2002 Camry SE 4cly strange noise - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

bostonbuzz · 08-06-2007, 11:19 AM

My 2002 SE with 46000 mi makes a strange noise when cold and I put it in reverse or drive and first hit the gas. It's fairly loud and sounds like a cross between a low octain knock/ping and a loose or broken exhaust heat shield. It lasts for a couple seconds. It's rather unnerving and an annoying sound coming from an otherwise fine automobile. When the engine is warmed up it goes away for the most part.

Any ideas? I had it by one of the repair shops that I do business with a month ago but they didn't really give it enough time to totally cool down to look/listen for the sound upon initial cold start up and drive.

Thanks for any help or suggestions...

TRD VVTi · 08-06-2007, 11:50 AM

Where EXACTLY is it coming from?

bostonbuzz · 08-06-2007, 12:03 PM

It sounds like it's coming more from the firewall forward rather than from the exhaust behind the cat pipe back. Hard to be 100% sure but if I'm standing outside the car and someone else is driving it sounds like it's more forward engine compartment as opposed to under center or rear ehxaust.

TRD VVTi · 08-06-2007, 05:20 PM

Buy a stethoscope for $10. Get someone else in your car to make the noise. You find out exactly where it's coming from. There isn't any way to help you over the computer.

Once you know what it is, I'm sure we can come up with the fix.

Aceventura9586 · 08-06-2007, 10:37 PM

I don't know if this has anything to do with it but i'm having a problem as well. Sometimes on a cold start or rarely on a warm engine, i take the car out of park into reverse or drive, and there's this funky squeal, almost like the sound if a bad pulley or belt. That kinda noise. But yea, I have no clue what it could be.

johnnyzee · 08-06-2007, 10:43 PM

kind of like an engine pinging/knocking noise?

Super Kaioken · 08-06-2007, 11:33 PM

i have a noise that occurs on a cold start also. and only on a cold start. It does it once, and then that's it. Sounded normal to me, i have the 1MZ though.

bostonbuzz · 08-07-2007, 08:05 AM

I'm going to try a better higher octane gas or a bottle of octane booster with my next fill up. See if that helps. I have gotten the rotten egg smell on occasion too.

aaron_c · 08-07-2007, 12:18 PM

My car sounds like it makes a pinging-type noise constantly, even with the cruise set on the highway. It sounds exactly like what my Dakota did when I gave it too much gas without downshifting. Also, mine did it yesterday with a heat advisory, so its not only when it's cold for me..