Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

My '89 Jetta has developed a growling noise. Driving down the road at anywhere between 40 and 70 it growls like I'm running big nobby tires. If on the highway and I change from the right lane to the left lane I turn the steering wheel a bit to the left and the growling goes away momentarily, until I straighten out. Does this only when fading to the left, not to the right. What's causing this?

Likely a front wheel bearing is going bad. Typically the bearing that gets unloaded when you shift weight by turning the wheel is the bearing that is bad, but that's not always true.

Do some figure 8's in a parking lot or field with the windows down to see if you can hear which one it is. I usually take the brake calliper off to check for play.

Yeah, sounds like a front bearing.
You can lift the wheels off the ground and see which wheel wiggles.

Turned out it was both rear wheel bearings. Left one was the worst and right one starting to make growling noise. Replaced both.