Would it be an acoustic humming noise that you hear at a specific speed? Maybe from the exhaust system?

 

Might benefit others if you would give the trim line you have, dealer bought and when, and the mileage-any other conditions you notice the humming noise

How has this problem resolved itself

 

Specific speed, specific gear, specific road surface wet or dry, temperature related, while accelerating or decelerating, worse with windows up or down, A/C on or off, start up/warming up?? Could be a wheel bearing at specific speeds, engine related if gear dependent, a bad engine accessory like a water pump at a specific rpm range, a vacuum pump, or even a hum in the radio.

Wasting the dealer's time unless either he can duplicate or owner can provide with specifics relative to creating the hum. If it ain't humming when they test it as per the owner provided info - it's not humming.

Wasting the owner's time if they try to pursue a lemon law complaint. "Random" and "hum" with no specifics, will get you nothing and a waste of time in a lemon law claim. And after 8 visits nothing in dealer satisfaction either unless they are able to reproduce it or at least specifics relative to its"random" appearance. If the dealer was worried in the slightest about a lemon law complaint or lawsuit he would have had GM field rep present before the last repetitive visit for the same repair required by the State (brochures routinely included with new car owners manual package - most are 3+ strikes for failure to repair the same complaint) before owner being able to pursue a valid lemon law complaint for reimbursement by GM.

 

If you can record the humming noise that you hear sometimes they will be able to start on something to do. It can be difficult to record when you are alone but one of your passenger can record it on his phone while you drive.

 

Lemon law papers lol

 

It is a good thing to help buyers that you have but we dont have in Canada. It would have been very good for me in 1972 with one of my car that caused me so much headake and in the first week of ownership it went to the garage for almost a month for differential issues that the garage never fixed it properly. Each tine I was releasing the gas pedal in a down hill there was a very bad roaring sound from the differential. At the end I was stuck to live with it because the garage was refusing to do anymore work on this differential. I finally bought a used differential from a car that caught fire but only 12K on the odometer. I did the job myself on a brand new car can you imagine. It was perfect after.

 

I have a 2018 Traverse we just purchased about a month ago and has the same problem. It as a Premier with the 6 cylinder engine with only about 1,800 miles on it. We noticed it on a trip this past weekend on the highway. It did it when the truck downshifted from 9th gear to 8th gear at highway speeds around 65 to 75 mph. It did it only at certain times, as it didn't make the noise all the time in 8th gear. I also think I noticed it do it at lower speeds in lower gears, but not sure which gear at time. It is a humming noise.

I watched voltage and transmission temp, and no changes to them when the humming occurs. It did it in both 2WD and AWD.

I am confused, as it seems to be gear dependent, but not always. Maybe it is a clutch that is not engaging all the way? I have not called dealership yet on it, but will soon. I like the idea of recording it like someone mentioned in an above post, so will have to do that.

 

Kinda reminds me of my last Chevrolet, a 1971 Corvette bought new with many problems. The dealer's repair guys all had the same statement in response to the problem: "They all do that".

It did get worse as the two years of ownership went on: all the belts would come off at once, timing chain broke at gas station restart, oil filled up the radio, steering wheel would not stay upright ($2 part, but the dealer could not get the other two dozen parts back together and replaced the whole column, could not be driven at all in the rain (rear end slip and slide even after many alignments and tire changes), one rear axle broke setting the brake / hub on fire...

Sold it once the repair costs equaled the initial purchase price.

The new Traverse should be in a whole different class now that robots build the cars with some precision.

 

You're lucky it was only money. In the mid 70's one of my co-workers had the rear axle on his Vette break doing 35 mph and totaled it smashing into a pillar and catching fire on the Williamsburg Bridge - out of work for almost a year, plate in his head and took dozens of plastic surgery operations to make him look half way decent but still badly scarred. If I remember there was a known problem with many of that era Vette axles, maybe even a recall and he sued and recovered damages from GM.

 

It would be appreciated if someone records the whine to post it here so others may hear.

 

In my case, that little 1 inch diameter short shaft was not able to handle the big 454. Dealer said it was a common failure.

I've owned over 30 cars, but two dozen have been Japanese manufactured and no weird intermittent electrical problems like the Pontiacs and Buicks and Chevys and Audi had.

 

Are you sure the humming isn’t just noise from your tires? I have noticed the tires on my brand new 18 Premier are pretty loud.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

My guess is that it is exhaust resonance under certain load conditions.......not too hard to imagine with dual exhaust manifolds from each bank of a V engine combining through a "Y" pipe connected to the engine with a flex fitting, feeding into a single muffler then expanding through another "Y" pipe to two exhaust resonators/finishers.

 

I have the exact same problem with my 3LT 2018 Traverse. It happens while my vehicle shits gears and I'm needing more power to get up hills.. I talked to the service tech at my local dealer and he told me that it could be the transmission learning how I drive as I've only got 659 miles.... But the only time it happens is when I'm going uphill and after the vehicle downshifts so I'm thinking it has something to do with either my transmission or the drivetrain... Gonna have to duplicate the sound for the tech... It's definitely not a normal thing!!!

