Prius (2010-12) :: Helicopter Sound When Starting?
Feb 17, 2015
This morning when I started my 2010 (30k miles, still a baby) it started making an AWFUL sound that I guess I can only compare to a helicopter (THUDTHUDTHUDTHUD). It was practically shaking the car. I panicked, shut it off, and tried again a minute later, at which point it was fine. I googled this and checked other threads, but the car was never in motion and the rear battery vent is completely clear. It drove in fine to work.
It has been BRUTALLY cold for 2 weeks (up to -30 with wind chill) but last night was only -5 and it was a balmy 3 degrees this morning.
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My 2006 sonata (3.3l) 108k miles has developed a recent problem. The oil light will come on (usually during acceleration) and then go off in a second. i guess you could call it a flicker. I also notice a helicopter sound from the engine. When I rev it up in park I don't hear it. i hear a slight rattler In the alternator area. the serpentine belt is original.
So last week my daughter got the oil changed. I noticed it was leaking oil. I checked fluids and it was fine. I noticed oil on top of the engine, I just thought they spilled some. Continued to leak. checked the oil again and it was approx. 1 3/4 quarts low. The oil light never came on. I suspected the oil filter (its on top of the engine). brought it back to jiffy lube and they said the filter was loose. they gave me a new one and filled up the oil. no ticks or engine noises were noticeable.
So my question is could the oil light be something else (maybe tied to that helicopter sound)?. is an oil light flicker always low oil pressure.
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I have a 2010 RX with 36k miles. Car started fine when i went to the store this morning, but when i went to leave the store, got a scratching/clicking sound when went to start the car. After several minutes of trying, it finally started. Lights/windows/electrics all worked fine. What the problem could be - battery, starter, something else?
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I have 1,600 miles on my elantra and this sound just started. On initial starting, when the engine is cold, there's this loud low pitch then high pitch sound. It only lasts for 1.5 seconds but it's loud. What could it be?
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I have an 07 with 81.5K miles. Just a few weeks ago I've noticed a "rumbling" sound when starting the car in the morning before my AM commute. To me it sounds like an exhaust issue. This sound is becoming more frequent and now occurs most of the time while I drive. The volume has not increased, only frequency. The engine sounds ok, and no lights or indicators are showing.
MPG performance is down from 45-50MPG to about 40MPG but I think this may be because it's been extremely cold here lately and maybe the gasoline bladder has shrunk? Anyways, what this could be? If it's an exhaust issue could it require replacing the entire exhaust system because it's a hybrid (one mechanic friend I have said this might be the case)? Could it be something as simple as getting a new muffler?
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Is it possible to get OUT of "P" without starting up the works? I need to move Prius about a couple feet in my garage in order to get my motorcycle out, in the past I've just put car into neutral, let handbrake off and leaned on the bumper but that doesn't seem possible with Prius.
Car was built November 09 and when I purchased it in September 2011 (22000 km) I found it had a replacement battery fitted. Thinking the charging circuit might be low I checked the voltage at the ciggi lighter socket and was surprised to see 14.6v. I came across a post here which mentioned the float voltage as 13.8V. At 14.6v the battery is well into the "gassing" area which makes me wonder if the original boiled dry. 14.6V is within Toyota's spec?
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This is my new Prius C's engine warming up in the morning. The engine shakes once when starting up and I seems to be able to detect a slight knocking sound.
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My 2010 Prius has starting to shudder and vibrate a bit on occasion when starting to accelerate as in stop and go traffic. It seems to happen mainly when the electric charge is low and the engine is on charging the battery and then I start to accelerate at the same time. It goes away once the speed in over 10mph. It happens occasionally, not every time. Never used to do this. Car has about 160k miles. Could it be a problem with the transmission device?
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The SC I recently bought is quite quiet except for a helicopter noise at speed.
This noise becomes obvious at around 70 kph (40 mph) but can be noticed at lower speed (volume much lower). I don't think turning the wheels or braking makes a difference.
Since it's speed-sensitive and there's no noise when the car isn't moving, I guess it's related to the wheels. I've just replaced the rear tyres last weeks; nothing changed. I've checked the tyre pressure today; may have got a little improvement (not sure) but the noise is still there.
Is this the wheel bearing noise? Or is this tyre noise? Could the differential make this kind of noise (the only other thing I can think of that's speed-correlated)?
Also, as an aside I pulled the fuse on the te/ti steering the other day because I'm too lazy to use techstream. I swear there's a noticeable improvement in the steering accuracy and feel. Really don't know why.
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My 2010 has the intermittent noise when starting in the cold. Brought car to dealer with printout of the TSB from December and they will not repair it unless they duplicate the noise. Also I read about a rear motor mount to be replaced.
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I have recently noticed a vibration that occurs at VERY low speed - such as below 0mph and 1mph, while just starting (or stopping).
The best way to describe this vibration is that it feels somewhat similar to going over a rumble-strip - but not quite so intense.
