I need help guys. I'm vacationing to Florida on the 20th and I bought this car 3 weeks ago to have reliable transportation.

I have been hearing a squealing, subtle, rattle when accelerating, especially after just having been parked for a couple minutes. It can do it at any time when punching it in first through third, but mostly happens in second. It almost sounds like a faint whine with a bit of rattle. I can't tell if it's coming from the front or back. After driving a while it seems to be less noticeable, but if I shut off the car, wait a couple minutes and start back up, it comes back at full volume. It almost sounds like a bearing, not a wheel bearing, but like a spun bearing somewhere else. It seems to be torque related, it won't do it in clutch neutral, only when punching it in a gear. Could it be the rear diff?

I have a 2005 base 6 speed, 19,300 miles. I'm mechanically inclined and have rebuilt tranny's and replaced head gaskets, but I'm too new to this car, plus it's still under warranty. I would like to get input before going through dealer headache, especially since I leave on Thursday. I'm willing to meet up with anyone in my area over the weekend (Dearborn, Michigan area). Please help!

P.S. it's not the rear hatch. Already did the tape thing and placed felt at the rubber contact points.

 

Does it occur while in neutral or only while in gear?

 

Only in gear, under acceleration, when moving. Not while in neutral, even when moving.

P.S. I wonder if it's this problem: https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ise+accelerate
Sounds almost the same.

 

hmmm, interesting. I was thinking it could be the clutch plate or a throw-out bearing.

 

If the whine seems to appear when under torque, and/or acceleration, it makes me think it might be a pinion bearing.
The rattle has me stumped. I guess I'd check any and all nuts and bolts concerned with the drivetrain. Possibly check CV joints.

 

read through these threads it will give you all the information you need to know about "gear whine" in the differential. Early 04 models had a faulty differential that eventually whines due to misalignment when driving at higher speeds. Its covered by the powertrain warranty if that car has it. Its a one day fix. However if its not under warranty forget it, the part costs about $3000. Make sure to read these threads...

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum/...t=differential

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum/...t=differential

 

After reading through those posts, I've concluded that it's NOT the normal rear diff whine. It doesn't do it at high speeds like others have decribed. It really doesn't have any pattern other than it will ONLY do it after I drive the car, let it sit, then start it up and drive again after a few minutes. It will not do it upon initial cold startup, nor during that trip. Only after turning off the car for a few minutes and running again. It will last up to five minutes then go away. VERY weird.

I really do wonder if it's heat related. Once the car rests, no airflow is present underneath, so things heat up. Maybe it's something that gets hot and warped but then cools down after airflow begins. Perhaps the exhaust heats up a certain way and then flutters. It's really a flutter sound to describe it best, a rattling flutter sound, like a piece of metal resonating in the wind. It did it again today.

 

[post deleted, after realizing you had n/a xfire]

 

This is really difficult to diagnose without actually hearing it. My car makes a flutter, but I've heard a few other xfires that sound the same way. Its resonance. Yours seems to be something much different though. Take it to the dealership and insist someone ride with you.

 

I agree, this would be a tough one to nail down. Although it almost sounds like it maybe emissions related with a vacumn leak I'd take it to the dealer, but as in most cases it probably won't make a darn sound when you get there !

 

I'm taking it in Monday morning. I can pretty much get it to make the noise every time by letting it sit for 5 minutes and running it again, so I hope it does it at the dealer.

 

Dropped it off this morning and it made the noise for the dealer. I left him a laundry list of other things to fix such as the leaky oil filler gasket, peeling headliner at the back, and vent kit for foggy headlights. They gave me a rental worth up to $40 a day (didn't know I would get free rental) and I paid an extra $8 to get a Chrysler 300.

 

Di ck Scott Dodge Dealer couldn't figure out the noise. They hear it but can't trace it. They also refused to fix the leaky valve cover gasket and said it was not covered under warranty and it's normal to weep oil. Double-U Tee Eff!!! I hate all Dealers. Anyone know of a good XFire tech in the Metro Detroit area?

 

Well, after many months of going to different dealers, I FINALLY got this fixed by a real XFire tech. It ended up being the exhaust. They replaced the whole exhuast and the noise is gone now.

It also took two tries for them to fix the leaking oil fill neck gasket. The second time they used RTV Black to fix it.

If you're in the metro Detroit area, the ONLY place competent enough to barely work on our cars is Southfield Chrysler on Telegraph.

 

Sorry to hear it was that hard to fix. Glad you finally got it though.It is only going to get worse as these techs change jobs like they always do.