Toyota Auris 2017 1.2T - Engine noise, drone and chittering

[Cmaknze]

I have a 2017 Toyota Auris Petrol 1.2t. 
The car has about 8000 miles on the clock and has been treated very well, fully serviced and well taken care of. 

I noticed a few new noises in my engine bay yesterday. 

One is a loud clicking noise, sounds like a solenoid firing in quick succession. This noise is perceivable as soon as you turn the engine on, accelerating seems to make no difference, depressing clutch or moving steering makes no difference. It switches off when engine start/stop kicks in, but turns on as soon as the engine kicks back over. 

The second noise is a loud droning noise. It almost sounds like the noise you would expect from an electrical generator/transformer. Its a loud humming drone. Its not noticeable immediately but after driving for a few minutes, you can hear it. Accelerating seems to make no difference, depressing clutch or moving steering makes no difference. It switches off when engine start/stop kicks in, turns on as soon as the engine kicks back over. Once the noise has started, its returns. 

Please be aware this car is not the hybrid version. (Mod edit: shouting removed)

The car itself appears to drive ok. I haven't yet noticed any degradation in performance or MPG, there are no warning lights active, but as I haven't heard these noises before I thought it was best to check with the community for some help. 

I have linked two Youtube videos. Apologise for the portrait vs landscape. 

I have also attached a screenshot showing the approximate location of the noise as far as I can hear. 

Clicking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_u7qpAN7-E&feature=youtu.be
Droning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KdEL94KoH4&feature=youtu.be

[FROSTYBALLS]

12 minutes ago, Cmaknze said:

Please be aware this car is not the hybrid version..

Hybrid Auris are 1.8 and not 1.2T - shouting removed.

[Cmaknze]

Thanks Frostyballs, 
Was just trying to be clear here as to which model it was. 

Seen a few posts with people getting the 1.2 and 1.8 mixed up. 

THanks for fixing the post. 

[Gerg]

I don't think I've looked under the bonnet of the 1.2T engine, but as I understand it the engine is a 'direct injection' engine. The red circle you have drawn is highlighting the high pressure fuel pump, this is driven by dedicated camshaft lobes.  On early VW direct injection engines, some older ones have suffered early wear to that operating mechanism, which can cause them to make quite a racket.  I have never heard of a fault with the Toyota 1.2T, but don't read too much into that; I wouldn't be the first to know!  I would expect any wear to be happening after much, much higher mileages than yours has covered, and as this is a newer design, then that problem is much less likely anyway.  Most new, turbo, petrol engines are using this same basic design. 

The yellow circle is sitting above the injector connectors - you can make out four similar connectors from the wiring loom, almost certainly attaching to the four injectors.

The injectors on a Direct Injection (DI, also sometimes GDI, Gasoline Direct Injection)) engine are working at much higher pressures than the previous port injection technology, and with much tighter control.  Also, it is probable that on account of that the solenoid inside the injectors are driven by a much more energetic current, probably pulsed at high frequency.  That is likely what you are hearing from the yellow circle.

I have not listened to a 1.2T Toyota engine to know how loud these noises are, hopefully an owner can help out here.  If it's a new noise, then I would certainly run it past your local dealer.   As the technology has been around for some years now (remember the Mitsubishi Carisma?, that was a pioneer), I would expect the buzzing nature of the injector noise to be normal.  But I could only guess about the nature of the fuel pump noise.

I'm sure someone who knows this engine will be along shortly...

 

[Sidrat]

It would still be under warranty, take it into a dealership for them to diagnose and repair. 

[Devon Aygo]

There are two TSB from Toyota for the 1.2T for noises from the engine bay:

The first and earliest:

EG-0030T-0317

Subject: Noise from the vacuum regulating valve

Models: AURIS; C-HR

Model codes: NRE185; NGX10; NGX50

DESCRIPTION OF PHENOMENON Some customers may experience and report noise coming from the engine compartment. The noise is coming from the Vacuum Regulating Valve. In some occasions the following DTC is stored in the ECU: DTC P024313 Turbocharger wastegate solenoid “A” circuit open.

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION An efficient single-scroll turbocharger is used to achieve high torque from low to high engine speeds. A wastegate valve is used in the turbocharger sub-assembly. When the vehicle is being driven at low load (turbocharging not necessary), the wastegate valve opens to decrease the back pressure and reduce pumping losses during the exhaust stroke. Also, the wastegate valve opens during start-up to decrease the amount of time needed for the catalyst to warm up. The wastegate valve is closed during higher engine loads.

