Why does my car make a rumbling noise?
The noise does not come from the engine area; it seems like it comes from the rear of the car. Any ideas on what could be wrong?Q.
My 2010 Honda CR-V with four-wheel drive has about 106,500 miles. At 35-40 miles per hour, the car makes a loud rumbling noise. It doesn’t happen when the car is accelerating from a stop, and it doesn’t seem to be there at highway speeds. The noise does not come from the engine area; it seems like it comes from the rear of the car. Any ideas on what could be wrong?
A. I would start with an overall diagnosis of the vehicle, including a performance test of the engine. Something as simple as a slight engine misfire might be enough to cause a slight shudder, but not enough to set a check-engine light. Another possibility is an internal transmission failure. Some Honda models, such as the CR-V, had an internal failure that caused a fracture of a shaft support bearing/ring. The other, less expensive issue is the rear differential fluid may need changing or may have been changed without using Honda fluid. A good technician should be able to find the source of the rumbling noise.
John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE certified master technician. Email your car question to [email protected].
