Low grinding noise in low gears like turning corners

Hi,
I've got an issue with my car which normally occurs when turning corners in low gears at a low speed, almost as if I need to apply more gas.
If I do apply more gas while at the same time lifting the clutch up the car is fine but if less gas is applied the grinding noise occurs, almost sounding as if it is going to stall.
Just to note, the noise does not affect the performance of the car in any way.

Thanks, Kyle Ackroyd

My car has 98000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi Kyle,
It sounds like you may have a failing or worn out wheel bearing. A wheel bearing will usually fail due to pitting or small damage on the surface of the rollers or the bearing race. Both the surface of the rollers and the race is precision machined to tight tolerances and highly polished to allow the rollers to pass easily over the race with the addition of bearing grease for lubrication and cooling. Over time the bearing will wear slightly, allowing microscopic pieces of metal into the grease. Bearing noise can sound a lot like a brake pad dragging or grinding. It can also sound like whirring, whining or humming depending on how much sound deadening material your vehicle has in it. Bearing noise will always be dependent on vehicle speed meaning as you speed up or slow down the noise should change frequency or loudness. Cornering may affect the noise from a damaged front wheel bearing and is usually more pronounced as you make turns. I would suggest having a professional from Your Mechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

A common cause of grinding noises under your car are failing wheel or hub bearings. Wheel bearings allow the wheel and tire to rotate and are designed for low friction, while hub assemblies have an additional responsibility of securing the wheel and tire to the vehicle.
A grinding noise when turning may mean that the wheel bearing is worn out and should be replaced as soon as possible.
When a grinding noise occurs with your transmission, it could mean a serious problem with your planetary gear system. Automatic transmissions depend on a planetary gear system to function probably, and if this system is allowed to fail, it can result in major damage throughout your transmission.
If you notice your car making a grinding sound when it accelerates, your issue is likely to do with your transmission, a problem with your differential, a bad wheel bearing, a damaged CV joint, or a worn engine/motor mount.
If you notice your car making a grinding sound when it accelerates, your issue is likely to do with your transmission, a problem with your differential, a bad wheel bearing, a damaged CV joint, or a worn engine/motor mount.
If you hear this grinding noise both while you`re driving and idling, it`s possible that worn-out bearings are to blame. If the grinding noise comes when you shift, it`s likely due to a worn clutch. Grinding when you turn a corner could be due to a CV joint that needs to be replaced or another suspension issue.
Those grinding noises are called “crepitus,” and they may be a sign that your joints need help. One of the most common places to develop crepitus is in the cervical spine, otherwise known as your neck. Your neck may pop, grate, or make a cracking sound when you turn it from side to side or tilt it up or down.
As you drive, the bearing rides on a metal axle shaft. This reduces friction as your wheel spins. When the bearings experience too much stress, they can become worn thin. This can cause a grinding or scraping sound to occur.
A healthy transmission will shift between gears smoothly and there won`t be any slippage. Low fluid levels can cause gears to miss, which will result in a grinding sensation.
A grinding or shuddering sensation is common when a transmission has trouble shifting fluidly. Sounds: Any grinding noises while shifting or knocking noises while in neutral are clear indications of a transmission in trouble.
Grinding noise = worn or dried out bearings, Steering joint could be freezing up, or your brakes have something stuck in them. Ticking noise = Something stuck in your brake system or wheel and it is hitting, O ring on one of your pistons could be wearing out, Some sort of “inside the block” problem…
The most common reasons a Honda Civic has a rattling noise are the ball joints, struts or strut mount, or a problem with the sway bar links.
Once you notice any sign indicating a bad wheel bearing, avoid exceeding 500 miles with that issue. A failing wheel bearing will increase your difficulty in driving. But with a high-quality wheel bearing, you can drive for another 1000 miles as per the estimate.
Causes of Strange Sounds When Turning the Wheel

Suspension Joints: Often heard at lower speeds, creaking, clunking, or popping is an indication of worn-out suspension joints. Power Steering Pump: Another low-speed sound, a whining noise can often diagnose an issue with the power steering pump.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Low grinding noise in low gears like turning corners
ANSWER : Hi Kyle,
It sounds like you may have a failing or worn out wheel bearing. A wheel bearing will usually fail due to pitting or small damage on the surface of the rollers or the bearing race. Both the surface of the rollers and the race is precision machined to tight tolerances and highly polished to allow the rollers to pass easily over the race with the addition of bearing grease for lubrication and cooling. Over time the bearing will wear slightly, allowing microscopic pieces of metal into the grease. Bearing noise can sound a lot like a brake pad dragging or grinding. It can also sound like whirring, whining or humming depending on how much sound deadening material your vehicle has in it. Bearing noise will always be dependent on vehicle speed meaning as you speed up or slow down the noise should change frequency or loudness. Cornering may affect the noise from a damaged front wheel bearing and is usually more pronounced as you make turns. I would suggest having a professional from Your Mechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

