05 Corolla XRS Front-End Scraping Noise

[rolla-XRS]

Those of you with 05 Corolla's (particularly XRS), I'd appreciate your input. I'm taking my vehicle to the dealer this week after having driving in another XRS and didn't hear the same noise - so there is something not right.

Here's how to produce it this repetitive scraping sound.

-It's most audible when diving in 1st, 2nd gear and sometimes 3rd gear - Particularly when driving at a constant speed - but you can hear it speed up during accelleration and slowdown during decelleration.
-It's audible from the front end and only when inside the car.
-It sounds like a repetative scraping sound which increases in speed as RPM's increase.
-If you disengage the clutch, the sound disappears (I think this eliminates the tire and rim possibility).
-It's slowly been getting worse since first starting in late November.
-In case it's related, I've put winter tires on in early November from Canadian Tire (X-ICE 195-60R15 with generic 15"x6.0" steel rims).

A search here comes up with a similar sound but it's from the REAR-wheel bearings...mine is from the FRONT. The only other thing I can think of is that it's a problem with the rims...but I'm not convinced since the noise goes away when not in gear.

Any ideas?

[silver04rollas]

Hmmmm. beats me. Are you sure it is not a whining noise?? Like a high pitched shrill whizzing sound that increases as the rpms go up??

[rolla-XRS]

Shrill? No.
More like a whooshing sound that increases as RPM's increase.

I'm almost tempted to throw on my summer tires and take a spin around the parking lot just to see if that's the issue.

[silver04rollas]

Hmmmm... I will have to notice closely. Does it happen before lift or after?? I think it might be normal. Unfortunately, there is snow on the roads so I have only been driving under 4500 rpm. In the 3rd week of this month, it will be around 5C or so and the snow will melt. I will try it out then and let you know.

[rolla-XRS]

It's only audible below lift - say under 3,000 - 4,000 rpm. After that, the engine noise covers the sound (as well as the scraping noise being too fast to detect)

[Hatch]

I had the same problem on the camry I am driving right now....i fixed it by kicking out the snow in the wheel wells

try sticking your car inside(is possible) maybe something is frozen

[virtualkuz]

it could be your front bearings. My XRS doesn't make noise like that. You could have a bad one that is only making noise under load, hence the sound goes away when you put in the clutch. It may also be your clutch or throwout bearing.

[Hatch]

^ good ideas, never thought about that....id say take it into the dealer.....its under war. anyways.

[rolla-XRS]

Thanks for the reassurance guys! I'll be taking it into Whitby Toyota this week sometime. Rumor has it they're one of the best in the GTA for locating and eliminating squeeks, rattles and rolls.

[rolla-XRS]

God Bless Whitby Toyota!!

I thought I'd share my symptom and solution in case anyone else comes across this problem - which is apparantly very rare (hummm...was my car built on Monday??).

It is the drive-shaft hanger bearing which will probably require replacement of the entire drive shaft.

Apparantly it's not a major issue to continue driving it - but should be replaced soon. Unfortunately Toyota Canada doesn't stock this part which will have to come from the US or the part manufacturer.

I went out with the technician and he drove it all over the place testing this and that. Things we noticed were:

Repetative scraping noise is most audible at 2700 rpm with the clutch engaged and decellerating naturally (ie: no brakes, just using engine compression). You drive it up in either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gear to just over 3000 rpm...then let up on the accellerator and let it coast with clutch engaged. At 2700 rpm the noise is VERY obvious and slows as the car slows. Shifting the weight of the vehicle with sharp left-to-right-to-left slaloms doesn't change the tone or frequency of the sound. Teh wheel bearing was ruled out because when you disengage the clutch, the noise disappears. If it had been a wheel bearing, the noise would be there all the time.

They had to dyno it to see where the problem was coming from.

Now I'm happy the problem is identified. But ticked off since this is the 4th defect on this car with under 18,000km. Radio, sunroof rattle, dash rattles, drive shaft. Come on Cambridge!!

[silver04rollas]

I had been so happy that my XRS has been perfectly solid with no rattles or any problems, but shit now I might have my first one since I had been noticing the same high pitch sound when I engage the clutch and slowly coast towards a traffic light with the brake pedal depressed slightly. It starts out shrill a slightly audible (have to listen closely) and then progressively fades away as the speed reduces. I am going to point your case out to my Toyota dealership and have them fix it.

[05XRS]

I own a silver 05 corolla xrs.
I have been having this problem since I just after I got the car last year. I even pm'd you a while back to see if you had this problem. I didn't take to the dealership because I wanted it to get worse first, and also there is a certain time of year where I can bring the car back to the plant as an employee. I am getting a "whooshing" mulching noise under certain moderate accelration and on deceleration when using the engine as a brake. Am I ever glad to see you may have it licked. Mine also goes away when I depress the clutch pedal. This led me to believe it was a vibrating pressure plate or someting. My car also has just under 18,000. Also a high pitched metal on metal rattle coming from behind the gauge cluster where the air tends to stay cold even when the engineis warm. Only happens at higher rpm's. Please let me know how you make out, I am very interested.
Thanks.

[rolla-XRS]

You've got PM.

[REN69]

its the main reason why american-made cars are always bashed.. WE CAN'T MAKE CARS WORTH SHIT!! we lack the quality control that japanese manufacturers pride themselves on.

[BenG]

Originally Posted by REN69

its the main reason why american-made cars are always bashed.. WE CAN'T MAKE CARS WORTH SHIT!! we lack the quality control that japanese manufacturers pride themselves on.

Yea...despite ISO and other quality control measures, when it comes down to it, it's a cultural thing. North Americans are just not bred to be as keen-eyed towards perfection as the Japanese.