High pitched noise from front wheels
 

This is on my 2006 FreeStar with the 4 speed transmission, but I think that it could happen to any front wheel drive vehicle.

My van started to make a high pitched sound from the front wheels. This sound doesn't change pitch with speed, and only is heard between about 30 and 55 MPH. When I first start out with a cold engine, the noise is not there. After driving a couple of miles the noise starts. If I touch the brakes lightly, the sound goes away, and also when you turn the steering to the right or left. It also changes with the pitch the road. The van has 180,000 miles on it and the brake pads looked good. The most worn was down to about 3/16" of lining left but I had a new set of premium pads, so I installed them. No help. I'd replaced both front hubs about a year ago, and the noise hadn't started yet. The left hub is a different brand than the right, but both are name brand units. Today I checked the axle to hub nuts, and they were both a bit loose, so I torqued them again. No help. Both front wheels make the noise and on a curvy road you can hear both sides coming and going. Any ideas about this?

That it a normal quirk of the Freestars. The noise is actually being caused by the front hub seal(s). The are semi-stiff to begin with due to the polymers used to help them resist the heat generated from the brakes. There is nothing wrong with the seals, it's just an irritation. Eventually it will go away for good. Been there...Done that for 13 years with our 2004 Freestar.

High Pictched noise
 

Thanks for the info. Something with the hubs is about the only thing left. The noise doesn't start sounding at first when you start driving, but it takes a mile or two. That's probably why it didn't start happening until it got hot out. How long did it take yours to quit making the noise?

Several thousand miles, but it would occasionally return here and there on either hub. It's just a harmonic that's created due to the stiffness of the grease seal. You can spray them with silicone, lithium grease or oil, but it only lasts a little while. The seal that is making the noise is the one facing the axle. Most of my driving was highway and rural, so I tended not to be in the 30-35MPH range. Makes for a good deer alert at night if going that speed...LOL...