Bearing Noise
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 58 other vehicles, including the 2003 Saturn Vue, 2003 Saturn L300, 2003 Saturn Ion 3, 2003 Saturn Ion 2, and 2003 Saturn Ion 1. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Faulty bearings produce a rough growl or grating sound, rather than the whine typical of gear noise. Bearing noise (hum) will pulsate at a constant vehicle speed. This indicates a bad pinion or a bad front axle side bearing. This noise can be confused with front wheel bearing noise. Inspect and replace the bearings and the affected components as required.