Growling '01 Sequoia - Toyota Tundra Forums : Tundra Solutions Forum

Geodude · #1 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 07:35 PM

I'm getting noises from my Sequoia that I'm having trouble solving. I'm hoping some of the experts around here may have some ideas. Maybe it's just angry.

My Sequoia had been making a slight growl/roar sound for quite a few months, but lately it has gotten worse. It comes on above 25 mph and is clearly audible up to 60-70 mph (still there above that too, but competing with regular road, engine and tire sounds). It drops off again below 25 mph.

No matter what I do with the 4WD system, the gear selection (including OD), it persists. It varies with road speed, but not engine speed. In other words I can drop it in neutral and let the engine idle at highway speed and the sound is still there. I even tried shutting the engine off and it was still there as I glided.

It has been looked at by a tranny shop and, this week, the dealer. Both shops could hear the noise. The tranny shop said the tranny was fine and that it was likely the tires. Since the Revos were needing to be replaced anyway, I put on Uniroyal Laredos but the noise remained.

This past week I took it to Tony Graham Toyota here in Ottawa. I went for a ride with a tech and he could hear it. They "put the truck on a hoist and listened with a stethoscope and heard nothing at the pinion brg, diff brg or axle brg. Rotate tires, road tested again. Same. Checked oil in rear diff. Good. Could not isolate. Recommend performing 4-wheel alignment and then retesting."

So today I had it aligned by another shop. It did need an adjustment to one front wheel, but the noise still persists. BTW at the time of the alignment the new Laredos have 9,850 kms on them.

I read about cabin noise intrusion being caused by a worn steering shaft boot, and I've got under it and looked and it appears to be fine. Besides, as I mentioned the noise is still there when the engine is off.

The truck otherwise runs well, with no vibration at all. So if anyone has any good ideas on what to do next, I'd be one happy clam.

Limited Sequoia · #2 (**permalink**) 07-25-2009, 07:49 PM

Are you sure it isn't the tranny it sure sounds like the noise my truck made before the transmission went to making worse noises then needing replaced.

celica · #3 (**permalink**) 07-26-2009, 09:34 PM

Hey Paul,

Long time no talk. hopefully the family is well. It sounds like a bearing noise to me. Sometimes they are a little tricky to diagnose but the dealersa are usually pretty good at them. However the rear bearing don't go out all that often.

Geodude · #4 (**permalink**) 07-27-2009, 08:53 PM

Thanks for the input guys. I think at this point we're just going to keep driving it and see what happens. Loud music may be the order of the day.

At some point it's going to get traded in, most likely on a 2008 or 2009 Ford F-250 or 350 diesel, to maximize trailer pulling power and perhaps change the kind of trailer we pull. But all in all I'd really like to get another couple of years out of the Sequoia.

Matt, some of your Alberta hills gave the Sequoia a good workout this summer, pulling the TT!

Geodude · #5 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 09:23 PM

I gave the local Toyota Truck dealer, Mendes Toyota, a crack at this since the first dealer couldn't figure it out. After spending two hours on it (but charging me for just one hour) they say it needs wheel bearings all around. They said the rears are worse than the fronts, and one of the rears is worse than the other.

Does anyone know what the bearing life should be on the fronts and rears of the Sequoia? We tow a heavy trailer, and the truck spends 75% of its life towing.

I understand that 100K miles isn't all that much for the Toy rear axle brgs even w/heavy towing. Those axles have been around in one form or another a long time.

As far as I know it has never been used tow/launch a boat, so I doubt water incursion could be the culprit.

They're quoting $650 to do the front and $1113 to do the rear, plus tax. I think I'll get a quote from an indy near my office tomorrow. I'm also wondering about doing only the rears to see how much of a difference that makes.

Does anyone know about the type and characteristics of the front and rear bearings? Is it normal for either to go at this mileage?

I'm told by a friend in the bearing business that the fronts are probably sealed for life double row angular contact ball bearing hub units and the rears (outside anyway) will most likely be taper roller bearings. He guesses that most of the noise is from the rear, and doubts that the towing is the only cause.

I guess I'm looking for any experience or advice on this one, as I figure out what to do.

muvico · #6 (**permalink**) 10-30-2009, 10:06 PM

shop around , may get a better price.I would replace rears for now till you can budget the fronts.