My manual car won’t go into gear, it turns on and the clutch goes down perfectly fine. It happened after my gears grinded, the car
ANSWER : If the clutch mechanism is releasing properly, and the shift linkage is not malfunctioning, your transmission will have to be removed from the vehicle and inspected. Once a transmission has been removed from a vehicle, if the problem is a broken or worn part or parts, and the transmission has 100,000 miles or more, the most cost effective approach is to just simply rebuild the whole transmission. There are transmission rebuild kits that are sold just for this purpose. Rebuilding a transmission is no big deal and is indeed easier in many respects than rebuilding an engine. You can rebuild your transmission right in your own garage. You can NOT rebuild an engine in your own garage due to the highly specialized, and extremely costly, machine shop equipment required. Occasionally, mobile mechanics will take on a transmission rebuild job especially as once the mechanic removes the transmission from the vehicle, it is just simply a modular unit that can be easily transported to a mechanic’s shop and rebuilt right there and then returned to your vehicle. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

Turned on back winow heater and engine made a noise …when lights are turned on engine makes a noise like it can’t take load ….
ANSWER : Hi there. It appears you have more than one problem with your vehicle. The noise coming from engine area with a load on the electrical system, may be a bad diode in the alternator. Continuing to drive the vehicle with a bad alternator diode, may leave you with a dead battery. The hot air coming from the vents sounds like blend door actuator(s) problems. I recommend the concerns your vehicle has, it be inspected by a certified technician like one from YourMechanic to pinpoint the noise and help you fix it accordingly.

grinding noise while turning right or driving straight
ANSWER : Hello. If the noise is still there when the engine is off and if you are not turning the wheel, then it is typically either a failing bearing in the rear differential or it can be a failure in the transfer case if it is four wheel drive.

The transfer case is a very common failure on this vehicle. If it is two wheel drive then I typically start by draining the oil from the rear differential and inspecting the fluid for metal.

Any metal in the fluid indicates a bearing failure. If that is also fine, then it may be an issue within the transmission. It may be a failure in one of the thrust bearings. If you need to get this looked at, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose your car’s grinding noise.

car won’t start.
ANSWER : A possibility is a faulty ignition switch. If the switch opens after the car starts, the engine will shut off. But, that is just a possibility and a diagnostic would have to be performed to rule that in or out. Be sure you have a fully charged battery that passes a load test. Starters motors can display intermittent operation if they are faulty. With a fully charged battery, if the starter motor does not run that signifies an electrical problem in the starter circuit (includes the ignition switch) or a problem with the starter motor itself. If there is power to the starter motor and yet it doesn’t run, the starter is condemned and replaced. Alternatively, if there is no power to the starter, or there is a big voltage drop anywhere on the circuit to the starter, then the circuit has to be traced until the fault in the circuit is found. Notably, faults can include high resistances, due to corrosion, wire strand breaks, or loose terminals, which can only be diagnosed using a voltage drop test. Regardless of what the underlying cause of the no start condition is, if you desire that a certified mechanic resolve this promptly, please simply request a no start diagnostic and the responding mechanic will get it diagnosed and repaired for you. Please let us know if you have further concerns or questions as we are always here to help you.

Grinding noise around differenial area
ANSWER : Hi there. If the noise started shortly after the repairs you completed, it is more than likely that you have left something loose inside or an internal component is not properly aligned. However, if the repairs were completed correctly, It is more than likely that you have damage to a wheel bearing. You might want to isolate the noise you are hearing or contact a local mechanic that can come to your location and help you diagnose the noise.

High pitched whine noise is coming from behind or below glove box area. The noise occurs at low rpm at any speed, especially while turning left.
ANSWER : Hi there. The sound that you are hearing is probably from the blower motor to the heater / air conditioning evaporator. Remove the fuse to the blower motor and see if the sound stops. If the sound stops, then the motor or the squirrel cage is bent and rubbing. If the sound is still there when you remove the fuse, then it could be the alternator or power steering pump transmitting the sound through the cabin area. If you need further assistance with locating the source to the high pitch sound near your glove box, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

Front end makes a grinding noise when I turn. Is that something to do with the rack and pinion steering?
ANSWER : Hi there. The noise sounds like the wheel hub bearings are grinding as you are turning. Lift up the vehicle and put all the wheels off the ground and spin the front wheels. Listen and feel the wheels for any weird sounds and grinding feeling. If there is a feeling and grinding sound, then the hub bearings will need replaced. If the front wheels do not have the sound, then either the CV shaft has a bad ball bearing and needs replaced or the transmission has a grinding gear within the transmission. I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose the grinding noise that your are getting on the front of the vehicle.