My wife has a 2006 Mazda Tribute 2.3L that for the most part has been a good little car. We purchased it used in 09 with 45Kish on the clock. It seams that since day one the car has always had a road noise to it. When driving straight you hear it, when you merge right it gets louder, when you merge left it damn near goes away. We brought it into the dealer under warranty and of course the couldn't duplicate the noise, coughBScough. After the dealer did nothing I decided to get a set of GOOD tires for it as I heard that the tires was the big issue with these cars. I put a set of Michelins on it, cant remember exactly what style though. I also got an alignment at the same time as the tires. That seamed to help a little but it never went away fully. Few months later I decided to change the drivers side front wheel bearing as that's where it seamed to be coming from. Purchased a Timken bearing and installed it and it did nothing. Getting frustrated I said screw it and dropped it off at a driveline shop. They test drove it and said the passenger side wheel bearing was the issue. They changed it, that did nothing. They then said the drivers side is bad(the one I changed 2 weeks before). I told them that was BS but then agreed to let them change it because I wanted it fix. Well after changing BOTH front wheel bearings it was still there. All of this was about 2-3 years ago. I never drive her car so I kinda forgot about it. But lately she has be complaining that the noise is getting louder. I drive the car the other night and holy **** the noise is ridiculous. My lifted trucks on 38" mud tires weren't even as loud as this this thing. At one point(40ish MPH) the noise resonates so bad it causes a rattle in the dash.

So I come here for help. Is it the tires? The Michelins have about 50-60K on them and they were rotated but probably not as often as then should have been.

I rotated them today and checked the air pressure and she thinks that it actually may have made it louder. Other than the noise the car runs great and being as its been long paid for id rather not jump into a another note as I just got a new truck.

Ideas?

Thanks Wayne

 

Tires may be the issue. Also differential bearings could make the noise you are describing. Have the diff's and transfer case been serviced ever? You don't say what your current mileage is, diff's should have been serviced a few times by now.

 

It's has 166K on it.

No diff service has ever been done just changing fluid?

Wayne

 

Yes just changing the fluid. If it is a diff bearing and it is making the noise you are describing the diff may need to be rebuilt or replaced at this point. According to the owners manual here ( Page 231 ) for your truck the diffs are due to be serviced at 150k, so you are definitely due for that and it may help. But it may also be a bad carrier bearing or axle bearing in the Diff. Just thoughts on what could make that noise.

 

I do mechanic work on the side so doing the work myself isn't a issue but if it involves going "into" the diff that's something I haven't had a chance to learn yet. Been doing some more research and curious if you think that the noise could be from the Intermed Shaft on the passenger side, Im thinking I may order it and swap that out to see. I am having a hard time actually locating one, it appears to only be a dealer part.
http://www.mileoneparts.com/parts/20...&siteid=214336

Is the part that bolts to the diff a bearing? its hard to tell in the pictures I have found.

Could you also provide me with a little more detail as to what carrier and axle bearings you are referring too. Only carrier bearing I know about is the ones on 2 piece drive shafts on rear wheel drive vehicles.

The other items

Wayne

 

It's 2WD by the way.

Wayne

 

Hey Wayne,

Did you ever find a solution to the noise? I think I have a similar issue.

Shawn

 

The person you're replying to has not logged on since 6 weeks after their last post. Best to first do a straightforward search to show everyone your initiative, and if no success then start a new thread. And include every smidgen of detail possible to make responses more plentiful and productive. And welcome to the Mazda Forum.