Noise could be from worn bearing
By Doug McAllister
Q. I have a 2002 Honda CRV with about 125,000 miles. At about 40 mph and 30 minutes of driving, the right rear wheel emits a high-pitched noise. Local mechanics think I need a pinion bearing or brake service. What do you think?
A. It's difficult to say without hearing the noise. It could be a pinion bearing. However, you said it was coming from the right rear, so I would focus on that area first and see if it is a wheel bearing or a brake issue.
The best thing for you to do is to get the car making the noise and then take it to your service provider and take a technician for a ride so he can hear the noise. Once he hears it, I would think it can be tracked down fairly quickly. One test you can do is, after you hear the noise, see if it goes away on braking. If it does, there is a good chance it is a brake issue.
Q. Regarding your recent article on transmission fluid, do you feel that synthetic fluids are better for the transmission than the petroleum-type fluid recommended by the manufacturer? If so, which synthetic transmission fluid do you recommend?
A. The short answer is yes. Most cars today actually require a synthetic transmission fluid.
If your car doesn't require it, it is perfectly fine to use a synthetic. Just make sure it is the right one for your car. Most of the synthetics are multicar-line products. Even with the synthetic transmission fluid installed, I still believe in changing the fluid at regular intervals as I discussed in the previous articles.
• Douglas Automotive is at 417 W. Main St., Barrington; 123 Virginia Road, Crystal Lake; and 416 Northwest Hwy., Fox River Grove. For information, visit douglasautomotive.com. Send questions to underthehood@dailyherald.com.