Whistle On Acceleration?

[Ryu2000]

Hi my name is Marc. New to the forum and I am a first time Toyota owner.

I recently purchased a manual 2010 Toyota Corolla. The car was obviously purchased second hand from a Toyota dealer. It has done roughly 77,000 kilometres.

The car runs fine and is very smooth. However, once I go about 60 kmph a whistling noise occurs. This gets more high pitched the faster you go. The noise only occurs when I am accelerating. As soon as I take my foot off the gas it stops. As you get faster over 100 kph it blends into the background.

I took it back to the dealer as I've not had the car a week. They had a look and said at some point the car had a knock on the right hand side wing mirror which is affecting the airflow. This is what they think is causing the noise. Left the dealer and exactly the same noise occurred. They said to get the wing mirror replaced would be costly. This was not mentioned in the sale!

However, I am slightly dubious as the noise stops as soon as you take your foot off the accelerator even if you are doing over sixty. So it cannot be airflow. Had a look on the forums and have tried folding mirrors no difference.

Has anyone any thoughts? Are Corollas noisy cars? I didn't really notice it during test drive as I was going a lot slower. The car has a three year basic warranty. The noise is central and if the aircon is on with music you can't hear it much. It is my intention to take it back again but I was hoping for more ammunition!

Thanks in advance.

Marc.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Petrol or diesel? Engine size?

[Ryu2000]

Thanks for the reply. This is a petrol engine. The size is 1.8L.

[Massaro]

The whistle could be the turbo, if your engine has one (almost certain it has a turbo), combined with a defected insulation and/or poor noise and vibration absorbers and dumpers in the engine block and inside. With speed, the air pressure make the joints react diferently, and this factors combined could be producing the whistle you complain. See if also, when you are over 60kmph, the whistle appears when you are in a particular rev range when you give gas to your car. This could indicate that the whistle could be from the turbo. This could also mean a problem with the turbo or that the turbo is working perfectly! Before my corolla (with wich i am very happy) i had a seat ibiza 1.9 TDI, and when the turbo kicked in, you could hear a strong whistle (that was a delight), because it also climbed in speed and power.

If the mirrors were pointed like the probable cause of that whistle, try to see if both mirros are aligned, in all axis.

Another cause could be some wear in in the insulaton rubers from the engine to the car inside.

Usualy toyota's are quiet cars, without much noise, and many people point that as one good caractheristic of the toyotas. Also buying used cars is like playing the lotery. You do not know what happened with the car before you get it. And even then, only with time you know what car you bought. The fact is that many brands have their own used car sale to increase trust on buyers, period. But do they present you, for example, with the shock absorvers test, no. Dealing with expectations when buying a used car is dificult. And a used car it is not a brand new car. Everything gets old and the test of time is sometimes painfull to some cars, models, brands.

Check what waranties were given when you bought the car, take the seller to a drive with your car and another car of the same model and engine if possible.

Buying a used car does not equals buying something with four wheels and an engine.

Do not stand, and go where you bought the car, and show them that the car is not in conditions to be sold...

I had a ford focus sw 5doors, and i had to let go because of the noise over 80kmph (i do a lot of highway), and i traveled many hours at speed above 100kmph. ( the reason for the noise where poor shock absorvers, and with time the insulation rubbers in the doors created a small leak, no water in, just noise).

Hope i could help you and good luck

[Massaro]

And sorry for the long post, but if this is your first toyota, you should know that the resale value of toyotas are high because they have a good built quality when compared with other cars in the same category, and do not have many problems or very expensive visits to the pit stop. My corolla is also a used car (corolla 1.4 d4d diesel sol pack) and it runs very well, but it is not a new car.

Usualy if someone buys a toyota, they keep it. in my family there are more 2 toyotas, one with 26 years. And without problems. My toyota is the only bought used, and untill now no problems of any kind.

If you change the mirror, try to make them responsible if the whistle does not disapears. Make a deal with them.

[Ryu2000]

Thanks for the informative reply. I took it back to the dealer. They had another look. They are now saying it is the wheel bearings. They are willing to replace the wheel bearings they think need replacing as it is under warranty.

I am not still not convinced. I've had wheel bearings go or get worn out before and it is a rumblig sounds. Never had a high pitched sound.

I think you are right in saying it is the turbo. Or something like that. The key for me is the noise stops when I stop accelerating. So if I am in the 70-80 kph range the noise is there. Surely if it was the bearing and I stopped accelerating the noise would continue? But it doesn't - it stops.

I am tempted to phone the dealer and ask him to come out with me for a drive.

[Cyker]

I wonder if it just gearbox whine...?

[Janaa]

Hope you are fine. Did you find any solution to this problem

[oldcodger]

On 31/03/2014 at 1:36 AM, Ryu2000 said:

 

I am tempted to phone the dealer and ask him to come out with me for a drive.

Surely thats the thing that should have been done in the first place ??   - do not ask, insist they drive out with you  !

 

[Janaa]

I have same problem in corolla 2010. Just seeking for advice what parts need to be replaced ?