I have a 2 month old 2013 Outback with less than 2000 miles that just started making a high pitched humming noise driving above 60 mph. I pinpointed the noise to just below the floor back seat "hump" that lies down the midline of the car. The noise sounds like metal on metal and it is a high pitch harmonic sound with really no rhythm (more random). It happens at acceleration above 60 mph and is most annoying between 75 and 80mph, coasting or accelerating. It occurs regardless of time or temperature (happened an entire 2 hour car ride). If I put my hand on the floor I can actually feel the vibration of the noise at the center of the car just behind the center console.
I took the car to the dealership and after looking at it, they said it was a bent heat shield near the drive shaft and it was tapping against something. They bent it back into place, test drove it and said the noise was gone. Wrong. It was back with no change as I drove home not even 10 minutes later. The problem with this noise is that it is more pronounced depending on the highway that I am on. So it's louder on newer paved surfaces. Regardless, it is there on any highway. Could it be the exhaust, like something tapping it? It most definitely sounds like wind through a bottle, but I can feel a vibration so it might be a flap of something hitting metal like the dealer diagnosed. I've searched high and low for an answer on line...I'm wondering if anyone else has an idea. Thank you!
I took the car to the dealership and after looking at it, they said it was a bent heat shield near the drive shaft and it was tapping against something. They bent it back into place, test drove it and said the noise was gone. Wrong. It was back with no change as I drove home not even 10 minutes later. The problem with this noise is that it is more pronounced depending on the highway that I am on. So it's louder on newer paved surfaces. Regardless, it is there on any highway. Could it be the exhaust, like something tapping it? It most definitely sounds like wind through a bottle, but I can feel a vibration so it might be a flap of something hitting metal like the dealer diagnosed. I've searched high and low for an answer on line...I'm wondering if anyone else has an idea. Thank you!