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Alternator Noise In Cab While Idle


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Hello,

 

I have a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado that I purchased in June 2010. About 3 weeks ago I started to notice a low whining noise in the cab while when coming to a stop at lights and in traffic. The noise is louder now and sounds like a whistle or whine. It only happens while in Drive and in Idle and at low speed when coming to a stop.

 

I opened the hood and had a friend keep it in drive and it sounds like it could be coming from the alternator.

 

I took it to the dealer and the master mechanic said that it could possibly be coming from the alternator but he could not do anything about it. He made some excuse that I could test drive some of the newer vehicles and some of them would have the same sound. He said that the software from GM may be the problem, but he couldn't do anything.

 

My wife has a Tahoe, my brother inlaw has an avalanche, I have another friend with a Tahoe and he has a 2008 silverado. None of them make the noise.

 

The noise is very annoying. Does anyone have an idea if it is the alternator? The forums I have read, alternator noise usually increase as RPM's increase, but that is not the case with mine. And the truck is only 5 months old, so I don't think that the alternator is dyning...but I am open to anything.

 

Thanks! Mike

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I was reading one forum and they said that

 

"It is on the fire wall in the engine compartment. The rubber boot had a metal ring in it, and if the screw threads got stuck on the metal, it doesn't always seat right. He fixed it by loosening it up and moving it around aome and then evenly tightening it all around."

 

It that a possibility?

 

I will try to upload something on youtube

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I bet it is the power steering pump. So GM did not bother fixing the old problem. My truck has that whining noise once in a while at low speeds. GM recommended changing the power steering fluid to a fully synthetic type, but that worked only on some trucks, not on others.

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An easy way to tell exactly what it is making the noise is to take a long pry-bar or a long screwdriver, touch it to the alternator (or whatever you suspect is the problem making the whining noise) and then put your ear up to the handle of the tool and touch it to your ear. You'll know right away if that is what is making the noise or not. That's a little mechanic trick, and I actually used this to pinpoint the noise when my alternator was making funky noises. I had the same thing going on as you have described, could hear it in the cab at idle. I took my pry-bar and started testing everything out and when I touched it to the alt I knew right away that was it. Ended up replacing the alt because it drove me completely nuts. No more noise. Hope that helps ya!

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