PRODUCTION CHANGE The internal structure of the vacuum regulating valve is changed to prevent this phenomenon from occurring.

REPAIR PROCEDURE Replace the “Valve assy, vacuum regulating” according to the procedure in the repair manual.

The second and latter

EG-00113T-TME

Subject: 8NR-FTS Noise from the vacuum regulating valve

Area of Application: All Markets

 

Model Codes: Auris - NRE185 ;C-HR - NGX10, NGX50 ;

 

Description of the phenomenon: Some customers may experience and report noise coming from the engine compartment. The noise is coming from the Vacuum Regulating Valve due to air resonance in the vacuum hose.

 

Production change: The structure of the vacuum hose is changed.

 

Repair procedure: Remove "HOSE, VACUUM TRANSMITTING, NO.3" and replace it with the latest part number. Use "CLAMP, FUEL HOSE" for new installation.

[Cmaknze]

5 minutes ago, Devon Aygo said:

There are two TSB from Toyota for the 1.2T for noises from the engine bay:

The first and earliest:

EG-0030T-0317

Subject: Noise from the vacuum regulating valve

Models: AURIS; C-HR

Model codes: NRE185; NGX10; NGX50

DESCRIPTION OF PHENOMENON Some customers may experience and report noise coming from the engine compartment. The noise is coming from the Vacuum Regulating Valve. In some occasions the following DTC is stored in the ECU: DTC P024313 Turbocharger wastegate solenoid “A” circuit open.

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION An efficient single-scroll turbocharger is used to achieve high torque from low to high engine speeds. A wastegate valve is used in the turbocharger sub-assembly. When the vehicle is being driven at low load (turbocharging not necessary), the wastegate valve opens to decrease the back pressure and reduce pumping losses during the exhaust stroke. Also, the wastegate valve opens during start-up to decrease the amount of time needed for the catalyst to warm up. The wastegate valve is closed during higher engine loads.

PRODUCTION CHANGE The internal structure of the vacuum regulating valve is changed to prevent this phenomenon from occurring.

REPAIR PROCEDURE Replace the “Valve assy, vacuum regulating” according to the procedure in the repair manual.

The second and latter

EG-00113T-TME

Subject: 8NR-FTS Noise from the vacuum regulating valve

Area of Application: All Markets

 

Model Codes: Auris - NRE185 ;C-HR - NGX10, NGX50 ;

 

Description of the phenomenon: Some customers may experience and report noise coming from the engine compartment. The noise is coming from the Vacuum Regulating Valve due to air resonance in the vacuum hose.

 

Production change: The structure of the vacuum hose is changed.

 

Repair procedure: Remove "HOSE, VACUUM TRANSMITTING, NO.3" and replace it with the latest part number. Use "CLAMP, FUEL HOSE" for new installation.

Thank you Devon, I really appreciate this effort!!!

Time to take the car in I think. 

I booked the car in for Thursday as a precaution, do you know if there are any implications on driving the car until its booked in, basically I am looking to ensure I don't damage the car. Should I modify my driving behaviour until I get the car in? 

Do you know whether I should expect to feel any behavioural difference in the car if the car is subject to this problem (poor mpg, poor performance or any follow on damage)?

Kind Regards

[Kapildev]

Hi. Did you sorted it out? if yes whats was it? I have same toyota auris 1.2t, experiencing same problem? Can i drive it untill its fixed?

[TonyHSD]

2 hours ago, Kapildev said:

Hi. Did you sorted it out? if yes whats was it? I have same toyota auris 1.2t, experiencing same problem? Can i drive it untill its fixed?

Have you use 95 petrol in your car recently or 99 premium? You can try to use 99 E5 and see if any difference in engine noise. The new 95 E10 might cause some issues especially on direct injection engines. Just as idea, I don’t know if it will help you out. 
Regards 

[Kapildev]

Thank yoi TonyHSD. Will try it on my next fuel fill

[AisinW]

Direct injection is always loud. If you have the same noise since it was new, you are chasing the ghosts. The humming sound could be vacuum valve issue that is known from TSB. The clicking fuel pump is normal