2011 Endeavor whistle noise
Asked by TNGIRL2016 Jun 08, 2016 at 08:27 AM about the 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor LS AWD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I have had my Mitisibishi Endeavor for 2 years and I notice that after I drive
it for about 10 minutes and it gets heated up it begins to make a whistle
type sound, I have to turn up the radio to drown it out. Once I slow to
20mph It stops, and it does not make the sound at all while it is idle, only
while driving it above 20mph and after it has been driven for about 10
minutes. 9 Mechanics and no one can tell me what is wrong, 3 New sets of
brakes all around, new rotors, new tires, 4 alignments, I bought it with
52000 miles and it began about 3 months later, it now has 74000 and the
sound is only getting louder but is still the same sound.
9 Answers
TNGIRL2016 answered 8 years ago
My vehicle has not run different, or acted strange, I can tell it is coming from the front of the vehicle or under maybe the middle, if anyone is in the back seat they can not hear the noise, if I roll my window down and I pass by a bridge I can hear it with the windows down. It does not do this when I first start my vehicle in the mornings, or if it has cooled down, if I drive it for about 10 to 15 minutes or 6 miles, I can begin to hear it and as I get faster it gets louder, once I go to 20mph the sound stops. Once I excelerate it begins again. It began at 52000 miles, it has 74000 now and it is the same noise as it was before, but I think it sounds louder now. It is so frustrating to spend so much to replace things only to find out I still can not find the problem, and no mechanic can either, I even left it with a transmission place all day, only to be told they have no clue, I don't want to take a long trip for fear of it finally breaking down on me. Thank you for your quick reply!
TNGIRL2016 answered 8 years ago
I am not sure if this helps, but I can tell there seems to be a heat feeling in my vehicle near my driver area, even if the air is off, I can feel heat from somewhere. Not sure if it is just from where the vehicle is hot from being driven, but my gage does not show it is running hot.
TNGIRL2016 answered 8 years ago
Thanks for the input, I am very hopeful it is something simple as the last mechanic I took it too, said if I have already put 22000 miles on it since I have had it and its been doing it for that long, if it was anything major it would have already have broken down on me or I would know for sure by now it was something bad. I am hopeful it is just the way the thing is made under it and when the wind hits something or something gets heated up, then it just likes to sing, but it sure is a lousy singer.. Thanks again!
I'm thinking it is the "Center Support Bearing" on the drive shaft assembly. Should be covered under warranty (100,000 mile drive chain warranty). This is a good thing because you have to replace the entire drive shaft assembly. Tell the dealership that is the problem and if they should be able to look and confirm that.
TNGIRL2016 answered 8 years ago
Thanks Joshua, I wish I could say it was still under warranty, but I bought it used. I did take it to the dealership before the 60,000 warranty ran out and they replaced the brakes, the rotors and said they found nothing to provide an explanation of the sound, then I took it to a transmission place last year and left it all day, they too said they had no idea what that sound was, I have had this thing to over 15 mechanics and not one can tell me why after driving it about 7 miles it begins to make this noise and it is only after it gets heated up, but when I slow down to about 20 mph the sounds stops. if the car is cold it will not make the sound, it only begins after getting heated up. i have 176000 on it and it began making this sound at 54000 miles, It is so frustrating and annoying, I have replaced tires, 4 sets of brakes, had the bearings checked all the belts checked all of the pulley's, yet no one can find it, I do have a mechanic friend that I just met and I will ask him to check the Center Support Bearing and see if that is the problem, I would love to make this stupid sound go away and feel that when i go to the beach next year I am not going to worry that something is going to break on this thing. Thank you for replying.
You put 100,000 miles on it in less then two months? This is actually not an uncommon problem among SUVs-I hear other SUVs on the road with the same problem. My diagnoses comes from experience with my 2011 Endeavor. At about 50,000 miles a high pitched noise started when I passed 25 mph or so. After a few months researching and the problem reoccurring I determined it was the center support bearing. I took it to the dealership and they confirmed that was the problem. Put a new drive shaft assembly in and the problem was solved. That is an expensive part though and with as many miles as you have it might not be worth it.
TNGIRL2016 answered 8 years ago
Joshua, Sorry i bought my SUV with 54,000 Miles, it has 76000 now, I acidentally hit an extra 0. I bought if for 14,000 and still owe 11,000 on it as I have only had it 2 years, since you have owned one then this makes me feel better. I have already contacted my mechanic who actually fixed the same issue I had on my previous 1999 Toyota Tacoma 4x4. He is pretty reasonable, and I just hope I have not done more damage by driving it for so long with this sound. Considering all of the mechanics I had taken it to before and not 1 could find the issue. Pretty much tells me there are 15 mechanics that i will not be returning to that is for sure. But the one I called today, he did a great job on my truck and I don't know why I had not taken it to him in the first place, I guess since it was under warranty when I took it to the dealership and they said they found nothing wrong with it, I guess I just figured I must be nuts, but since the sound has gotten more high pitched, I don't want to wait until it ends up being much worse. I really do appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. It is amazing at how much i have tried to find out the problem, only to be made feel as if I am just crazy or it is the wind hitting something under and causing the problem. This also maybe my last Mitsubishi vehicle I ever buy. I just hate making a payment on something and finding out that the dealership I bought it from i am sure knew it had issues and yet they as well dismissed it when I brought it up 6 weeks after I had it. It has almost caused me to want to go trade for a new vehicle, since I still have almost 4 years on this one. Very frustrated..with knowing this could have been taken care of by the dealership and with it still under warranty, but yet they would not be honest about it. Thanks again!
If you are only at 76K the drive train is still covered under warranty (10 year 100K miles). If the center support bearing in the drive shaft is the problem the dealership should cover it under that warranty. Maybe that mechanic can look at it for you and give you a report to take to the dealership. Or what I did is just take it to the dealership and I told them that was the problem and they agreed to look at it, then fix it under warranty. I'm at 82K right now. I have had it since 30K. That was the only major issue I have had (at least it was under warranty). I have had a couple electrical issue which I fixed myself. We will see how reliable it is down the road. I have heard good things about the Endeavor reliability but that bearing going did leave a bad taste in my mouth. Overall though I have been happy with it, even after doing a good amount of moderate off-roading.
TNGIRL2016 answered 8 years ago
I contacted our local Mitsubishi dealership and was told since I am not the first owner of the vehicle then the 100,000 mile warranty does not cover it, since I bought it used, then my drive train was only covered up to 60,000 miles, which I think is a crock, but they will not budge on the warranty, I have already been back and forth with them and considering it is the only one in my area, I pretty much am just SOL. This was the reason I was trying to find out the problem, before it ran out of warranty for being used. I took it in to them with 57,000 on it and after about 4 trips, I still got no where, and of course I felt like they were just waiting to tell me sorry it is no longer under warranty, and that is exactly what I got, I have been told my many other Mitsubishi owners that it should still be covered, but they still tell me that once it is sold to another owner, the warranty does not transfer unless I took out an extended warranty on it, which I didn't. I love the ride of my SUV as it has not given me any other issues and does not act up at all driving it, it has great speed, and gas mileage, just that annoying sound. But I will soon find out what it is and hopefully it will not cost me half the cost of what I still owe for it. Thanks again.