Owl-like noise coming from car?

[vegnwerewolf]

Hi all, I am new to this forum and also new to owning a Chevy Sonic.

I have a 2013 LS Sedan which I just got about three weeks ago, brand new.

Everything has been fine and it's our main driving vehicle now. Last night we were driving in stop and go traffic, maybe 30 mph tops, when I started to hear an odd noise. Simply put, it sounded like an owl or maybe like a pigeon, it was a very faint and constant "who who who" sound.

At first we thought it was just some birds because there were a bunch of trees, but when we stopped at a store it continued and then it followed us around the rest of the evening as we drove. We could hear it at low speeds and idle, but not sure if it was still there at high speeds as it was so faint it may have just been drowned out by road noise.

I called Onstar and had them run a diagnostic, but nothing returned. She said to check the wheel bearings but it was happening when we were parked so I don't think it's that.

Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[ahtoxa]

Open hood. Check for birds.

One a serious note, can you make a vid of the sound and post it? Hard to say anything otherwise.

 

[vegnwerewolf]

My boyfriend has the car at work right now. I can try to make a video when he gets home.

If this makes any difference, he just installed a 12" subwoofer last week, but the radio was muted at the time.

 

[vegnwerewolf]

Update...

We believe it is coming from toward the back of the car. My boyfriend was on the phone with me and he said he opened the back door and put his ear near the back seat and the sound was much louder. He thinks it's something in the muffler system.

Maybe there's a crack or hole in the muffler somewhere?

 

[Larrymer]

Take it to the dealer? Let them find and fix it.

 

[vegnwerewolf]

Take it to the dealer? Let them find and fix it.

It is at the dealer right now. It was worse last night but seemed better this morning, so I don't know. You can hear it louder when you lean over the back seat, so it's probably towards the back somewhere. Waiting on them to call me, ugh!

 

[vegnwerewolf]

Update #2....

Turns out it's the fuel pump? I guess that would make sense, since we could hear it louder in the back seat. They ordered the part and should have it replaced by tomorrow.

 

[Luv2xlr8]

Wow, new car with a defected fuel pump already?

 

[vegnwerewolf]

That's what we said, too. I mean...I picked the Sonic because, other than the overall looks and performance, it didn't seem like a car likely to have a ton of issues.

Hopefully this will be the last problem for a while.

Also, am I overreacting here? I dropped my car off Wednesday morning at 8:30 am even though my appointment was for 10:00. But the woman on the phone told me to drop off earlier if I wanted. I sat there until 1. They shuttled me home.

Then I had to call them at 4:00 and she told me it's the fuel pump and they had to order the part and it would be there tomorrow (Thursday). Ok...

Thursday comes around, and at 1:00 I called them again. She told me the part was shipped to Lake Charles, LA for some reason?? I started griping at her about my car being held there. And then I griped about the appointment times. Their appointment system makes no sense to me. It's like they schedule everyone around 10:00 all at once, and then complain about the rush (that was her argument to be, they got busy). I told her they make no sense if they aren't adhered too. Oil changes should not go ahead of me if I have an appointment. Maybe that's just my opinion.

Anyway, she called me today at 2:00 and told me the part wouldn't be in until tomorrow or Monday. Gah! But they gave me my car back because it is "driveable" in her words. But the sound is just as bad as before, if not worse. I hope the pump doesn't go out before the new one comes in. She assured me that it won't take that long to put in. I certainly hope not. These people are so slow and seem uncaring about other people's situations.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Update #2....

Turns out it's the fuel pump? I guess that would make sense, since we could hear it louder in the back seat. They ordered the part and should have it replaced by tomorrow.

Hey vegnwerewolf,

Glad to hear the dealer was able to diagnose your concern and get the parts ordered. Let us know how the installation went. We are here if there is anything else we can assist with.

Jonathan A. (Assisting Erica)
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[qwed94]

Im very glad you found out that it was a fuel pump BEFORE it stopped working completely. Dont be too dissapointed about a bad part. The pump itself was assembled on high speed equipment, and ALL machines fail at times. I hope there is not going to be a mass recall for bad fuel pumps now.

I believe the Sonic is still a good car, and likely you wont have any more problems.

I had an AVEO before the Sonic. I changed the timing belt at the 70,000 mile mark. As the Chevy dealer recommended, I had them replace the water pump too. That brand new (GM - OEM water pump) locked up after 14,000 miles. (Only reason I brought that up is to show that even brand new parts fail prematurely).

 

[vegnwerewolf]

Hey vegnwerewolf,

Glad to hear the dealer was able to diagnose your concern and get the parts ordered. Let us know how the installation went. We are here if there is anything else we can assist with.