Geodude · #7 (**permalink**) 11-07-2009, 09:00 AM

Well it's going in to my indy on Monday. He suggested as you do, just do one and see how much of a difference it makes, and don't do the others if they don't need it. His labour rate is $80/hr, rather than the $98/hr the dealer wants.

Not sure why wheel bearings would go with 155k kms on the clock. We also had a front wheel bearing go on our Rav4 a couple of months ago. I've owned a awful lot of Toyotas, and the quality sure isn't what it used to be. I'm not going to have brand loyalty next time I'm shopping for a vehicle!

dx3 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 12:04 PM

I actually have a noise much like yours, but I have diagnosed mine to be the Transfer Case and not the wheel bearings... Hope I am right as it is an expensive fix! Let us know if yours gets rid of the problem or not...

Jonny

Geodude · #9 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 01:09 PM

Update!

My indy took the rears apart last week and found out the wheel bearings are fine, so he put it back together and drove it over to a local tranny shop. That shop drove it and said it sounds like the pinion bearing in the rear differential. They say $1200 to repair. If it needs inner axle bearings (I think that's what they're called) the price would climb to $2K. My indy said once they're into it it could climb to $4K easily.

Both the indy and the tranny shop said the noise really isn't that noticeable, it's just that my ear is finely tuned since it drive it all the time. Both suggested leaving it alone for the time being. That tells me that it's a really good time to trade it, so with some trepidation I have started the hunt and over the winter will make a change. I don't know where this will lead, but after discussing with DW last night, we know it won't be another Toyota as their quality ratings just aren't there any longer plus we need something that will tow heavy. We'll still have the Rav3 tho.

Dx3 - Just curious, what leads you to believe it's your transfer case? I wouldn't want to rule anything out, still. Nothing I do with the 4WD system makes any difference to what I'm hearing, but I have had problems with my transfer case in the past.

dx3 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geodude

Dx3 - Just curious, what leads you to believe it's your transfer case? I wouldn't want to rule anything out, still. Nothing I do with the 4WD system makes any difference to what I'm hearing, but I have had problems with my transfer case in the past.

Unfortunately I was not the one who diagnosed it. The person I took the Sequoia as a trade from had it diagnosed from Toyota as "potentially" the problem. Toyota wanted $4000 to fix it ($2400 for new TC and $1600 for labor.) So, I took it off his hands as a partial trade. Bought a used TC with 46k on it for $550 and paid a friend of a friend $250 to do the install. Now it is fixed.

Anyway, getting back to your question. The sound it made was like someone swinging a rope around in circles above their head. !)

The weird part is, the PO never towed or used the 4WD so I am not quite sure what led to its failure (173k on the clock.)

Sorry if this is absolutely no help!
Jonny

JD and Beastlet · #11 (**permalink**) 11-19-2009, 10:07 AM

Hey Paul,

Sorry to hear it's not a simple thing and that you are looking to part ways with your Sequoia... keep me up to date with your search for a Super Duty... we may go that way ourselves in the future.

Geodude · #12 (**permalink**) 11-19-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dx3

Unfortunately I was not the one who diagnosed it. The person I took the Sequoia as a trade from had it diagnosed from Toyota as "potentially" the problem. Toyota wanted $4000 to fix it ($2400 for new TC and $1600 for labor.) So, I took it off his hands as a partial trade. Bought a used TC with 46k on it for $550 and paid a friend of a friend $250 to do the install. Now it is fixed.

Anyway, getting back to your question. The sound it made was like someone swinging a rope around in circles above their head. !)

The weird part is, the PO never towed or used the 4WD so I am not quite sure what led to its failure (173k on the clock.)

Sorry if this is absolutely no help!
Jonny

Actually, that's helpful. The sound you describe isn't what I'm hearing so that's maybe some comfort.

Geodude · #13 (**permalink**) 11-19-2009, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD and Beastlet

Hey Paul,

Sorry to hear it's not a simple thing and that you are looking to part ways with your Sequoia... keep me up to date with your search for a Super Duty... we may go that way ourselves in the future.

Thanks JD. I've been doing quite a bit of reading on the F-250 and Sierra 2500, both diesels. The heart says the Ford and the head says the GMC. And there are very few '08s and '09s around. To compound things, our possible Christmas trip to Florida may be back on. I hate buying cars at the best of times, let alone under time pressure. So one idea I have is to try to fix the Sequoia. Don't you just love a moving target?!