My 2008 4wd Highlander has 110,000 miles and I am starting to hear a humming noise coming from the what I believe is the passenger rear tire area. Just got the tires balanced and rotated, and the issue is still there. With my experience with wheel bearings, I do believe that is the issue. Has anyone else replaced their wheel bearings on the 2nd generation Highlanders yet?
You know I also have a humming noise that just started. I have only 68k on mine, but I thought it was the tires making the noise because sometimes it seems louder than others depending on the road.
Get it up on a hoist, put it in gear and listen at each wheel.
If it's not wheelbearings, you won't hear any grinding. If it's the wheelbearings, it'll sound like metal grinding on metal. If it's early wheelbearing failure, you'll need a handy mechanic's stethescope (long screwdriver) to listen at the hubs to hear the grinding. Just don't get your hair caught on the spinning axle.
Balancing and rotating tires won't fix tire hum. Some tires get very noisy as they wear and can commonly be mistaken for wheelbearings.
Cheers.
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Jason W
MY03 Green RAV4: the utility vehicle
MY06 SGM Subaru WRX Wagon: power + suspension + brake upgrades + tune by Diebold Motorsports = all weather interceptor
MY12 MGM Highlander Sport: aka "The Bus"
Maybe related....in the 1st Gen forum, getting posts about 06/07 HL's with bad rear wheel bearings. My mom's '07 had a one replaced last summer, at about 110k miles. It made a progressively worse humming noise, worse with heavier loads and when turning/changing lanes.
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'08 Highlander Base with goodies
'02 Highlander V6
'01 Honda Civic
'93 Camry LE V6 (departed)
Just replaced left front on our 2008 4wd with 44k miles. Dealer originally said tires were cupped. I replaced tires and noise still there. They finally replaced the bearing. Loud humming noise, like jet engine that starts at 40-50 mph. Not a grinding noise, just humming vacuum type sound. Hope this helps.
damn. It's hard to believe bearings go bad this fast. I have always drove toyota's and have never had bearings go bad this fast. If this is a common problem in Highlanders, there should've been a recall of some sort....but we all know there isn't.
I took it for a test drive with the wife driving. I used a stethoscope and the humming noise does indeed sound like it's coming from the right(passenger) rear. I will order the part tomorrow and will give you guys an update when done.
Just replaced left front on our 2008 4wd with 44k miles. Dealer originally said tires were cupped. I replaced tires and noise still there. They finally replaced the bearing. Loud humming noise, like jet engine that starts at 40-50 mph. Not a grinding noise, just humming vacuum type sound. Hope this helps.
How much $$$ did the dealer charge you for that job?
So I ended up replacing the passenger rear wheel bearing hub assembly. That did take care of the noise.
It took me about 2 hours wrenching. It took me longer driving around looking for the right tools.
Just glad this fixed the problem.
My brother in-law has a Sienna, went through same exercises as some of you described and finally someone on this forum told him could be bearing problem. Took it into the dealer, checked it and fixed the passenger rear as well. Sounds like a common problem with Toyota....
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