Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site
 

 


 
Go Back   Toyota Yaris Forums - Ultimate Yaris Enthusiast Site > Technical Forums > DIY / Maintenance / Service
  The Tire Rack

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-19-2014, 02:04 PM   #1
robkay
 
Drives: Hatch
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NW OH
Posts: 89
2007 hatchback making a weird whirring sound

Last Friday my wife came back from a 45 minute drive and told me that car was making a "noise." I drove it for a few minutes and it was definitely making a new noise. As soon as you start it you can hear this sound, not an raspy grind or anything, just sort of a steady whirr in the front.

During my test drive it was present at all times, all gears (automatic) all speeds--forward, reverse, park/stopped. All the time. The car seems to run fine, shifts through all the gears OK. The sound is almost a gear-like sound, but not quite. Tried A/C on and off, no change.

So, the next day I took the car out around town and the sound was gone. Gone until yesterday (Monday) when my wife again came back from her 45 minute drive. I made a couple short drives with the car today and the sound is still there. Not 100% certain, but I "think" the sound is coming from the end of the engine where the belts are. Fluids, including tranny, are all up where they should be.

I'm getting ready to off on a round trip of about an hour and a half drive each way, so I'm sure hoping it goes away again.

Mileage is 82,000. Haven't had to do a thing to it.

Anyhoo--anybody have a thought?

THX
robkay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2014, 02:12 PM   #2
bronsin
 
bronsin's Avatar
 
Drives: 2009 Base Hatch 2 Dr Auto
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: nj
Posts: 4,790
Check the accessory drive belt. Also look for red coolant stains on the bottom side of the hood on the right hand side. Possibly the water pump is going.
__________________
Synthetic Oil: Its All In Your Head
bronsin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2014, 03:06 PM   #3
IllusionX
It's the illusion you see
 
Drives: 07 Yaris Sedan Aero
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brossard, QC
Posts: 3,888
Could also be a failed water pump bearing. Which doesn't necessarily show leaking signs.

Best is to find where exactly the sound is coming from. I suspect the water pump.
__________________
IllusionX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 11:23 AM   #4
robkay
 
Drives: Hatch
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NW OH
Posts: 89
Thanks for the suggestions! Yesterday I made an 80 mile drive and the car made the noise the whole way. It then sat for about 4 hours. Upon hitting the starter for my return trip you could here the sound start to spin up for a second or two, then it went away. It was not heard again the entire 80 mile trip home. Completely silent. Weird.
robkay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 11:30 AM   #5
CTScott
ULTIMATE
 
CTScott's Avatar
 
Drives: 09 5dr LB, 2x 08 3dr LB
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA, CT
Posts: 13,460
Does the sounds change when you turn the A/C on?
__________________
CTScott is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 11:46 AM   #6
robkay
 
Drives: Hatch
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NW OH
Posts: 89
I don't believe so. I thought it might be a tensioner or something. Have tried AC on and off, but it doesn't seem to make a difference as to whether the sound is present or not. As far as pitch, I will have to listen closely to that.

My wife commented that she thought the pitch changes as the car shifts through the gears, but I have not noticed that myself. It's like the sound is either there, or it is not.

Oil, ATF, and coolant all look good. No drips on the floor, no spatter under the hood.
robkay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 11:51 AM   #7
WeeYari
 
WeeYari's Avatar
 
Drives: 06 Polar White 5dr, 13 Soul 4u
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 5,739
Rad fan kicking in when it doesn't necessarily need to be on?
__________________
WeeYari is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 12:04 PM   #8
robkay
 
Drives: Hatch
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NW OH
Posts: 89
Quote:
Originally Posted by WeeYari View Post
Rad fan kicking in when it doesn't necessarily need to be on?
Nah, it's not a "normal" sound in any way. It does not kick in and out at all. Either there or not. Very noticeable and troubling. Thanks, though!

I will say this, though maybe unrelated. For some period of time--like a couple years or more, After backing out of the driveway, then starting forward you can hear this sound which I would characterize as kind of a hydraulic "breath" sound. I say breath because it isn't really a hiss like from an air hose, more like sort of an exhale sound. Probably unrelated I suppose.
robkay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-20-2014, 12:54 PM   #9
IllusionX
It's the illusion you see
 
Drives: 07 Yaris Sedan Aero
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brossard, QC
Posts: 3,888
Quote:
Originally Posted by robkay View Post
Thanks for the suggestions! Yesterday I made an 80 mile drive and the car made the noise the whole way. It then sat for about 4 hours. Upon hitting the starter for my return trip you could here the sound start to spin up for a second or two, then it went away. It was not heard again the entire 80 mile trip home. Completely silent. Weird.

When my water pump bearing failed, it would only do it when the water was cold. Once the water reached operating temps, it was silent.
__________________
IllusionX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 10:31 AM   #10
robkay
 
Drives: Hatch
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NW OH
Posts: 89
Back with an update on the problem. Last Fall I took it to a shop to have it looked at. Based on the perceived location of the sound we thought it was probably the water pump--which I was going to have replaced anyway. Well, a new OEM pump had no effect on the sound.