Jonathan A. (Assisting Erica)
Chevrolet Customer Care

Still not installed. I am going to call soon to see if the part is in or will even be there today. I'm not happy.. I have waited since Wednesday. They promised me twice it would be done by the next day and things have yet to be done. If they can't get me in today it won't be Thursday or Friday before they can install it, because I have to drive to Houston tomorrow and then drive somewhere else on Christmas Day (doubt they would even be open anyway).

It's like they do everything in slow motion and expect you to just be fine with it.

 

[vegnwerewolf]

Im very glad you found out that it was a fuel pump BEFORE it stopped working completely. Dont be too dissapointed about a bad part. The pump itself was assembled on high speed equipment, and ALL machines fail at times. I hope there is not going to be a mass recall for bad fuel pumps now.

I believe the Sonic is still a good car, and likely you wont have any more problems.

I had an AVEO before the Sonic. I changed the timing belt at the 70,000 mile mark. As the Chevy dealer recommended, I had them replace the water pump too. That brand new (GM - OEM water pump) locked up after 14,000 miles. (Only reason I brought that up is to show that even brand new parts fail prematurely).

Thanks, and I know things fail even when new. I'm more disappointed in their customer service, or lack thereof. They don't really seem to know what they're doing. I know I have no experience working at a car dealership but I have worked customer service jobs and I have treated customers I hate better than they've treated me.

I just tried to call and the guy who answered had no clue who I was. He asked me who had been helping me and I told him her name. Then I was put on hold for five minutes.

They continually act like oil changes have priority over my car and keep pushing me back.

 

[jspeer1130]

Thanks, and I know things fail even when new. I'm more disappointed in their customer service, or lack thereof. They don't really seem to know what they're doing. I know I have no experience working at a car dealership but I have worked customer service jobs and I have treated customers I hate better than they've treated me.

I just tried to call and the guy who answered had no clue who I was. He asked me who had been helping me and I told him her name. Then I was put on hold for five minutes.

They continually act like oil changes have priority over my car and keep pushing me back.

Glad they are working to fix it for you, sorry you're having issues with the service or lack of service team. If you can you might look into taking it to another dealership for basic service when it is due as sort of a trial run and if they do a better job then maybe you can take it back to them when more serious work is needed.

 

[Scot]

Update #2....

Turns out it's the fuel pump?

I guess that would make sense, since we could hear it louder in the back seat.

They ordered the part and should have it replaced by tomorrow.

Thursday comes around, and at 1:00 I called them again. She told me the part was shipped to Lake Charles, LA for some reason?? I started griping at her about my car being held there. And then I griped about the appointment times. Their appointment system makes no sense to me. It's like they schedule everyone around 10:00 all at once, and then complain about the rush (that was her argument to be, they got busy). I told her they make no sense if they aren't adhered too. Oil changes should not go ahead of me if I have an appointment. Maybe that's just my opinion.

Anyway, she called me today at 2:00 and told me the part wouldn't be in until tomorrow or Monday. Gah! But they gave me my car back because it is "driveable" in her words. But the sound is just as bad as before, if not worse. I hope the pump doesn't go out before the new one comes in. She assured me that it won't take that long to put in. I certainly hope not. These people are so slow and seem uncaring about other people's situations.

In all seriousness, into every life (or car) a little rain must fall. Even little economy cars such as ours have so many individual parts that it becomes very improbable that you'll get a car with zero problems. I thought I had one of those zero-defect cars, and had a wheel speed sensor fail last week around 7500 miles. This is the first fuel pump problem I've read about, and it just sounds noisy - it shouldn't fail before your new one comes in. Once you get it fixed, it shouldn't give you any more trouble.

Hopefully, you'll get to the end of this post and be like:

Happy Holidays!

 

[Preloader]

OP, did they let you keep the faulty pump?

If so, can I buy it from you?

 

[Scot]

OP, did they let you keep the faulty pump?

If so, can I buy it from you?

Warranty part - it'll be kept and should get sent back to the supplier, since they'll pay for the replacement pump.

 

[Preloader]

Kinda figured.... Worth a shot.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Still not installed. I am going to call soon to see if the part is in or will even be there today. I'm not happy.. I have waited since Wednesday. They promised me twice it would be done by the next day and things have yet to be done. If they can't get me in today it won't be Thursday or Friday before they can install it, because I have to drive to Houston tomorrow and then drive somewhere else on Christmas Day (doubt they would even be open anyway).

It's like they do everything in slow motion and expect you to just be fine with it.

vegnwerewolf,

Please be sure to let us know if you need assistance. We can certainly reach out to your dealership on your behalf. You can let us know via private message.

Erica Tiffany
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[vegnwerewolf]

OP, did they let you keep the faulty pump?

If so, can I buy it from you?

They still haven't put the part on yet. But like someone else said, they'll probably just keep it.