[wileetundra]

It can be very deceptive where exactly the sound is coming from. I think I know the sound you're hearing seadragon. I've had it since day one if it's cold, and I thought it might be coming from below me when I started the truck but I checked once with the hood open and it was the power steering pump pully. After a few seconds it quiets down, I'd have to guess after the power steering fluid stops being a jelly and becomes somewhat liquid again.

+ 1

I had the same noise on several cold starts recently. The first few times I heard it I was convinced that it was coming from under the middle of the truck. After opening the hood and leaning over the engine while my wife started it, it was very obvious that it was coming from the belts/pulleys on the left side behind the wiper fluid bottle. This makes sense because this is the first time in 2 years that the Tundra has been started in temps ranging from 10-25 F. It normally never gets that cold down here. The noise doesn't happen on a warm start or on a warmer day and the duration/pitch varies based on how cold it is so I am certain it is the belts. With the hood closed, the sound is bounced around a bit making it hard to tell where it is really coming from. I am going to squirt the belts with some dressing and wish for warmer weather to return.

 

[shooter2jim]

I stuck my head out the door as I hit the remote start this a.m. at +10F and I thought I heard the same noise for 2 seconds. It went away so I figured it was a lubrication issue. I finished getting ready and went out to a warm truck. Disturbing noise, but I'm less worried now that I know it's a fairly common issue.

 

[seadragon]

Just a quick update on this guys...

The truck squealed really loud and long this morning with it being so cold last night. So, I emailed my dealer and explained the issue and gave them a link to my video demonstrating the sound.

They emailed me back stating that its the tensioner pulley and have ordered me one. Apparently, there have been other trucks in for the same problem and a new pulley solved it.

So, I'll get that replaced soon and that should be the end of the squeal. :tu:

 

[Redzone1]

Hi guys,

Yesterday, when I started the Tundra, it made a squealing sound for about 8 seconds. It sounded like it was coming from under the truck as opposed to the engine. The squealing gradually faded and things went back to normal. It scared me in fact. Then I started thinking it sounded like something that was not getting oil immediately.

Could the transmission make this kind of sound?

The outside temp was around 9F.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I had the same problem because the drive belt cracked. Had it replaced and no more problem. it's an 07 trd dc 4.7l

 

[seadragon]

Just realized that I never posted a follow up on this.

The squealing sound was indeed the tensioner pulley. TSB is out on this issue and was applied to my truck (attached). No more squeal.

 

[Gebo]

Does anyone have the TSB for a 2003 Tundra?

 

[seadragon]

Well, the truck is squealing again. I had the TSB for the tensioner pulley done back in April 2009.

I'm beginning to wonder if it might be something else going on? This isn't the sound of the engine not getting enough oil at startup or something?

The temperature has been about +8F here in the morning lately.

I took this video this morning...

 

[Mr. Creosote]

It seems to go away after a couple seconds. Can you hear it after the truck has warmed up?

 

[seadragon]

It seems to go away after a couple seconds. Can you hear it after the truck has warmed up?

It only occurs when you first start the truck after it's been sitting in the cold for a while or overnight. Once warmed up, it doesn't make the noise.

 

[Mr. Creosote]

Mine always makes some sort of noise upon first start on cold days. This goes away after a couple seconds just like yours. The only difference would be that mine tends to have a lower frequency tone than yours.

 

[mendonsy]

That is a weird noise. Mine does not do that and our temperatures here are similar to yours. :noidea:

 

[bigMoney]

That just doesn't sound like a belt to me, its too steady. To me a belt has a bit of a warble. And there's at least a hundred mechanical things that could squeal like that on super cold days. Are you running the correct oil type, 0w-20? One other solution is to move down here in beautiful South Carolina! Never gets THAT cold here.

 

[seadragon]

Yeah, it worries me because to my ears, it sounds metallic in nature. Like a bearing or something. My fear now is that maybe the engine is not getting oil fast enough at startup or something like that. The fact that it only happens on cold starts and lasts for just a few seconds has me thinking oil. I don't know what an engine sounds like that has no oil but I would imagine it sounds something like that. I'm running 5W20 oil btw.

The TSB that was done in April had them replace the tensioner pulley. I guess a pulley can also make a metallic screech like that too, but I would think it would just keep screeching if it was a bad pulley.

Arghh.. I just wish I could go 6 months without having to take the truck back to the dealer for something.

 

[bigMoney]

May i suggest 3 steps to help with this?

1. Take it to the dealer and replace the 5w-20 with 0w-20. Better for low temps.
2. Ask that they check the tranny fluid for the correct level - its got to be at the correct temp, real pain in the rear to check. And if your ca$h level is high enough just have them replace it.
3. Get some kind of block / tranny heater installed whether its just an electric blanket or a couple of drop lights hanging right near the oil / tranny pans.

Report back the results please!

 

[EVOL ARDNUT]

That is no belt or pully sound, get it to dealer and if you have to park it there, leave with friend and come back in morning to start it for them to recreate sound.
I USED TO GET A SQUEALING sound in 50 degrees Texas mornings and it went away after pulley TSB.

Seadragon, have the dealer check it out and has got to be first thing in cold morning.

Hate to know that some of these trucks are not getting oil fast enough.

Hope you get a real DOCUMENTED FOR FUTURE answer FROM DEALER. IF YOU GET MY DRIFT.

 

[seadragon]

Quick update on this...

Dropped it off yesterday to the dealer. Temps went down to -15C (5F) last night. They started it up this morning and of course, it didn't make the squeal.

They checked things out in the shop and told me everything looks fine. I had them do an oil change and switched to 0W20 synthetic oil while it was there.

Very cold temps coming over the next few nights here so I'll see if synthetic makes a difference. Then again, it could be something unrelated to oil making the sound.

I've got just under 60,000 kms (37K miles) on the truck, so I figure it should be safe to switch to synthetic. The engine has always run perfectly fine.

 

[seadragon]

So, after switching to 0W20 synthetic yesterday, I started the truck up this morning when it was 1F outside. Heating controls were off.

The truck squealed again. It sounds like its coming from in front of the engine. Could be a pulley or something with the clutch fan I'm thinking now. I don't really mind that is makes the screech, I'm more concerned about if it's causing any damage.

Of course, it didn't do this for the dealer yesterday morning after it sat outside in almost the same temps.

At least I have synthetic oil now.

Here's the startup this morning...

 

[Frankenstein]

Belt or power steering pump? One or the other -- or both, belt on power steering pump.

 

[HippopoThomas96]

I'm having the same noise now on my 2013 tundra with 130k miles. Did you end up figuring out what the issue was?