 

Can't judge final engine or tranny performance at under 1K, especially when operating under load going uphill. An engine not yet broken in will tend to lug when under load and the noise could be normal exhaust resonance. Engines being "broken-in" by turning for a few minutes on the assembly line is a lot of nonsense. Parts are not seated and worn in properly until all accessories are installed subjected to load, and cylinders are operated under combustion pressures to seat the rings.


After a few thousand miles the engine and vehicle will be peppier as parts mate in friction is reduced and rings seat properly in the lands and mate properly woith the cylinder walls.

 

Same Loud Hum

I have been experiencing the same loud hum that a couple others described. It only does it while on longer trips (more than 30 minutes) and while at speed and under load. I have narrowed it down that it happens when it is in 8th gear at 2200 RPM. I encounter this while on the freeway at around 75mph when I go up hill or have a heavy load like going camping.

I can make it stop by either going faster (makes shift down to 7th, higher RPM) or slower (drops RPM) and when it comes on similar to a resonator in that it starts off faint and gets VERY loud. I've tried to record it and will have to see if the video picks it up. I have checked tire pressures, transmission temp during these encounters and don't notice anything out of normal.

I have yet to take it in for service as I can't be without my vehicle for a long period of time and this feels like one of those things that they may spend a long time trying to figure out.

 

Doubt there is anything to figure out. It hums under load? So, what! That's what gasoline engines will do when equipped with a restrictive exhaust system and the rpm is to low for the gear that it is in. That's why the exhaust resonance changes when it shifts to a lower gear, rpms increase and engine loading decreases. The situation is aggravated by a complicated exhaust system done on the cheap by Chevy. This is not a real dual exhaust system it only looks like one from the rear. Instead of dual pipes, the two exhaust manifolds with cat convertors and "Y" bend feed into a single engine pipe leading to another asymmetrical "T" connection splitting into two muffler/resonators. When the exhaust back pressure starts choking the valves because the rpm is too low for the load - something's gonna hum. Likely the resonance will sound even louder in the rain on a reflective wet road surface.


This noise is certainly no stranger to anyone who has lugged a manual tranny in a gear too high for the engine rpm and the load. Don't want the noise? - Shift manually, holding the lower gears longer to get higher rpms from the engine. That hum is a warning to downshift.....prolonged lugging of the engine under load can fry the valves.



Be interesting to see what the dealer says.....my guess he will either take it in check the pipes maybe even tighten clamps, spin around the block a few times and essentially do nothing, or worse just say it's normal for this cheap exhaust system and laugh when you leave.

 

Doubt there is anything to figure out. It hums under load? So, what! That's what gasoline engines will do when equipped with a restrictive exhaust system and the rpm is to low for the gear that it is in. That's why the exhaust resonance changes when it shifts to a lower gear, rpms increase and engine loading decreases. The situation is aggravated by a complicated exhaust system done on the cheap by Chevy. This is not a real dual exhaust system it only looks like one from the rear. Instead of dual pipes, the two exhaust manifolds with cat convertors and "Y" bend feed into a single engine pipe leading to another asymmetrical "T" connection splitting into two muffler/resonators. When the exhaust back pressure starts choking the valves because the rpm is too low for the load - something's gonna hum. Likely the resonance will sound even louder in the rain on a reflective wet road surface. This noise is certainly no stranger to anyone who has lugged a manual tranny in a gear too high for the engine rpm and the load. Don't want the noise? - Shift manually, holding the lower gears longer to get higher rpms from the engine. That hum is a warning to downshift.....prolonged lugging of the engine under load can fry the valves. Be interesting to see what the dealer says.....my guess he will either take it in check the pipes maybe even tighten clamps, spin around the block a few times and essentially do nothing, or worse just say it's normal for this cheap exhaust system and laugh when you leave.

We’ve recorded it and taken the video in. They’ve put new tires on. Changed exaxhast, tighten clamps on exhaust. And no fix. Of couarde nothing that is covered under warranty. Help! It’s annoying!

 

Cheap exhaust system but not cheap when it will be time to replace the 2 resonators/ mufflers in the futurs years.

 

Correct - Cheap and expensive are not mutually exclusive terms when it comes to car parts.

 

I've noticed same noise. Believe its coming from exhaust and only when under load as some have said.
People in back seat are the ones to always point it out and notice it, always asking about it. They in back noticing it more so assuming closer to source,.. exhaust.

Reminds me of riding dirt bikes when gunning it at times, so have not been too overly concerned, and doesn't happen all that often for me.

Depending on how many people bringing it back to get looked at, i could see GM taking a look on future iterations of the redesign and adding a little more dampening or adjusting the exhaust hangers to reduce this effect.

 

I am having the same issue with our 2018 Traverse Premier. It does sound like an exhaust issue at 2200RPM when the vehicle is under load. It gets loader than my 8 cylinder truck at that point and quiets back down as it down shifts or moves out of the 2200-2300 RPM range. Only happens after a good 30-45 minutes of driving. Good news is the Dealer was able to reproduce it but they haven't proposed a solution yet. Sounds like it is a poorly designed exhaust system. I am not optimistic if this many people are seeing exactly this issue.

