3rd Gen Poll: Rear End Noise howling when feathering throttle

Have they mentioned anything about checking on or ruling out the wheel bearings?

 

No. I think they are on the right track with the differential. When they dropped in the second one it was immediately louder. As bad as that sucks, it tells me that they were on the right track. If it was something different, then swapping out the differential likely would have no impact either positive or negative.

I've changed out the rear bearings on my 1st gen Tacoma and my 4th gen 4Runner. If the bearings in my 3rd gen Tacoma are anything like the previous two, I doubt they're the cause. They're pretty solid units and I haven't been through any water that would have caused premature wear.

I had a minor accident while driving through Dallas last weekend so the truck is going to Toyota to get the damage fixed. While it's there, they're going to take another look at the differential.

 

Just for curiosity, does the sound change at all if you're feathering the throttle to reproduce the noise, and then steer left and right, forcing the individual wheel speeds to change ever so slightly?

When they replaced your differential, did they measure the angles to see if you needed the updated leaf springs that shimmed up the pinion bearing angle to reduce driveline vibration? I wonder if the two issues could be going hand in hand

 

No. The noise is only throttle sensitive and doesn't respond to any other input.

No, they didn't measure anything. They just dropped in a new differential. I agree with you that driveline angle may have a role and they are going to do a more in depth investigation this time..... supposedly.

 

I'm sure you've already seen it, but maybe print this guy out and ask them to investigate and hopefully get you the new leaf springs, if for nothing else to resolve another annoyance.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oh-no-tsb-0171-16-driveline-vibration.463992/

 

This is exactly my experience...was wondering if anyone else was seeing this result as well?

My hum/howl when it happens is most noticeable right at 54 to 56 mph. I can also notice the howl oh so slightly at 57 to 59 mph but it is very quiet there. But then I will have instances where I don't get the howl at all when feathering the throttle at any of the speeds 54 to 59 mph. I can't make sense of it. Sometimes it does it on the way to work, other times on the same stretch of road the next day it will be silent. When it does it it will do it on curves....it will also not do it on curves. That behavior alone tells me it is possible some kind of noise abatement issue having to do with the tires or exhaust or just wind noise resonating through the body or chassis in just the right way. I honestly have no clue. Just relaying my experience.

I just recently found out the cab has vents behind the rear seats (I think I read that). Just thinking out loud but could that have any way of letting in road/exhaust/body noise at a certain frequency that may replicate this? Just spit balling here I have no clue.

I too have already had my concern with the howl documented with Toyota (they were not able to recreate it when they looked at the vehicle), so I am happy with that for now. Toyota told me sinse it is on record if it is ever decided there is an issue and an official fix comes out I will be grandfathered into it whether my bumper to bumper warranty is up or not.

I will keep watching this thread if a fix or cause is officially discovered, as of now I am chalking this up as a quirk of this truck. I have literally not had one other issue with the truck in 6 months I have had it so I have been very happy with the build quality so far. I have confidence Toyota will stand behind the truck should an issue come up down the line from this. As others have said just get it documented with Toyota, and you should be covered.

I appreciate this thread and everyone reporting their experiences.

 

Mine does it consistently between 45 and 70. It is getting louder and the speed range where I hear it is getting wider.

 

Just brought mine in today. 200 miles and its howling no modifications besides removing front lower lip. So stock tires are still on it. Got new tires coming so atleast it will be documented. Service guy laughed at it only having 200 miles. Also mentioned constant shifting to him.

 

That sucks to hear.

 

For anyone to say its tires when its throttle sensitive is a moron. Its obviously tied to the load placed on the driveline. Tires would not be so throttle sensitive.

I had my dealer take a look at mine among a couple other issues. They acknowledge the issue and spoke to Toyota about it. They were informed to wait a bit because they are going to have a meeting sometime in Feb to work on a solution. Fine with me, I don't want a band-aide solution. As a matter of fact, if it isnt a long term reliability issue and just a noise issue....not sure I want any "noise abatement" type solution. If it is a reliability issue, i want it fixed once....correctly.

 

Here's an update on my truck....I reported the whine/howl at my 5k service and initially they said it was normal but after a talk with the service manager I brought the truck in for a regional Toyota field rep to evaluate it. I was told then that they did hear the sound and that Toyota was aware of it and "researching" it.....

I'm here for 10k service and spoke with the service manager to see if there were any updates. He immediately said that Toyota is VERY aware of it and they are now taking pics of the rear ID info to send to Toyota. He actually said "they all have it". He also said no failures related to this have been reported.

Anyway....I'm comfortable at the moment that Toyota is aware of it and working it. Mine has become slightly louder but is just an annoyance for an otherwise great vehicle!

 

There have been a few members here where something failed in the rear and it locked up, not sure if those were related to the Howling issue though, hopefully they figure out the cause of the noise and come up with a fix for it.

 

All of the diffs that have failed and locked up (that I have read about here at least), we're leaking fluid. So those were due to little to no fluid in the diff.

 

17 TRD Sport 4x4, 6MT
Double Cab
Short Bed

Started at around 750 miles, Im at 1300 now. Its loud enough to hear over the radio. Took it to Haley Toyota of Roanoke today, they say that they hear it, but its normal. Riding with the Tech, he mentioned that Im the first 17 he's seen with this issue, that it was only 16s that had it. So that tells me, that they heard the noise, acknowledged its an issue, but say its normal.

 

Its frustrating that they will not address the problem.

 

Has anyone with the howl gotten their rear leaf springs with the shim swapped out to change the diff angle? Curious to know if these two concerns are related.

 

Do the 2017s already have shimmed Leafs?

 

I believe so, mine does.

 

Yes. Sorry for the delay

 

Seems to be inconsistent. OR's seemed to have gotten them earlier for some reason, based on the TSB