3rd Gen Tacoma A/C Noise

2019 here having the same noise from compressor bs
i mean damn am sure there is a lot of us getting this weird noise btw i have 7k miles on my truck

 

It’s getting warm out which means the noise is coming back!

 

Correct!! Mine serves as a perfect "its hot outside" gauge. That being said. Im not letting the dealer touch my a/c.

 

My 2018 Off Road Taco does this too and it's done it since day one. It happens whether the AC and / or the "defogger" are on, and it happens regardless of outside temperature. It seems to be loudest in 40ish degree range with high humidity, or really hot outside. Under load, especially going up a steep hill seems to be the loudest for reasons I don't understand.

The sound is exactly like the posted video, lasts about 2 to 3 seconds (maybe not quite that loud). I've tried to replicate the issue in every way possible with the fans on but AC / Defogger off and it has not happened once.

When I took it in for my 10,000 mile service I asked the dealer to drive it around with the AC on which they did and I got the whole "I do not hear anything out of the ordinary" and therefor we cannot fix anything until Toyota issues a TSB or a recall. They also mentioned the only TSB they have related to the noise I was describing is related to the transmission, which this is absolutely not the issue.

Since I cannot find a single instance of these air conditioners outright failing, I'm of the opinion that I think I'll just live with it instead of asking the dealer to tear apart my dash and possibly cause more problems in the future.

 

Mine is going in next week for this. The service manager wants to go for a drive with me so he can hear the sound(s) I'm experiencing, and we'll go from there. I also have it on video. As a first step, I'm going to have them evacuate the system and charge it with new refrigerant and lubricant. We'll see if that solves the problem. Hopefully it will. If not, then it's time to open ANOTHER case with Toyota Corporate.

 

I am having a similar issue with mine. With the truck in gear and not moving or at idle and the blower on low you can hear the compressor kick on and I hear like grinding from the compressor. It’s more noticeable in the cabin than outside. If you give it gas it goes away. Also stops when the compressor clutch disengages? AC works fine but noise is pretty loud.

 

Did this fix your issue?

 

I had to reschedule due to work travel. I'm taking it in this week.

 

Is this the noise you all are getting??

https://youtu.be/SjBYmwsK5qs

 

Mine is of course back as well.

I'm curious if the problem is triggered by humidity in the cab? I hear the whistle the most when my truck is loaded with family (thus four people breathing, etc).

 

I think it’s related to heat.

 

Should be quieter than this setup, lol.

 

This actually sounds like a noisy compressor.

If you were to put a stethoscope on a compressor, thats what you would hear.

I cant really hear my compressor running from inside the cabin other than when the clutch engages.

The sound alot of people including me are having is the whistling/ringing noise when the compressor turns on on a hot day.

 

UPDATE: The dealer said bad compressor bearing and they ordered a new compressor to be installed tomorrow!

 

That first audio clip sounds like the expansion valve to me (refrigerant expanding into the evaporator) under normal operation. It is probably heard just after the compressor cycles on. If that is the case, it is possible the AC is just a tad under charged as well. My truck does not make that noise but I have heard it in other vehicles and it tends to get worse as the system loses refrigerant.

 

Diagnosed as bad bearing

 

IMHO I believe it is humility related. I've driven it all day long with the AC on on hot days with no sound what so ever but when it's muggy outside it seems to be worse.

 

This was exactly my experience this morning. Me, by myself, 74 degrees outside and pouring rain and it was whistling very consistently.

 

I have both noises on my truck. My A/C is not blowing any cold air and this is starting to make me upset that this hasn't been fixed by the dealership. Last time I took my truck to the dealership I spoke with the service advisor and explained exactly what was happening and they said they would fix my issue. When I went to pick my truck up I jumped into my truck and drove less than a mile down the road and my A/C still wasn't working. I then had to turn around and drop my truck off again. They said they hooked my truck up to some machine that tests the A/C and will tell them if there is an issue. I am now wondering if they truly used the machine since it would of re-filled the A/C. I don't get how they can used this high tech machine that tells you if there is a problem with the A/C and re-fills the A/C if needed but when i went to pick it up the A/C didn't even blow cold air. I just dropped the truck off today to have this issue fixed again. This is my 4th attempt to have this resolved. I am now wondering if i should just lemon law this truck and move on. It sucks when you have a 2 and 3 year old and your A/C goes out in California in the summer time. I called the corporate office last time since it wasn't fixed correctly. When i took my truck in today it seemed as if they were worried about the issue since customer relations and the service manager got involved very quickly. I also spoke with the master technician today and he told me that he had never seen or heard of this issue. I am hoping they resolve this issue so I don't have to lemon law this truck since they are very nice vehicles but I am at the point where if it happens again I will have to contact a lawyer to have this settled.