speeds, and just steer left slightly to change lanes or whatever......it makes a whirring sound that seems like it's coming from the front right wheel.

Sounds like something rubbing? Maybe a wheel bearing starting to go? Kinda sounds like brakes engaging slightly, but that's just what my imagination tells me it would sound like, except it's way exagerated. I have no idea if this even made any sense.....

The thing that's throwing me off right now is that the car handles perfect. no shakes or shimmies at all, and not even any slight pulsating in the steering wheel while it's making the noise.....

How can you tell if a wheel bearing is going? This noise is only when turning, and as soon as you straighten the wheels out again it goes back to being a perfectly quiet ride.

Thanks in advance, and hope this makes a bit of sense.....

I have the same noise with my sable when you turn the vehicle to the right. Let me know if there is a fix

hello i just got a 93 sable that my family has owned since the car was brand new 12 years ago... hard to believe its that old. anyway, my sable does the same thing. i believe it has to do with the rack and pinion. i am in preperation to tear the whole car apart and rebuild it. i will be replacing my rack and pinion and my tranny, if the car stops making the sound when i replace it i'll let you guys know. if not i will be looking farther into the noise to fix, i'll try and keep you posted.

I have a problem with mine like that, but along with the grinding noise from turning sharp, my car has a noise that sounds like a whistling when I've just started it up. I had it checked out by Ford. They told me that it was a pump on the transmission going out. I may be wrong, but their price tag on getting it fixed is a pretty good size. Make a poor girl like me want to hide.:(

It is most likely, as you stated, a front right wheel bearing. Depending how bad the bearing is there is a few ways to check this.
First thing is jack up the right front wheel off the ground, if the bearing is really bad you will be able to feel movement when you grab the top and bottom of the wheel and wiggle it. If it is half way shot, when you spin the wheel, with the car in neutral, you will hear a noise that sounds rough. If it is just starting to go, spin the wheel and put you hand on the Macpherson strut, you will be able to feel a small vibration in your hand. The reason you hear the noise on the right when you turn left, is the forward weight of your car is transfered to the right front wheel as you go around a left corner.
A drive shaft CV joint makes more of a clicking noise when they are going bad.

If it is just a slight noise in either direction and then turns louder when you near the locks on the steering wheel it is a common problem on Ford vehicles due to the plastic power steering fluid resivior. Its more like a Ford trademark. But if you can hear it at highway speeds id check the power steering fluid level and perhaps even flush the power steering system out and put in new fluid with a bottle of "Lucas" power steering additive designed to stop leaks it will coat the systems to help deaden the sound.

My Sable 2000 With Dhoc Engine When I Drive I Hear Engine Sounds Like Grinding Mixy.... With Closed Windows. Though I Dont Feel Any Other Problem.
Recently I Drove 2000 Miles Trip And It Ran Fine.
When I Sit In Other Cars Like Accura, Saab Toyota...they Run Smooth And Quite Inside.
Is It Because Of The Fact The Dhoc Engine Genrates 200 Hp In Comparison To Regular Sable Giving 155 Hp As If A Heavy Engine Pulling A Light Body Car.
Does Any One Else Feel Like This Or Does My Car Needs Some Thing Taken Care Of Or It Is Normal?....
2. The Fog Lights Dont Run, I Have Never Seen Them Running Since I Bought It Used, What To Do.

Percy

id bet money most of you are low on fluid i posted earlier and while working on my car found out that the whirring noise was due to low power steering fluid. good luck any other questions feel free to ask

I have a 98 sable and i hear a whinning noise in the front end when turning the wheel to the right like to change lanes. I also feel a vibration in the gas pedal that matches the noise. It only does it when I put pressure on the wheel (to the right) and at 30 mph. Please tell me what it is!:banghead: