Deceleration noise at freeway speeds

2009 4 banger 4x4 reg cab, manual with 1,200 miles.

I'm not ready to take it to the dealer because they will just blow smoke up my --- and say give it time, it's new and breaking in or they will say they don't hear it blah blah.

I searched and the similar things I found were the exact opposite of what I'm noticing. There were others describing similar noise but they only have it on acceleration.

When I drive at freeway speeds in 5th and to a slightly lessor extent 4th gear, there is a noise coming from either clutch, trans, driveshaft or rear end. Sounds like rear end to me or right under where the cab meets the bed. It never makes this noise in 1st-3rd at any speed, only 4th and 5th.

When cruisng on the freeway, there is no noise at all. But if I take my foot of the gas or push the clutch in and coast, it makes a driveline noise that sounds kind of like a strong crosswind blowing, with a hint of mechanical sound (metal to metal).

No it it not a wind noise, that's just kind of what it sounds like.

It's not really loud but can definatly hear it no problem. The faster I go then take my foot off, the more pronounced it is. It's also more pronounced going down a grade on the freeway and taking my foot off. At first I thought it only did it under engine braking but also does it if I press the clutch in and coast. Sounds kind of subtle but also seems like a noise that could just as well cause something really bad, like a huge clunk, thud, grind etc then locking something up. It makes this noise probablly 90% of the time. Other times on the freeway (rarely) it doesn't do it at all.

For now I'm just going to drive it till it gets bad enough for the dealer to have no choice but to acknowledge it. Dealer moto's seem to be if it ain't literally broke, they won't fix it or even look at it, though they say they will have looked at it.

I was thinking possibly bad rear end gears or sloppy U joint someplace.

My 350Z makes a crappy noise in nuetral with the clutch out but it's totally normal for that car.

Other than that noise only other problems I have come across is the radio shutting itself off sometimes or shutting off or on if you tap the dash hard enough. Aftermarket radio will fix that.

 

Your sound is alot like the one I had... I just told someone else the same thing the other day... check your shielding around your gas tank... mine bent back on one occasion and it rubs against the driveshaft. Just double check, if you see a bare mark 'ring' around your driveshaft, you'll know.

 

I'm still playing around with differnt things, to see exactlly what's triggering it.

Next time it makes this noise in 5th or 4th, I'm gonna try going 65 is 3rd gear push the clutch in and coast and see if it makes the noise like it does in 4th and 5th.

In 4th and 5th, the noise seems to dissapear when the truck coasts/slows down on it's own at around 50 MPH, from a higher speed 55-60+

I think maybe one or more of the stick on driveshaft weights may have come off or maybe it wasn't balanced right from the get go. The higher the speed the more noticbale/louder it is. 50MPH and less, seems to go away. Still have never heard it in any other gears.

If it truns out to be purely speed related, I'm think something is outta balance, like the driveshaft as opposed to the transmission or gears.

 

I think i have the same problem as you. It happens for me when i let off the gas between 70-75. I'm around 4500 miles now and the noise definitely used to be louder. Now its just sort of a grumble that i can only hear if i have the slider open. I haven't felt like going to the dealer yet to have them tell me they couldn't reproduce it, so let me know if you have any luck figuring out what the noise is.

 

Rear diff growl? This was a problem last year I think...

 

So your noise has gotten quiter? At what milage did you notice it? I noticed mine with only a couple hundred miles or so. I don't know if it's geting louder or I just notice more, now that I'm listening for the noise.

Maybe it will be one of those things that fixes itself LOL.

 

mine did this last year for about 2 months off and on, but it hasnt made this noise since. the noise was noticable at speed sfrom 40-75. probably had 20k on the truck at the time. maybe it fixed itself right?

 

Mine still does it at 47,000miles. Dealer "never heard it" so I live with it.

 

I had the same problem. At first I had no idea what it was and it took me awhile to figure out it was deceleration. Mine got progressively worse and the last time I drove my truck it was pretty freakin' loud.

I just changed my rear end for a re-gear. If that fixed it, I'll let you know.

 

My 09's rear end was replaced under a TSB for exact same noise at same speed. I have reg cab 4cyl 5 speed manual, 2WD............Good luck w/ the dealer.

Motoretro

 

Does anybody know where I can get a copy of the TSB online??

 

I've driven two used std cab 2.7s (2007 models) and they both did it at 75 mph during decceleration. The one I purchased which is used does it too.

If there is a remedy for this issue please post or a TSB.

Have any of you greased your U-joints? This was a maintenance requirement on my 2000 every 15K. I haven't had an opportunity to
grease my new one yet but will this weekend and post results.

 

It's definitely not the rear end. It's making the noise as bad as ever now.

I'm going to try the U-Joints. I hope it's that and not the tranny.

 

Are your sure it's not the tires, my Dunlops change noise constantly depending on the pavement surfaces. On another note, my truck is a manual and it does it and I test drove a auto 2 weeks ago and it does it too. Both trucks had Dunlops for whatever that's worth....

Motoretro

 

No way in hell it's the tires. It really only makes the noise when there is slack in the drive line. If I'm accelerating or decelerating the noise goes away.

 

Geeze it should sounds like the Rear end as the pinion wants to ride up the ring gear on heavy decel....thats what mine did until they replaced the entire pig. I would love to see the wear pattern on your ring gear.

Keep us posted,

Motoretro

 

I'm not certain whether you're addressing me or not, but I'll answer as if you were.

I just replaced my entire rear dropout when I re-geared and added the ARB locker (Done by easy Coast Gear Supply). The noise is the exact same as it was before I changed it out, so I have serous doubts that it is the problem.

 

Yes I was referring to your problem. I have my truck for sale currently, if it doesn't sell I'm going to install a 3.73 pig from Toyota. I'm interested in checking the gear set before installing to see if there is correct heel & toe. Sounds like your mods are considerably more involved. I believe there is a way to phase the u-joint angles......Perhaps this might be your problem as you mention earlier.

Motoretro

 

Update:
I removed my rear drive shaft so I could make sure the noise wasn't coming from my transmission and to make it easier to Grease the U-joint. While driving in Fwd, the noise was completely gone, which means the problem is either in the Transfer Case, Drive Shaft, or Rear Diff.

1) If the Transfer case was the problem, there probably still would have been some noise.
2) I suspect it is the Drive shaft's U-joints. I'm gonna grease them and we'll see.
3) I highly doubt that the problem is the rear diff, because I just replaced it and the sound was the same before and after the change.

BTW, driving my Tacoma in Front Wheel drive was really weird.

 

I haven't had an opportunity to grease my u-joints yet but the manual for my 2nd gen 2.7L specs this maintenance task every 15K, the same as my 2000 Tacoma.

edit..Greased all the U-joints and changed the rear diff fluid. Still does it.