Prius (Gen 2) Fuel :: Relatively Loud Whirring Noise While Driving
May 8, 2015
I had never been in a Prius until I bought my own 12 months ago. A relatively loud whirring noise accompanied me everywhere I went... "Oh, that's just the electric motor doing its thing!" I would tell myself and my unknowing passengers...
It was my TOTALLY shot tires. Oh sure, they had tons of tread life on them upon purchase, but they lasted a scant 22K miles, got horribly scalloped, developed stress cracks between the treads, and aren't even LRR tires! Indeed, beware of the Bridgestone Potenza Grid019.
The three miles it took to drive home on the TrueContacts were an automotive epiphany. I had no freaking idea how quiet this car really was! Even at highway speed! I feel like a fool.
Well, now I've got an LRR tire, a 6 year/90K warranty, and did it for about 400 total. Shipped to my door for about 350, local place mounted and balanced them for 50.
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2001 Escape 4x4, automatic trans 4x4
Getting a pretty loud "whirring" or humming noise from under the car while driving 30+ mph. It seems like a wheel bearing noise, but coming from directly under the center console area. My thoughts are either the driveshaft center support or the transfer case, I can't find much on it though.
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I have a 2000 VW Passat 1.8T Automatic. During a cold start, I notice a rather loud noise like a motor whirring that lasts for approximately 30 seconds. My RPMs also run about 200 higher than idle during this time. After the 30 secs the noise goes away (sounds like this motor powers down) and the RPMs return to normal.
It doesn't happen every time I start the car, just when it has been sitting for more than 4-5 hours or overnight. What this is and what if anything I should do?
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My 2004 Chrysler Sebring with 128K miles is making a loud whirring noise when I accelerate. It does not happen when I break, coast or am idle. I live in a city and potholes are a way of life. I got four new tires in November and had the alignment checked and fixed at the time. What it could be?
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I have a 2006 lexus es 330 that just turned over 90,000 miles. My dad and I have done the regular maintenance on it so far but this weekend after a 3 hour drive, I turned the car back on and a loud whirring/humming/whining noise was coming from the engine. It gets slightly louder with acceleration, but I can barely hear it once I've picked up speed (but it's still there.) It still happens when I am in neutral. It sounds like it is coming from the passenger side of the engine. Close to the power steering pump area, but the power steering fluid is full (although it is a very dark/black color and has a slight smell...not sure if this is normal.) I'm not having any trouble or hesitation while steering. The rack is operating smoothly and it is not leaking. I plan on taking it into the shop but wanted to go in educated.
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I have a 2005 Hyundai Elantra that makes a RRrrrRRRrRRR noise when turning corners - only to the right. It's not a screeching or scraping noise... more of a loud whirring or humming. One note- back left tire was removed and repaired shortly before this began - could that relate?
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I have a new 2012 Chevy Cruze with 10,000 miles on it. Chevy has issued service bulletins citing a problem that they can't seem to diagnose or repair (yet) and my car has the problem. They tell me their engineers are working on it. After the car is a little warm, when I apply the break there is a loud squeaking or whirring noise which pulsates at the speed of the tires (in other words, as I slow down, the intervals between each sound gets longer and longer). I suspect it is coming from the back. First they thought it was sticking calipers until they realized that I have drum brakes on the rear. It is loud enough that the only way no to hear this grating noise is to blast the radio.
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I own a 1971 Ford F-250 Custom with the 4 Speed Synchronized Warner T-18 transmission. When I put in the clutch, once it engages, it makes a very loud whirring noise. I'm not concerned about the noise as much as possible issues with the transmission itself.
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My 2007 Prius II is starting to sound like a little roadster - when I was driving on the freeway behind a large car I thought it was them, or just hoped we braked and hit the accelerator at the same time thinking it couldn't be my car.
Only after that car left did I realize it really was my usually-ninja car making the loud purrs. It cruises quietly and the sound goes away, it's hitting the gas that makes it loud. The mileage is the same, it feels the same, it's just loud now.
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This is a 2001 Prius - car runs great and the AC is fine. However, driving down the road, when the AC is turned on there is a noticeable scraping/ticking noise - sounds like it coming from under the hood.
With the car parked, and the ignition ON, but without the gas engine running, there is no scraping noise.
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My 1999 Honda Accord is making a whirring noise sometimes. It happens occasionally, now more frequently than last month. It sometimes happens when I start the engine, but am still in Park. Mostly it happens when I'm actually driving. both slowly on back roads and fast on the highway. What would cause this?
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I recently installed a 2" aluminum HBS leveling kit on my F150. ('04 FX4 SCrew, 5.4, 61K miles). I was excited to finally improve the truck rather than fix something. The install was straightforward and I didnt have any issues (other than Cleveland, OH rust).
After installing the kit I noticed a whirring noise coming from the front end while driving, but I didnt think much of it and I got an alignment a couple of days later. Immediately after the alignment, the problem is still there. It sounds just like aggressive mud tires driving down the road, so I think it is coming from the tires.
The noise follows the speed of the truck (the pitch gets lower as you slow down) but you cant really start to hear it until you slow down below 45 mph. It is much more noticeable at lower speeds (probably because of the lower wind noise in the cab). I dont think it would be a CV joint/axle issue, but who knows. I am considering taking it back to have the alignment checked, but I figured I would check on here before I do.
I just bought this truck last fall, and it is one step away from being traded in because of the countless nuances this thing has (wet floors and consequently rust everywhere on the inside of the cab, rattling window trim, shaking bed, squeaky rear window, noisy phasors).
