[LKemper]

Today, I went to look at a 2001 Subaru Forester S with 83000 miles on it at a volkswagen dealer. The car was in pretty good shape, very clean, brakes worked well and it ran well. The only problem was an odd space ship type "wirr" sound coming from the front of the car. It was like the sound the spaceships from the cartoon "The Jetsons." It would get louder and faster the faster I went and slow down again when I reduced speed. I don't remember if it made the sound when I was idling though. When we asked the sales associate he said it was the AWD and that all AWD vehicles do that. I didn't believe him and went down the street and asked a associate at a subaru dealer who informed me that it shouldn't make a sound like that. Also, I have driven a few other foresters and they do not make that sound. So anyway, the VW dealer is supposed to send it back into the shop tomorrow even though it came through with a clean bill before. I was just wondering if anyone had ever experienced this sound before and if it's something minor, like a belt slipping, or something major.

Thanks

 

[ther1guy]

perhaps power steering

 

[Nick D]

My step mom's 2004 outback makes that sound.

 

[LKemper]

is it bad?

 

[ther1guy]

if its power steering pump, pick one up from the salvage probably under a 100 bucks plus another 100 for the install. perhaps someone else can give a second opinion.

 

[funkymonkey1002]

It could be anything from a failing front diff (very bad) to something more minor like powersteering.

 

[Nick D]

is it bad?

Been doing it for 5 years

 

[trailangel]

There is no sound in space.

 

[scubadoober]

There is no sound in space.

HAHAHAHAHA! True.

 

[Nick D]

That noisy spaceship must be an oxymoron.