I have a 2003 (revised) Nissan Almera N16 1.5S. I’m hearing some strange noises from from the front end of the car after it has been driven constantly for a while. There are a mixture of high pitched squeals and low pitched "groans". When setting off from a stationary position, I hear the low-pitched groaning as if something is rubbing. This groan soon turns to a whirring noise as the car speeds up. At higher speeds, I hear more of a squeal whilst the wheels are turning. I hear none of these sounds when applying the brakes. I let the car roll off gently to confirm that it is a rotational issue. Indeed I find that as the wheels turn, the groan goes from quiet to audible. This only occurs when I drive in a straight line. When I steer e.g. to change lanes on the motorway, again the noises disappear momentarily.

This leads me to believe the following potential culprits: Warped brake discs, or possibly early signs of failing bearings (although this would get louder as the car goes faster). The discs were replaced 45,000 miles ago, along with new pads. No harsh braking was done during this time. Brake fluid was changed 6000 miles (three months) ago. The car was in the garage a few weeks ago for an oil change and the pads looked like they had a lot of life in them. However, the mechanic did point out some markings on the disc to suggest they will need changing at some point soon.

I intend to have the discs and pads changed fairly soon. However, I'm not convinced that this will remedy the situation. I'm looking for any opinions as to what the problem could potentially be, so I can get the mechanic to take a good look at all possibilities.