It only happens for a very short time while just starting off (or coming to a stop) - and then goes away. You almost have to try to make it happen. If I try to carefully control the increase of the car's speed, I can -sort of- extend the amount of time that this happens.
I certainly have to be on the 'look out' to notice this and attempt to make it happen to really identify it. Otherwise, (if I accelerate too quickly i.e.: normally) it just feels like a couple of bumps in the road.
I think I read on here somewhere something about a breakdown of the winding insulation that provides such an effect? Is there any straightforward way (perhaps with a scan gauge or other tool) to conclusively diagnose this?
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Yesterday I started my 2011 Prius, about 3 seconds later (Im guessing here) I pushed the A/C button, the engine started (at the same time), and I got this horrible grinding, clunking, bucking noise from under the hood. It lasted for about 5 seconds then stopped and everything was fine. Engine ran smooth, A/C was running. I turned off the A/C thinking that might be it and started it again, again everything ran smoothly. I pushed the start button the shut down the car, waited about 15 seconds, pushed it again, all normal, again with the A/C on. I put into drive and moved forward, allowed the engine to start, no problems. Smooth operation, everything normal.
I gather it'd be a good idea to take it in, but want to know how many "on-off cycles" until a problem is erased from memory. I did drive it last night (everything ran just fine) and went through 3 "cycles". What this could be? Bad fuel?? I have a 2011, with about 38k miles on it. This is the second Prius I've owned and have never had a problem before, let alone something like this.
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I have a 2005 nissan maxima that won't start. I have a new starter and battery. When I turn the key everything in the car comes on except for the car (it also makes no sound when you turn the key). I checked to see if it was the ignition switch by bridging the connection on the starter with a screw driving. The starter comes on but the car wont start. It tried starting it in neutral (still doesn't work). It's not the security because the light turns off when you try to start it.
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2007 Ford Freestyle 90K miles.
I bought it used and it had a slight helicopter noise coming from under the hood. Mechanics at Ford dealership didn't find it remarkable. Now, 16 months and 15K miles later, the noise has increased in volume so much over the past 30 days that typical road noise doesn't disguise it. Folks are giving me looks when I drive by in the parking lot.
I have a clip of the noise posted if you want to take a listen: [URL] .... I've read some posts that this is symptomatic of transmission problems...specifically the insert shaft is grooved, warped, etc.
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The noise seems routine. It happens when you get close to the car and open your door. I guess the car is anticipating that you will start the car soon and under the hood, some subtle mechanical noises occur. Just wondering what that noise is?
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I have noticed in certain circumstances that the engine seems to be in a resonance where it is shaking noticeably and getting worse not better. It happens in two situations.
One is after gliding and slowing to make a turn (with the engine off). As I am exiting the turn and hit the gas the car shakes a lot for about a second or two, then smooths out.
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About a month ago, I purchased my 2013 Prius Four. I've put on about 2,500 miles so far and recently started noticing when I start the car up, it is giving off a high pitched squeaking noise. This happens both when the car is using the electric battery and when I can feel the gas engine kick in. After about a minute or two, the noise goes away and doesn't come back.
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My Scangauge is mounted on the dash just above the steering wheel. My last car, a Subaru Impreza had lots of room on the steering column. On the 2010 Prius it's very difficult to see when mounted there.
Cold weather is setting in and the glue on the velcro is starting to give out and the Gauge will soon fall. Where are you mounting them? How are you getting them to stick?
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We've got a 2011 Prius with a little over 24k miles on it . For the last few months we've been having issues with it starting. First I thought the remote barriers were dying so I replaced them , I thought my wife might have been trying to start it incorrectly till the problem happened to me a few weeks ago. What happens is you try to start it (foot on brake, press power button) and all the warming lights pop up , radio turns on , navigation turns on but car doesn't start. This morning it happend just once , yesterday I had to try it maybe 10x before it finally started up. The dealership had it last Saturday and of course it started every time for them and they couldn't duplicate the problem , they also said they ran whatever tests they do on it and it didn't turn up a problem. FWIW we had the software recall update done in June.
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Recently bought a 2010 Toyota Prius 1.8 and it was working very well. It used to display a message saying that the key battery is low. Then one day, the smart key stopped opening the door. After some reading on the forums, decided that the smart key battery might be really low, so used the mechanical key to get in and tried to start the car by placing the Toyota logo of the smart key on the power button. Since nothing happened, decided to replace the batteries anyways. After the replacement, tried again, but zip. The doors still won't unlock, and the proximity switch-on also is not working. Why? Is it an issue with the 12-v battery?
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I have a Prius III 2011. I've had it for 10,000 miles and have had no problems at all. Yesterday, when I started the car, it made a loud rumbling and the engine shook, when it transitioned from the electric motor to the gas engine.
It did that several times when I restarted and then went away. The problem happened on the transition each time. Electric motor came on perfectly and then ten seconds later it was like an earth quake under the hood.
My dad watched the engine and said that it shook really hard. At first he thought it might be a fan belt but then he said it seemed more like water or something may have gotten into the gas tank and it was choking...
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