It is getting a little louder and sounding more of a gear-like whine to me. I'm thinking it's the tranny. Weird thing is, though--it still comes and goes! Sometimes you don't hear it at all. When it comes it might be there all the time...for days. Then it goes away and you don't hear it for days. I think it starts up when the car is warmer, though. Will probably have to run it in to a dealer one of these day, although I hate to go to dealers.
robkay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 11:42 AM   #11
IllusionX
It's the illusion you see
 
Drives: 07 Yaris Sedan Aero
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brossard, QC
Posts: 3,888
You would need to locate the noise. Garages have listening devices for that.
__________________
IllusionX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2015, 11:59 AM   #12
bronsin
 
bronsin's Avatar
 
Drives: 2009 Base Hatch 2 Dr Auto
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: nj
Posts: 4,790
Did you remove the drive belt and run the engine to see if the noise goes away? If it does that leaves the alternator.

My sons alternator bearings went on his ECHO. They made noise for like 50k miles. We never fixed it.
__________________
Synthetic Oil: Its All In Your Head
bronsin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2015, 11:37 AM   #13
shepd
 
Drives: 2007 Yaris 5 door RS
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Kitchener, ON
Posts: 178
If you want to zero in on where noise might be coming from, try finding a long screwdriver. Place the metal end on what you want to listen to, and place the handle against your ear. Be careful near moving parts, obviously.

Voila! Poor man's stethoscope.
shepd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-18-2015, 10:57 AM   #14
loretnoble
I've made a post!
 
Drives: 2007 toyota yaris
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: los angeles, ca
Posts: 1
Mine is making the same noise. I have no idea what it is. I have a 2007 with 150,000 miles on it. Seems to be coming from the belt area. Thought of just changing out the belt for the heck of it. I don't want to go to the dealer either but I'm getting worried. I don't want anything to break down in mid drive. Car drives perfect otherwise. Did you every find out what it was?
loretnoble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2015, 09:19 PM   #15
jayeh
 
Drives: '08 Yaris LB
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 328
Did anyone ever find out what their noise was?

Mine recently started to make the same noise and I can't figure out what it is, nor can the garage. Alternator belt was replaced with no change in the sound.
__________________
jayeh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2015, 12:34 PM   #16
RutherfordmanX
 
Drives: 2017 Yaris Hatchback
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Rutherfordton, NC
Posts: 52
There is a you tube out there for Yaris alternator noise. As soon as I watched it and heard it I knew that was my problem. Replaced alternator and it fixed it. I drove for at least two years with the noise so it will go awhile. The screwdriver trick worked to on figuring it out.
RutherfordmanX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2016, 12:28 PM   #17
robkay
 
Drives: Hatch
Join Date: May 2009
Location: NW OH
Posts: 89
Quote:
Originally Posted by bronsin View Post
Did you remove the drive belt and run the engine to see if the noise goes away? If it does that leaves the alternator.

My sons alternator bearings went on his ECHO. They made noise for like 50k miles. We never fixed it.
Hey everybody. Just a follow-up on this. I had taken the car into a shop that specialized in Asian vehicles. They did exactly what bronsin suggested above and the sound seemed to go away. They thought it sounded more like the water pump than the alternator. I kind of agreed, so we went ahead and replaced the pump. That didn't fix it. I didn't mind, though, as I wanted to get the pump replaced anyway.

Drove the care several more months and the sound would come and go. Then, this Fall, it got a lot worse. Took it back in to the shop and the owner was in a jackass mood and I decided I didn't need that. I found a different shop out of town (Ann Arbor, MI) that had really good reviews on Yelp. The guys there are great and were certain it was the alternator. They were right. There is no longer any hint of the sound.
robkay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-02-2016, 02:01 PM   #18
RutherfordmanX
 
Drives: 2017 Yaris Hatchback
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Rutherfordton, NC
Posts: 52
I installed a NAPA alternator. From time to time my battery light will come on. There are some reads on here about that with after market alternators. It always goes off the next time I crank up and does not affect performance. If you get a factory alternator then I think you won't get the light but they are much more expensive. Just thought I would mention this in case it happens. My 2008 is past 325,000 miles now:)
RutherfordmanX is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Sound when making a left turn (a water flow sound) jimmydie DIY / Maintenance / Service 9 06-20-2013 05:35 PM
my 2007 hatchback frodos Photo-Video-Media Gallery 0 10-20-2008 02:32 PM
Yaris 2007 Hatchback for sale hystria Items for Sale by private party 7 09-28-2007 10:15 PM
2007 Toyota Yaris Hatchback AEM Intake KenAEM Performance Modifications 6 03-24-2007 11:47 AM
weird sound yrsdrgn Cosmetic Modifications (Exterior/Interior) 7 02-05-2007 11:47 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:09 AM.




YarisWorld
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.