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My 2011 Sonata SE gets a rough idle when my AC is turned on, and sometimes it produces a whirring noise as I'm driving in low gears. It all goes completely away if I turn my AC off. I'm afraid my AC might go out at an inopportune time. What could it be?
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My fiance drives a 2006 Escapse XLT v6 AWD. It's really a great car.
She noticed an issue when she filled the fuel tank the last time. It took about 8 miles of driving for the gauge to read full after being filled from empty. She also told me there was a "whirring" noise when shutting off the car and turning it back on. I checked it out and found the fuel gauge is making a noise. Whenever you shut it off or turn it on and the needle moves there is a distinct whirring noise that sounds like dirty plastic gears meshing, which is what I'm assuming is the issue.
I've done a search and came up with 0 results. Can the cluster be disassembled and possibly just clean the gears?
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2002 F250 4x4 ... There is a bull whirring noise that started about 4 months ago. I attributed it to tire noise. Then this past winter I put the truck into 4 wheel drive and it went ok, however everything started vibrating. First thought was u-joint however none are loose. Then I thought needle bearing, the axle has no play in it at all. So I looked at the drive shaft, it has a sloppy turn, not sure on how much play it should have.
Then you turn it and it then kind of binds up, you can push through that bind then it goes until it hits that spot again. I jacked the truck up and turn the wheels there is no noise. The noise is only when it is driven. Took it to ford and they came back with nothing, they replace the rear pumpkin gasket and cover stated those gears where fine and they inspected the rest, and came back with nothing. Should I just start by replacing front hubs and bearings and see what happens.
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This is strange. Twice in the past week I have gone in my garage at night, and my Prius'10 is make a buzzing whirring noise. Without touching it ... it's just sitting there making a buzzing noise. This is hours after using the car.
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I have a 2010 IV and after driving for an extended period and then shutting the car off I get a loud noise about a minute or a little more after shutdown. The best I can describe it is that it sounds like someone is dropping a 3 pound dead chicken from about 10 feet up onto my hood. It is consistent and is not any of the whirring or buzzing noises I normally hear. I also have a 2009 Touring and have never heard anything like this.
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I have a 2005 Prius with 218,000 miles. Over the past month or two it's started making a horrible noise, which has finally gotten to the point that I can barely stand driving it. I used to keep my radio around 25 or so, but now need to crank it to twice that to hear anything. I can't tell what it is - it sounds vaguely like wheel bearings, but somehow different. The front bearings and a trans drain/fill was done by an independent shop 6,000 miles ago. That shop says the noise is the transmission and definitely not the bearings. My Toyota dealer says the noise is the bearings and definitely not the transmission.
Here are two videos I took this afternoon, which seem to more or less capture it, though it does sound a bit different recorded on a phone than in the cabin:
(this one has a clearer example of the noise)
Background:
I didn't have any complaints with the car until just before the 200,000 mile service was due, when I started hearing front bearing noise (I've had bearings done in about 5 vehicles, so it sounded pretty obvious to me). I brought it to the dealer and was quoted an outrageous amount for front hub assemblies (they told me they couldn't do the bearings, only the whole hub assembly), sway bar end links, alignment, transmission flush, tire rotation and the engine top end service.
I got a much better quote from my local mechanic who I've used for about 3 years, so I had him do the work. This was back in June, at 212,417. He said that they'd never done the flush on a Prius transmission before, but they had the shop manual and were sure of the procedure, and that their Valvoline rep confirmed the correct fluid, and gave them a written warranty in case of any problems. He did note that "a fair amount of metal shavings came out with the old fluid" when they did a drain and fill (not a flush). He also told me that the tires were worn unevenly so I could expect a bit of road noise after the rotation and re-alignment. They an oil change, sway bar end links, front bearings, tire rotation, alignment and reans drain and fill with Valvoline Max ATF, "Toyota Type WS fluid spec." He told me the same thing about the front hubs being complete assemblies, and the part he listed (PBR930641) appears to agree with that.
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While driving, hear a whirring sound, happens about every ten seconds, lasting for about two...after getting home, shut off engine and this sound continued. Turned on, turned off, still continued. When off, occurs about every 20 seconds.
Continued for the 10-15 minutes I was in the garage. Opened the engine and definitely coming from under the Synergy Hybrid box.
Went out four hours later, and quiet. When I opened the door, sound went on again, lasting for 20-25 seconds....It then stopped and started again, occurring every 15-20 seconds, lasting for about 3 seconds.
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I am experiencing this whirring/grinding noise:
Which is the same as this thread : Grinding Noise from Dash | PriusChat
It occurs intermittently when starting up the car, though if I then turn the car off (as in my video) the noise continues.
On that thread the vehicle was in warranty and was fixed by replacing the MFD touchscreen. My 2006 UK Prius is (I believe) out of warranty, and the touchscreen/MFD seems to be working fine. Is there anything I can do preventative on this?
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So every once in a while, my A/C starts to sound like it's struggling. The force of the air gets stronger and weaker, and it starts to make a whirring noise (much louder than it should be). The temperature is fine, it's just the blowing air.
It will continue like this for weeks or months, then eventually when I start the car (particularly if I'm in my parking garage at work for some reason?!?! - could be a coincidence) the A/C won't blow at all. If I hold my hand near the vent, I can feel cold air - but it's just sitting there, not getting blown into the cabin.
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