so we never did find the source of that AC compressor clutch grind noise?

i searched. it was difficult.

i never found a definitive answer/solution. my truck will randomly grind the AC clutch at initial switch-on..on a hot day. AC still blows super cold. hate to have the thing lock up and stall the truck.

anyone every find a solution?

 

I have the same problem with my 2010 taco

 

I occasionally get a weird noise on start up sometimes, sounds really shitty for a new truck. Doesn't happen often but I have heard heard it about 4 times. Wonder if it's the same thing? Horrible grinding sort of noise that last a few seconds.

 

I get the same noise from my A/c, the A/C light will blink and itll make a horrible grinding noise. Kinda shitty considering my trucks an 06 with just over 50,000 miles on it. I took it to Advanced Auto Parts and a guy there said to stop using the A/C until I can get it replaced because it was the motor that was grinding and it was close to seizing up. I always assumed I was the only one with this problem. Ive always gone with Toyota because of their dependability, Im really dissapointed in the company, this isnt the first issue Ive had, my clutch suddenly went otu one day and I at that time I had just over 40,000 miles on it. When it was all said and done, between the cost of storage & repairs at the dealership, and the cost of a rental car, I had to shell out $1500 bucks, and I had to go a week without my truck.

 

I have it too. The dealer could not reproduce it. I have the platinum extended warranty, so it should only be an inconvenience to me when it dies. Hopefully it doesn't throw the belt, start a fire or anything drastic...

 

Mine had this too, it was very intermittent. Last year I had to have my AC fan motor replaced because of a clicking noise inside of it when the fan was blowing, I dont know the cause, they just replaced it after i took it in 3 different times for it, and they couldnt fix it. so far so good, but ever since then my a/c compressor has been good too. weird I know

 

Same here, I think it is an AC compressor issue. Very random and cannot be reproduced easily. Mine has done this only a handful of times since new (3 or 4) but it sounds really bad. Maybe I'll register a complaint and let the stealership check it over so it gets put on record. Until the noise can be reproduced for them there doesn't seem much that can be done unless something fails.

 

Mine kind of sounds like a diesel motor running. It comes and goes as the compressor cuts off and on.

 

I had this happen a few times on my '09 and my '10. Since I could never reproduce the sound, Toyota could never help me. For me, it seemed to only happen on hot days after it had been sitting for a while. FWIW, I read somewhere some speculation that it had something to do with the compressor clutch being dirty. There might be some merit to this. I haven't been in the dirt in a while and haven't had this sound in a while.

 

Does it sound like a loud "crunch" when the A/C engages?

If so, I can tell you that my old car did that from the first time the A/C engaged when it was new, and the A/C still works fine at 180,000 miles and 12 years old.

 

This must be the case- the first time I heard the noise was after driving down a dusty country road (unpaved) for almost a mile and left my truck parked out in the sun all day. When I went to head home and started it, got the "crunch".

 

funny, as i'm searching for a squeaky blower fan i find this thread. i've noticed the grinding noise only twice on my 2010. last time it happened it was farking hot outside, i started the truck and immediately switched the a/c on the 3rd setting (not high). I was standing outside the truck as I did this with the door open. thought my truck was gonna blow or something, it sounded horrible and loud.

the more common issue i have now is the blower fan sounds like a damn mouse squeaking when it's on the lowest setting. it's quite noticeable even with the radio on.

 

Diagnosing noises over the internet is difficult at best. Your noise may not be the same as my noise, but we may be convinced we are hearing the same noise, etc.

I too had a grinding noise from my AC compressor, or so I thought. It's fixed now, and I am damn happy it did not result in a spectacular failure on some deserted highway in Idaho.

Mine turned out to be a loose alternator bolt. The top bolt was backed out enough to allow the washer under the bolt head to vibrate at certain harmonic frequencies. Those frequencies just happened to be at idle, with the AC running. Turn off the AC and it went away. Bring the idle up to 1000 rpm, it went away.

I had convinced myself it was no big deal. My plan was to discontinue use of the AC if it got louder or started doing it off idle.

I asked my mechanic about it today. He was under the truck listening to the compressor, I was looking down from above. I just happened to see the washer rotating on the top alternator bolt. I pointed this out to the mechanic, he put his finger on the washer, the noise stopped.

I just drove this thing 4000 miles last month. I am freaking the hell out thinking about all the possibilities if that bolt had backed all the way out.

Check the basics, even if you don't think it's a basic problem!

 

If you're searching for the blower noise (squeaking), maybe this will help:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/at...549-reduced-hvac-flow-tsb-t-sb-0072-09-1-.pdf

Good luck!

 

turn the radio up, and it goes away!
J/K. I've only heard it a couple times. at startup.

 

I've seen a simple loose belt develop into a full blown catastrophe which took out the fan, 2 other belts, the radiator,ac compressor pulley, AC lines AND the tranny lines blowing up the tranny in the process...coolant, oil and AC oil everywhere...WHAT a mess...He's right, check EVERYTHING...

 

just got a used 05 ac offroad and had the same issue with the ac .. i just made the dealer replace it or take the truck back ..he replaced lol

 

My brother's Subaru STI has the same thing. I wouldn't really worry about it.

 

My 2010 Tacoma smokes like a mother^&*%#* when I hear the grinding noise. I'm so happy that I have a truck with 500 miles on it and it may go up in flames before 600 miles....NOT

 

2010 Tacoma with 500 miles was started at 105 degrees outside temperature, 2:00pm on Tuesday (9/15). I showed up at dealership at 2:40pm Wednesday, 110 degrees (9/16) to be present with the techs when they started it up for the second time since they had it (my truck stayed there overnight). Right at startup the truck made the noise, and the shop foreman saw that at the same time as the noise the inlet oil line going into the AC pump was shaking around really bad, and he also saw the pump clutch try to kick on and off really rapidly. He said the smoke was from the serpentine belt slipping on the clutch pulley and the noise that I was hearing are the bearings in the clutch grinding when the compressor can’t make up its mind to kick on or off. He said the reason why it makes the noise at startup is because when you drive the truck and prior to shutting down you do not shut off theca, the AC pump keeps the oil lines compressed during the time your engine is shut off. When you go to start it back up the pump thinks it is already running (the clutch is engaged) so there is a load right away on the pump at start up which causes the belt on the pulley to slip, and for the fail safe on the compressor itself to kick in on and to disengage the clutch (this is when the noise quiets). My truck smokes when this happens and the foreman says that THIS IS NOT NORMAL. So he said they are ordering a clutch, compressor, and some other things that have to do with the AC. He also said it might be from if at the factory the AC unit was overcharged, and in hot conditions will make more pressure in the lines than normal (which will also cause the compressor to think it’s on right at start up). The tech did say you should not start your vehicle up with the AC on for longer life purposes, BUT he also said there is NOTHING saying you can’t start it up with it on also. All in all I had 2 techs, 1 foreman, and 2 service managers huddled around my engine bay when this happened, so there is no saying it didn’t happen =)