Silvia Club of NSW

Hey guys,

This is about my girlfriend's car.
The car makes this horrible noise after driving it for about 15-20 minutes. Best way I can describe the sound is you know that simpsons episode when they trick bart and lisa into thinking they have hover-bikes and Flanders makes that whooping noise? it sounds like that, but it gets so fucking loud it hurts your ears.
Car is a 1999 Holden astra 4 door hatchback.
I know nothing about cars so I can't even begin to think what the issue is.
Car had a major service about 2 months ago, but this sound only just started happening recently.
The noise doesn't happen always which makes it even hard to find what it is. Sounds like it comes from the rear of the car and will sometimes go away by simply changing lanes.

If anyone can help or point me in the right direction of where to look it would be muchly appreciated.

Thanks guys,

Sam

wheel bearing? brake pads might be worn down and its on the marker? brake caliper might be stuck and its warming up and getting hot while its rubbing on the rotor?

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M35 Stagea.info @ http://www.m35stagea.info/

I'd hope it's got nothing to do with the brakes (brakes are totally fucked on astras and are a well known issue) as the pads and rotors were all replaced as part of the major service less than two months ago
Should also mention that when the noise happens it doesn't seem to effect the way the car drives or stops or anything, it's just a fucking loud noise (i'm serious, it hurts your ears).

Astras seem to be a bit shite.
Can't help you with your current problem but if in the future you have a problem with the car not starting on the starter motor dieing in the arse then look at the key barrel.
Either the barrel brakes and the car won't start, or the barrel brakes and your starter motor runs all the time and dies.
Both seem to be pretty common problems on Astras as well.
When it happened to the one i sometimes drive i was like wtf this thing was only built in 2003....

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1996 180sx
1990 Silvia

*sigh* we've just had so many issues with this car even though it's been looked after. They're just not built for the australian environment.
Sometimes when you turn the ignition off and take the key out all the electrics keep running (like the radio etc). WTF?? (we found you have to put the key back in and turn it on and off again to fix this... but wtf??)

Sounds like the key barrel thing going bad.
I don'y know about harsh aussie environment, they have keys in europe to haha.
Poorly built perhaps.
I know of two Astras where the key barrel died and i only know two people with Astras....

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1996 180sx
1990 Silvia

well stuff like the brake discs needing to be replaced at the sametime you replace the pads each time is a problem with them being designed for european standards and not the dry, hot weather of Australia.
When I took it for the last service there was a new astra in there with less that 40,000 on the clock and it was getting all new rotors and pads already.

Anyway, anyone else have any other ideas about this noise? I'm not overly worried about it just yet, but if it changes to a crunching noise then I'll be worried

most euro cars have brake rotors made of some sort of cheese, which wears out as fast as the pads, but costs a ridiculous amount to replace!

I'd be leaning towards a wheel bearing or something up with the brakes for the noie (being that loud it's probably more likely to be the brakes).
Does it have drums at the back or discs all round?

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The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

discs on the front and back.

The rear discs don't seem to be worn down at all (they are only about 2 months old)

I think euro cars have a type of pad that is more agressive as well, ever notice the typical euro car has veeerry dusty front wheels hehe.

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1996 180sx
1990 Silvia

Dunno if it could be the greabox, but my stepdads Astra just spat all its gear teeth and died

Apparantly the gearboxes are yet another common Astra problem

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Co-Founder, President & Webmaster
mayhem@silviansw.com - www.silviansw.com
Why drive when you can drift?

Dont tell me that... we don't want to spend more big dollars on this car
Taking it to a mechanic on friday to get it checked out, but you know how it is, when a noise doesn't happen right away the mechanic's going to say there is no noise

It sux but thats the way it is, If you can't fault it at the time you can't spend all day on it

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Disclaimer: If you have'nt worked it out by now I CANT SPELL FOR SHIT.

my friends bluebird does the same thing. its bloody annoying
and he just changed his brakes too. seems like somethings loose and is rubbing.

after driving like that for 2 weeks, the noise went.
lol

hmmm
When the pads and rotors were replaced at the last service, the pads had been put on backwards and that was causing the noise...
Very glad they decided to machine the discs and replace the pads (properly this time) free of charge!