2010 Air conditioner compressor grind on start up?

I've searched this issue here and it doesn't seem that anyone ever had a determination (or fix) from either visiting their dealership or discovery themselves regarding hearing a quick but very noticable "grind" noise from turning on the A/C and right as the compressor kicks on. Several member comments on the subject threads mention and comfirm that they too have this same issue and they touch on the compressor, fan clutch, and belt possibility/concern but there doesn't appear to be any resolution or direction to a TSB regarding it and what looks to be more than just a few isolated incidents and moreover, a "known issue" that's happening.

What about it -- has anyone gotten to the bottom of this and know what's up and what the real fix is?

Thanks!

 

Don't know what the fix is but mine does the exact same thing

 

I have the same issue when it's hot and the truck has been sitting for a long time.
This is the best thread I know of on the issue:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/9135-air-conditioner-noise.html

If you can manage to make the sound at the dealer then they should fix it.

 

There's another post on here about this...somewhere.

Anyway, I've read that this crunching sound has something to do with the AC compressor clutch getting dusty/dirty. My own experience with my trucks seems to confirm this in that it has only happened to me after I've been in dusty conditions (trails, dirt lots, adjacent to dry, dusty areas, etc.).

The consensus seems to be that, although the sound is scary, it does not indicate a mechanical problem.

 

its the clutch. look into the clutch on the internet and ull see a shit load of posts about it. doesn't have to be the same truck. a/c works the same.

 

I've read the post (links) here and still am not finding any definitive resolution to the issue. Everyone seems to have a "theory" and sometimes a suggestion and that's what I like about this site. But, I've got an appmt at the dealership Friday and am going to see what they say and will report back. From what I'm experiencing as well as reading, this issue seems to occur when it has been sitting (overnight) and upon first start up, when the compressor kicks in. I'm not trying to be a pain, but I want to at least run this up the flag pole to the dealership so it is on my trucks service history record. If I don't get resolutions there, I will email Toyota. I've exchaged several emails with them and they seem real responsive now (that's a good thing) since the "big" recall issue.

Maybe it's no big deal, but my wife's Highlander doesn't make that noise and the Camry we had before didn't either. Noise such as this isn't supposed to be.

 

my compressor has been locked up for a while already, havent used the A/C in a long time, dont have time to get it fixed

 

Mine does this too. If I start the truck with the a/c on I don't notice it, but that could just be because I can't hear it grind when the truck is starting. If I start the truck with the a/c off and then turn it on I hear the grind. It only lasts like a second and goes away. I haven't noticed any problems so far although the a/c leaves a little to be desired in this truck compared to my old camry which would freeze your family jewels off even after 10 years of use...

 

i've heard the same thing on my truck, but only twice. if it did it more often i'd take it to the dealer. on a side note, i took my truck into the dealer because the blower fan was squealing on the "low" setting. the day i took it to the dealer it wasn't making the noise but they swapped out the blower motor assembly anyways. makes me wonder if toyota knows of some issues with the a/c system...

 

When I set up the appmt w/the dealership, I told them about this and wanting to get it checked - I mentioned (after noticing mine doing this and reading the posts here) that I understood that it might be a "known issue" and the svc. mgr hesitated and said, "not that I know of...there's a lot of Tacomas out there and I've not heard anything like this, but we'll see what we can find out." Personally, I find that statement from him hard to believe - I don't think mine is an isolated case as apparent by the all the users on this forum saying "yeah, mine does that too."

Maybe it "doesn't hurt anything" but I just know from experience, anything that makes a noise like this when it's not supposed to make any noise has something going on that ain't right.

 

My 2010 does that sound too. It's crazy to think that Toyota is really lagging on their quality control. I thought I broke something off when I heard a loud pop as I turn the ac on. I agree, my wife drives a 95 camry to and from work and rather not use my truck. I ask why and she simply replied,"my ac is way colder than your new shit". Now that's cold.

 

Unfortunately, I've run into the same problem that others here have - "could not duplicate issue" as the compressor didn't make the noise when I was at the dealership last Friday. I told them that it only did it upon start-up/first thing after leaving it sitting, overnight. The said since they couldn't duplicate the issue and they had no service notice/update from Toyota (and in spite of me telling them about this site and all those who were also obviously experiencing the same), they had no way to "fix" or resolve the issue. I mentioned to the service director about someone here mentioning using WD40 and spraying/clutch/fan related area since it seemed to be coming from that area. He said no, I don't think that is going to "fix" anything and isn't right at all. But they didn't offer to "step up" and say, here, let us give you a loaner overnight, leave it here so we can check it ourselves first thing in the morning." For the all the money that these dealerships charge on repairs, you'd think they'd want to do this (in order to bill it back to Toyota).

