I had my car in for a simple body repair of the front bumper after a hit and run and I recognized yesterday that since then the car has a high pitched grinding noise while driving which seems to come from one of the front wheels. The symptoms are:

- The car has to be warmed up and driven for a period of roughly 30-45 minutes before the sound appears
- It occurs with gear engaged and disengaged
- It occurs within different gears
- It occurs under load and without load
- It occurs at any speed but mostly at higher speeds ~50-60mph

Do you guys have any idea what that could be? I was thinking a bearing is wearing out but all lug bolts seem equally warm to the touch from just the heat of the brakes.

 

Sounds like a wheel bearing is going. you can check this by jacking the car up, and grabbing the wheel that touches the road (not the steering wheel) at 12 and 6 along with 9 and 3. and applying movement, jerking motion. see if there is play. also more heat than normal emanating from the center of the wheel is a tall tale sign.

 

Since you had a hit on the front end it may be a fan issue on one of the radiators. That might explain the need to be warmed up. It could also be something that was left loose when the car was repaired.

What did the damage consist of on the front?

 

Thanks for the quick replies! I had someone side swipe my car while it was parked on the street, the wheel was repainted, the front bumper had to be repainted and the side marker replaced.

 

Thanks for the quick replies! I had someone side swipe my car while it was parked on the street, the wheel was repainted, the front bumper had to be repainted and the side marker replaced.

How could I tell the difference if it would be the bearing or the radiator fan?