Whistling noise - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

naturoses · 08-21-2010, 05:37 PM

Friends, yesterday I started hearing a strange sound in my HL.

it is like whistling noise when I am going at 3-40mph and sometimes even a at little bit lower speeds. I hear the sound ONLY in my right ear and hence stopped car and checked all the windows that they are completely closed. Sound is still there. It is little bothering as I am not used to it.

I have seen these threads but hard to come to a conclusion what to ask:

Whining Noise

Window noise when open

Please advise me in a few words/steps what to do when I get my oil change done at the stealerships very soon.

FYI: I have 1970 miles (car was purchased 14th Feb 2010) and sound started.

I love my HL and it is the best. Please help.

naturoses · 05-23-2011, 07:43 AM

Friends, It has been a while with regards to communicating on this forum though visiting now and then. Had been busy due to work load as well as with new born and a three year old. Hope you can understand.

Coming to the subject of whistling sound: This sound has become more evident now especially during humid days, rainy days. Now, I do not hear the sound below 40mph, BUT, After 40mph it is loud and clear. The other day I asked my friend who sat in the car whether he can hear it and he said YES. I hear it mainly coming from the front passenger side. I feel this like some wind leak or something similar due to tiny crack or crevices somewhere I do not know...During the speed I mentioned above, most of the wind is blocked but some of it may be escaping thru' this crack/opening/crevice etc.. I may completely wrong here but this is the best way I found to explain....

Last time, I went to the dealer, I was unable to reproduce that sound. May this time, I shoudl go on a rainy day or so...

I want to get this resolved. Could anyone of you share your time and thoughts please.

Many Thanks

***TrailDust*** · 05-23-2011, 11:03 AM

I come up with two things. One is that a crack or seam had filled in with dirt or road grime during the winter months, and then become "unclogged" when the rains came allowing the whistling to return. The other possibility is the peculiarity of aerodynamics given your description about the speed, yet you couldn't get it do whistle with the service guy in the car. Another person in the car could throw off the angle of incidence of the crack/seam just enough to make the whistling stop. Something similar that happens to me is I have a rattle that comes from the right rear passenger door, but it only rattles when I'm alone in the Highlander and the tank is half full or less. With more than half a tank or one other person sitting in any seat changes the weight distribution enough so that it prevents the vibration from setting up and causing the rattle. Anyway, just spitballing the two ideas.

***sweeneyp*** · 05-23-2011, 11:26 AM

I think traildust hit it on the head, I think it must be something to do with aerodynamics. Do you have any accessories on the front (bug deflector, etc...). Only two other things I could think of would be maybe the roof rail end cap isn't completely snapped in place and the end is sticking up a bit catching the wind, or something with the mirror could be causing the sound....... Or I could completely be wrong and it could just be a weather seal that's allowing a pinhole of air through... These kind of things are hard to diagnose

Sorry can't be more helpful, these are the only things that come to mind.
Patrick

Ralph6410 · 05-23-2011, 12:04 PM

Being that it happens only in excess of 40 MPH... Try a poor mans wind tunnel..if you are in a windy area park facing the wind and see if the noise shows up and because you can move around perhaps locate the source.
The source of a noise is "really" hard to pin down.

naturoses · 05-24-2011, 07:58 AM

Thanks to all of you.

I have a paint protection film on the hood, head lights, front and back bumper, mirrors, head lights and fog lights.

Yes, may be there is a small hole (unsealed) where the rubber sealing should go into place at the roof rail end cap.

Today, I have an appointment and hope I can reproduce the sound.

Thanks once again, I will update you all...

naturoses · 05-30-2011, 07:42 PM

Update: I went to the Toyota dealer service guy. He has driven, while I was in the front passenger seat. He noticed the sound very clearly. I am glad about it.

After I left the dealer, I noticed that the rubber liner/ rubber sealing which should go into place at the roof rail end cap towards the wind shield on the front passenger side has come out and when I pushed it back inside I did not hear the whistling sound/blow again while driving at any speed. Eventhough, I pushed it in, it looks like it is lifted up at the edge due to lack of any adhesive mechanism. I guess that the adhesive, if there is any, is not strong enough to keep the rubber seal intact allowing air to produce that sound I have been observing. Tomorrow, I will have to leave the car at the dealer the whole day and they wanted to see what is happening. I did not tell them about what I noticed yet. Now, my question is: Is it worth going to the dealership? If I go will this be registered in the carfax as defective vehicle bringing down the value of the vehicle when I want to trade-in???

Thanks to you all