Whistle Sound

[jhovabta]

I have a weird noise coming from my 04 Explorer. It just started about a week or two ago. It seems to be getting more common. I just put a bug deflector on my hood. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. It sounds like a high pitched whistle. At first when I noticed it, I would describe it as very very faint sleigh bells or jingle bells. Like a light metal on metal sound. Now I would say it is a whistle at all speeds in warm weather. I have read other posts in here and noticed that the wind might have something to do with it. I don't know how it would just all of a sudden start though. I haven't noticed anything from the past 2 years. At first I thought it was coming from front passenger side under the wheel well. Now it just seems like its in the front middle. Just replace front right and rear left wheel bearing. This noise is all I can hear now. It comes and goes. For maybe a second or less at a time.

Please help with your suggestions.

Thank you

 

[abarkl]

I have 88K on my '03 and have similar noise. It is a design feature of the air intake vortex. I usually only hear it when the temperatures here in Phoenix are above 100F.

 

[jhovabta]

Is there any way to fix it. I am not very mechanical so I am not sure what the intake vortex is. Is it something that needs to be fixed, will it make any problems for the truck? Also, did yours always do this or did it just happen out of nowhere?

 

[abarkl]

You can file down some of the fins in the air intake and minimize or eliminate the noise. I haven't bothered, and I've gotten used to the noise in the Summer months. There are threads in this forum from a few years ago where you can find instructions and pictures.

 

[jhovabta]

I live in MN so I am not sure if the heat has anything to do with it???