I know this isn't exactly a Subaru specific question, but my dad is 3000 miles away and can't help me here. :-\

 

There's a funny sound coming from my car, and I believe it may have to do with my tires. Here's the thing - I can only hear it is if my windows are open and I'm driving near something that'll bounce the sound back to me (e.g., jersey barrier, wall, parking garage, etc.) It's quiet enough that I don't think I can record it to play back to y'all.

 

It also may rule out the possibility that the rear brakes aren't adjusted correctly, because that just happened to me a few months ago and I could definitely hear that *inside* the car. :-p Plus, this has been going on for at least a year or two - I just haven't remembered to ask anyone about it as it's apparently not life threatening... just annoying me as my car is enough of a jalopy that the last thing I need is more noise to attract attention to it.

 

The best way I can describe it is a shush-shush-shush sound that increases in frequency with speed. It's definitely coming from the wheels, and happens everywhere - curve, straightaway, braking, not braking, etc. No whumping, no vibrations, just the shush-shush-shush sound.

 

I keep my tires properly inflated, and the last time they were changed was probably in 2005... so probably around 30k ago. Tread is good, and there are no dead animals sticking to them.

 

Any ideas?

Rotate your tires and see if it moves. If it does you found your answer. Also physically inspect the tires at that time.

 

It also may be a rotor slightly warped.

 

 

nipper

would like a "humming sound" be the noise....hum hum hum hum hum hum.....if you have no smells,no vibrations, no visable damage than im going to say yes chances are that it is your tires....

If the car has wheel covers on steel rims try removing them and driving around. I had a shush-shush type noise that drove me crazy until I tried that. Near as I can figure the plastic cover was rubbing ever so slightly on the side wall of the tire or at a balance weight or on a valve stem. Putting them back on and making sure the stem was centered in the detent opening for the valves stopped my noise.

Asking about wheel covers was my first thought! My plastic wheel covers are driving me insane now that it's warm and I'm driving with my windows open. I've tried each cover on each wheel to no avail.

 

If you do in fact have plastic covers, try switching them around and also check to make sure they're centered over the valve stem.

 

Brian M.