 

Have you gotten a response on how to fix your issue?

 

I'm pretty sure it's the exhaust. I've noticed a lot of people saying the same thing that mine does around 2200 RPMs. It's a droning sound that gets louder in one specific range then dies down. My other vehicle is a Jeep, so to me a small amount of noise on very rare occasions doesn't really bother me that much and if I were in the Traverse by myself the radio would be too loud to hear it anyway.

 

You can get exhaust resonance out of any gasoline engine given the right rpm and load. Usually accentuated by reflectivity road conditions, i.e a wet pavement. I don't notice it unless specifically listening for it, maybe the Bose system has more efficient noise cancelling capabilities.



Funny, not a single complaint about the superior handling of the new steering and suspension, jack rabbit response of the 310 hp V6.......but complaints of a creaking trim or exhaust noises become paramount. Want to get rid of the exhaust noise, drop in a 285 hp V6 and 6 speed from a gen 1 which won't meet '18 CAFE standards and sure as heck won't get the pep or the 30 mpg highway mileage of the '18+.


Emissions require a damper to restrict the exhaust. To get maximum mileage the overdrive 8th and 9th keep the rpm below 2000 at 65 mph cruising speeds.......don't get something for nothing so the resonance will come at around 2200 rpm.......bother you?...... a quick foot off the accelerator instead of "dead footing"on the 9 speed will automatically drop 1 gear and boost to a higher rpm and then lock in lower range by shifting to "L" on the fly to get past the 2200.......or just slip some digital media into the USB port.





But, enough of these minor complaints, I discovered a serious condition with mine that warrants a complaint and possible a recall.....the lighted chevy chevron that projects on the ground to show where to kick for a hands free hatch opening is rotated about 15 degrees clockwise and I have to tilt my head to compensate!!!!!! I want a buy back!

 

Anybody get a resolution on this? IMHO it is Definitely load related and at 2000 RPMs but feels more like a drivetrain issue than an exhaust but I’m not really a car guy. Seems to be worse at 700-850lbs if passengers. Loud enough and at a frequency that makes my ears hurt, so more than just annoying

 

I'd rule out the towing as it happened with just my wife and toddler in the car and less than 50 pounds of luggage. The other time it happened, my mother in law was in the back so I was glad it drowned her out.


I did find a possible solution for it. I was pretty close to the speed and RPMs I was able to replicate the issue at. I say pretty close because I was about to hit the "sweet spot" and a typical left lane a-hole pulls in front and cruises along at 1 mph over the speed limit, killing my buzz. At any rate, I still thought I might hear the sound but didn't. Now, the day before I hit an armadillo and heard a loud metallic thunking sound underneath. He may have slightly dented something. So, a POSSIBLE solution is to find and run over an armadillo. Note: the armadillo scampered on his way after I hit him.

 

I wish someone would be able to record this resonance noise and give us an idea what it sound like?

 

Don't need an '18 to record it; they'll all do it. Every gasoline engine with rotating parts has a particular speed(s) which sets up a harmonic resonance. If you don't notice it on your particular vehicle, means you're driving properly by not lugging the engine at the harmonic point. Simply place a passenger or luggage load, drive it uphill with a deadfoot to place under load, lug it by keeping it at the point before the downshift shift and when the rpms drop to the harmonic point it will resonate with a howl.



Fours are particularly bad with a lower rpm harmonic so many manufacturers use multiple methods, i.e.counter rotating crankshafts to compensate....even had one with a lead counterweight hung off the tail stock of the tranny to dampen the harmonic.

 

I purchased a 2018 traverse high country in July. I’ve taken a number of trips 2+hours long and only started noticing a problem in October. Ithe humming noise only occurs when my husband and I are in the front 2 seats and the car is right about at 2000rpms. I’m not sure what gear but it is definitely a transmission issue because the sound disappears if the car transitions up or down to a different gear. This will occur at low or high speeds. I recorded it with my phone a few times to reproduce and finally got it to take. Have a service call in to see what they will do.. very distracting and headache causing...
I’ve got the recording but not sure how to upload it here... we’ve got 6000 miles and bought brand new.

 

Actually proves it is an engine/engine accessory issue not a transmission issue..........tach records the rpm of the engine crankshaft which is directly proportional to all accessories driven off the crankshaft; its attached induction and exhaust systems; and the torque convertor including mounting points where attached to the unit body. Transmission transmission gears/drums/shafts change speeds with gear changes.....so if resonance is always at a the same rpm, proves it is engine, not transmission or driveshaft(s) related.



For my .02 it is most likely related to the backflow damper in the exhaust system (similar complaints on other late brands/models) which is active once engine reaches operating time/temperature and emission systems transition to open loop operation.............if so, part of the emission system and CAFE standard related so even if it is the cause of the noise - my guess the dealer will claim it is normal or say he can't screw with the emissions equipment design and do nothing.

 

Same issue. Headed back to dealership for third time. Please post if you fiend the fix.