Our 2010 Chrysler Town & Country first made a hooting noise from the back for a few months now, took it in twice (AAA and the Chrysler dealership), had tires replaced brakes checked, and both places test-drove the vehicle, heard the noise but said it was nothing. (AAA said the brakes needed fixing but Chrysler said they had no idea what AAA was talking about because the brakes were just replaced recently and there was nothing wrong with them. Chrysler changed the tires though).

It usually hoots/groans when you make a hard right or left turn. Not when you hit the brakes. A few days ago it started making a high-pitched tweeting noise in the back, at normal speeds without any turns. (We joked that the owls in the back had babies, which is why we hear the hoots AND the tweety-bird noises. LOL.)

And today, a loud, almost clunky whirring noise came from the back left wheel during normal driving, and the smell of burning rubber could be detected when we got back home. The strange whirring noise was extremely loud and would only cease upon braking.

Any idea what this could be? It's frustrating because none of the dealers knew what it was, but the sounds are getting louder and worse, plus the burning rubber smell today.

I was thinking it could be a bad wheel bearing but they just changed the tires last week at the Chrysler dealership.

 

I'm surprised they didn't check the bearings, but I have to agree with your thoughts... wheel bearings will change pitch and volume when turning simply because the weight of the vehicle is being shifted over it.

 

I am thinking "flimsy" component coming loose. thing something "buzzing" in the wind as you drive. think spats or loose body panel or weather stripping exposed to the air stream or edge of a light fixture or the wheel well covers on the inside or some other soft plastic cover underneath.

ie something that could "vibrate" when exposed to high speed air.

I had this NASTY high pitched noise from my door in my metro's at specific speeds.

turns out the door was "bent" slightly allowing AIR at certain speeds to "pass" the sliver of an opening it made and act as a "whistle" right in my ear.

"bent" the door a little the other way proper seal no more noise.

 

wheel bearings USUALLY don't make high pitch noises they usually make low pitch noises grinding noises.

they are usually easy to "determine" which side. right bearing will stop grinding when you turn left (its now under "Load") the reverse for the left bearing.

suspect right bearing? turn left does it stop? if yes you may have just confirmed right bearing.

USUALLY pretty easy to confirm. jack up that wheel. if its subtle remove the wheel if its OBVIOUS you might not need to remove the wheel.

spin the wheel a little. it should be pretty obvious by sound or touch right away.