I also had issue with them NOT doing the re-flash on my trans (TSB 373) and had to speak with the Svc. Director about that not taking when I took it in back in March specifically for this issue. He said that they hooked it up and read it and all updates were current as when they hook up to read, it automatically updates as well. (I have to wonder how would they know it wasn't there if it automatically updates??) In the past I've always had good service experiences from this dealership, but now it appears they're getting like all the others - slipshod and lackadaisical/so-what attitude.
Sorry, I couldn't get to the bottom of this issue - Maybe someone else here will have better luck to find the cause of this A/C grind.

 

My truck does this occasionally, but like most owners, only after it's sat over night and I turn on the AC right away. The truck can sit all day at work and I never hear the noise. I don't get it. All I know is the AC is working fine, so until someone comes up with a solution, I'm not gonna worry about it. It is nice to know that my truck isn't the only one that does this. Hopefully, we'll get this noise figured out.

 

my truck made the noise last morning and i thought a cat or other animal got caught in the belts somewhere hard to believe that toyota quality has gone way down. my dad's 1990 pickup with over 350,000 has had almost zero problems so far First thing that went out on my tacoma was the clutch at 16,000 miles, stereo volume knob works when it wants to, and now the ac crunching.....lets see what else goes wrong before i finish paying it off and run out of extended warranty protection.........

 

I bought my 2010 double, 4X4, SR5 ten days ago and my truck has already made this noise 3 out of the ten mornings. My truck smokes when I hear the noise, AND THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE!!!!!!!!!! This is my first Toyota and maybe be my last if the dealership does nothing for me. This is ridiculous!!!

 

My truck has been at the dealership for almost 3 weeks now due to a leak and the putz that they had trying to fix it just made it a whole world worse, and all that is another story. However, I told the svc mgr while he had it to check for this air conditioner noise since it was only there when it's sat overnight. On at least a couple of mornings he told me they didn't hear it then on one day he voluntarily brought it up (I don't know if this was to apease me or what) and said they did hear a "chirpping" type thing and didn't know if that was what I was hearing or not but that they made a slight adjustment to a belt.
I have serious doubts about their "slight belt adjustment" taking care of it. The noise is not a normal type of thing and all I know is that I will have documentation on their multiple service attempts to address the issue. If, for some reason it gets worse or I have severe or any kind of AC issues come up say within a couple of years or so, I'm going back on it to them. And if I don't get satisfaction, I will contact Dave Zellers, U.S. head of Toyota Customer Relations (or whoever may be at that time) as I'm not being pushed aside or down on something like this. If they think they can't hear this (AC) noise, they better hope it doesn't cause any issues later on down the road because I'll guaran-damn-tee you they sure as hell will hear the noise I make if and when something like this happens!

 

Sorry to hear that about the leak. Well I dropped off my 2010 Tacoma this moring at the dealership (ONLY 500 miles on it). They said they will keep it until atleast Thursday. I told them not to even try to start it up until tomorrow afternoon because it needs to sit overnight and then warm up during the day (They looked at me funny).....So this was my response. "If you can't figure this out, I want my old car back and if you already sold my trade in I want a differnt truck....There is NO WAY IN HELL that I am taking back this truck, do you understand?" Ofcourse they were like " I really don't think it's nothing major". Then I said, "So smoke coming from underneith my truck when I hear that noise is nothing major?". I polittley told them to not call me until they figure it out, and in the meantime I will drive around your guys' 2010 Camry for free. Thats the way we left it. I AM KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED!!! I am almost thinking I sould have stuck to my Ford's...

 

My 2010 Taco does the grind thing, but the wifes 03 Explorer does it too not gonna worry about it until closer to 30000

 

@ ratm3245--->Did your 2010 Tacoma make that noise a couple days after you drove it off the lot?

Does anyone else's truck smokes when they hear that noise? If not it's only a matter of time.....

 

No sir, got it in Febuary no need for air, LOL but its pretty much done it all summer no smoke though just kinda loud grunt.