NEW TSB, Whine Noise From Rear of Vehicle

Posted this on the big rear end thread, but figured I would put it here too.

Post Dealer Update: Just got back from dropping off my Rav 4 loaner and picking up my Tacoma. The Toyota FTS(sp?) drove my truck to check for the howl as well as the harsh down shift from 2nd to 1st. That's the one that feels like someone hit you from behind or a heavy load slid forward in your bed. He was able to duplicate them both. The howl is obvious and cant be missed. The harsh down shift only happens every once in a while so I am a little surprised they were able to duplicate it. They put about 15-20mi on my rig so they did drive it a bit.

Unfortunately the dealer can't do anything about either, but I knew that (2018 SR5 so no TSB). The shop manager said the harsh down shift is a transmission logic issue and all of them can do it. He is hoping for another transmission update to come out, but he hasn't heard of one in the making. Not holding my breath for that one haha
The howl he said is the same howl that the 2016-2017 TRD's have a TSB fix for (no surprise there).
From what he has seen the TSB is reducing the howl by about 80-90% on the TRD's. Thats great, but its still not available for 2016-17 non TRDs as well as any 2018 Tacomas.

The kind of good news/cool thing: The shop manager said he is using my truck as his very first example to send to Toyota. He is submitting DPR's (Dealer Product Reports) to Toyota for my rear end howl as well as the harsh 2nd to 1st downshift. I guess these reports are used to document out of ordinary issues or issues Toyota is not acting upon. He sounded pretty excited that he was going to do that so thats cool ha He said there is more than enough data out there for Toyota to move on extending the howl TSB and updating the transmission logic, BUT the customers (us) need to notify their dealers (like I did) and the dealers need to start submitting DPR's to Toyota. The more customers that have their dealer submit these reports the better chance we have at getting TSBs issued.

So if you have a Tacoma with a rear end howl that is not currently covered by the TSB then please have your dealer document it and submit a DPR. Same goes for the harsh 2nd to 1st shift. I can work around the harsh downshift, but the howl drives me nuts ha

Like Nike says, Just Do It!

 

As so many people have this issue and it has been the source of way too many threads complaining about it...WHY IS THIS NOT A STICKY?

 

Isn’t*

You have the howl?

The spot to really make it sing is merging onto 108 from Mono way (near the McDonald’s) to half way down the double lanes...

I’ve had the TSB done at Modesto Toyota and my rear end still howls. It’s dampened though now.

 

Thanks for the heads up on my mistake nDub. I fixed it.

It really sings coming down from Soulsbyville. It’s not real bad but if there’s a fix I might as well get it. I head down to modesto next week for my 15k service and they will look at it.

The thing that irritates me is that the service people act like they’ve never heard of the problem before.

BTW snow is coming down hard in Sonora Meadows.

 

What a pain guys, I feel for ya..
This is just not good for perspective taco owners that take the time to learn about this stuff. So basically from what I have read, you can expect to have now some howling at speed sounds, and only some people qualify for the update? but some do not? and the dealers are still hit or miss if they even acknowledge the issue? It is disheartening to know that if you buy a taco you now are purchasing knowing you might be inheriting and instant problem and waiting for a fix along with hours of dealer debating of the issue? Asking the dealer to do "DPR's" to help force toyota to do something? Geez...

 

This is my first and last Toyota purchase. I've been to the dealer x5 over the " diff" whine first they denied it even existed. Corporate took the dealerships side according to what the field service tech wrote.

I've been driving their loaner for almost a month. Rav 4. " No ETA on parts".

 

Why not just go get your truck back then? It's clearly not a mechanical issue that causes harm. There's a lot of people that are gonna be needing these parts. Things take time when there's thousands of trucks in need. Toyota doesn't produce the leaf spring packs.

 

cant we tighten up the ring and pinion??

 

That does not seem to be the cause, it is some sort of harmonic vibration that is transferred thru the springs.

 

I've already been given the run around so many times, my logic was to keep the truck at the dealer and drive their loaner so that way they can't brush me off. Sorta like a collateral swap, well not really... In my case they found only 4-6 parts, they have the leafs, but cant seem to find the dapeners.

 

So to chime in here. New 2018 trd or dcsb howling started around 2500 mi. Took it in for it's 5k the found it was the rear diff. Drained the fluid it was black and had metal shavings and parts. So something got burnt up in there . There are replacing the whole thing. He told me dealers are keeping on the DL and eventually will have either tsb or recall .I won't believe that till i see it. they seem to know about it .No matter what they tell you. It is slightly different than the 16's17's though . They are trying to find the root cause, and fix before they officially recognize it

 

I wish I'd have seen this sooner.

I got new leaf springs (Dakars) when I got my lift, and the howl went away. I can still hear it sometimes, but just barely.

I am convinced however, that it was indeed just a noise, and that there was no mechanical damage.

 

if you never drained at 500 or 1k, 5k you'll see shavings and the fluid will change color from the lapping compound. ( not 100%) if Toyota uses that during their break ins... Should be a dust of particles, any solid chunks are cause for concern.

 

It was more than just shavings. This is what it looked like.
The tech told me this is bad enough they are just straight up replacing it and sending the diff to Toyota to look for the root cause

 

I'll pm you tomorrow, I can give guidance if you want Toyota to repurchase it. I'll be turning mine in soon.

 

There is an Official TSB already out there for the Howling Rear, maybe the Tech is unaware of it.

 

for the 2018's?

 

Not sure if it listed 2018 yet, but I would assume they will add it to the list once they get caught up with parts.

 

They told me only the 16/17's had the tsb. And haven't had enough 2018's yet with the same issue.

 

I would think there is no difference between them.