Cooper noises

[DavidLScott]

My dear lady came home yesterday complaining of a couple of noises from the car - 2003 Cooper @ a mere 29,000 miles.

At slow speed there is a grumbling noise that is more noticeable when turning - I am assuming a wheel bearing is on the way out.

The power steering seems quite noisy (whining more than I would expect) but the fluid level is Ok.

Any useful assistance or comments gratefully received.

Cheers
David

[DarkMatter]

Is the grumbling constant, or does it sound as though it happens one every rotation of the wheel? If the latter it could be the tyre. We recently had a noise on ours which was due to the 7 year old tyre, new tyres seem to have got rid of the noise, shame really as there was plenty of tread on the old ones.

[cknotty]

My JCW grumbles/groans on slow speed turns too. Never been able to work out where it's coming from, but always thought it could be tyre related. Always been the same in the 3 years I've had it and hasn't got any worse since!

[MX-5 Lazza]

The power steering can be a bit noisy on these cars. It's an electric powered hydraulic pump and I think it's the electric bit that makes all the noise. Mine is like that and has been since I bought it nearly 2 years ago. I don't think it's doing any damage and it doesn't seem to be getting any worse so I don't think it's a sign of impending doom.

When I get mine serviced (nearly 3k miles overdue ) I'll ask them about it.

[Zippee]

Mines the same - get the impression they all do it, always on very slow turning.

[DavidLScott]

Cheers guys.

The grumble has only just started (yesterday) and is continuous while rolling and gets much worse when on a tight run.
Tyres are relatively new due to perpetual punctures on RFT's.

Power steering whine also seems excessive form what I've heard before and is all the time rather than just on full lock like a lot of cars do.
Maybe more noticeable with the radio off, which is rare.

ETA: She's just got in from a 10 mile trip and said it was doing both things at first but seems to have settled down to normal now.
I'll check the tyre pressures and then we can use it for a shopping trip on Saturday morning and I can see what's happening better than just a run up and down our road.

Edited by DavidLScott on Thursday 22 August 14:41

[MX-5 Lazza]

Mine PS whines most of the time. Seems to go off when I turn right but it's usually there turning left or straight ahead. Oddly, it seems to come and go. It's quite loud at the moment but at other times it's almost silent.

[DavidLScott]

Maybe the poor car is having a 10 year (and two weeks) moment because we didn't give it a birthday party.
I had already had to lash out on a new back box in July.
Not bad for 10 years though.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Funnily enough, mine is 10 years old too (though I'm not sure when it's birthday is)

[DavidLScott]

Seems to have cured itself.
Had a 12 mile each way journey this morning and not a whimper, graunches, whine or anything.
Most odd as it was horrendous the other day.