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New Pri - New Noise

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by attenergy, Oct 27, 2005.

  1. attenergy

    attenergy New Member

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    Hi All,

    Took delivery of my '05 Pri last Saturday and noticed that the steering wheel was off center. No big...so I took it in to the dealership and they worked on it today.

    As I am driving home, I notice a 'new' sound coming from the drivers side close to my feet by the steering column. It happens when I accelerate to about 15 mph, then stops. It also happens sometimes when I brake. It sounds like a playing card in a bicycle wheel.

    I searched the forums and didn't find anything close to this.

    Any idea what this could be?
     
  2. IALTMANN

    IALTMANN New Member

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    Check the outside of the wheels, something could be caught in the space between the front plastic fender pieces and the tires. Had similar problems with the car noises and it turned out to be caught debris in the front end of the car, you would not hear it at alot at low speeds, and really hear it at higher speed. Other then that have the dealer re-check the front end alignment and calibration.
     
  3. electronics_scrounger

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    Maybe they stuck a card in there to goof with you....

    Reminds me of when I was riding my bicycle with another rider, we were going nuts trying to figure out what this whistling noise was from her bike..... I took a close look and it was a leaf stuck in under her rear brake caliper.
     
  4. beansbear

    beansbear New Member

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    Make sure the inner plastic of the wheel well is secured with the rivets. The last time I heard that sound was when one of them was loose. Check to see that they are all tightened and secure.
     
  5. attenergy

    attenergy New Member

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    Thanks for the quick responses. I am actually going back to the dealer tonight because the guy that tinted my windows left greasy fingerprints on the cloth on both doors and the arm rest :angry:

    I will have a tech check it an let everyone know what he says.
     
  6. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    sounds like one of those plastic wheel rings isn't on there tightly. let us know what it turns out to be...
     
  7. marlowe7

    marlowe7 Junior Member

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    I predict it's none of those things. I started a thread on this subject on PriusOnline. It's just a noise that happens sometimes, then disappears, then happens again. For me, it started after a few months. I don't like it, but it's not that big a deal. People have speculated a number of things to cause it, but none seem to be correctable. Assuming it's the same sound I (and many others have), you may just have to live with it.

    marlowe
     
  8. LaughingMan

    LaughingMan Active Member

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    I hear that sometimes too. It definitely sounds like something mechanical, like some kind of whirring. Possibly a pump of somekind. It seems to be of the same type of noise (one of them anyway) that I hear in the minute or so after I power down the Prius.

    I think it's probably perfectly normal.
     
  9. jamarimutt

    jamarimutt New Member

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    You'll probably hear several rattles and noises during the coming months, as they have been widely reported in this forum. My 2004 Prius rattles more over uneven pavement than my 1997 Caravan. :(
     
  10. attenergy

    attenergy New Member

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    Thanks again for your posts everyone.

    Here is what the tech said last night. He said that it is a brake pump accumulator and that when you start the car it will make this whirring noise as the system performs a test on the ABS brake system. It will also happen when the hydraulic system needs some extra pressure. This sound will happen occasionally and is normal.

    Mine however is happening 90% of the time that I brake or accelerate which he said is not normal.

    I am taking it back to the shop on Tuesday :angry:
     
  11. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    I had the same thing happen to me. Front left. I looked at the front tire etc nothing. I had my wife come out side to listen while I drove back and forth on the drive way when suddenly a little piece of plastic flipped out. Looked like some sort of plastic water bottle top. My theory was it was wedged in the disk brake and was rubbing. Nose went away. If my wife had not seen it pop out I would have never figured it out.
     
  12. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    I've seen those posts too, but I'm hoping it's just a case that the people without rattles have no reason to complain. My 2-month old, 1,850-mile car is ROCK-SOLID TIGHT. The only noise I have ever heard came from something I was carrying in the back. I'm hoping this isn't going to change on me. :)
     
  13. tomdeimos

    tomdeimos New Member

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    My car has lots of rattles, but when I track them down it is usually something I put in the car. Things like the wheel nuts I have to carry because the spare tire uses different ones than my steel wheel snow tire set. The actual car rattles are only over big bumps with my 42 lbs tire pressures, and are less than any of my previous cars.
     
  14. aabbas

    aabbas New Member

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    Mine has this sound too. I hope this helps clear something up for those of you who are saying "My Prius doesn't rattle": it's not the kind of noise you think of when someone says "rattle". I'd describe it as a quiet click (like a relay or something) occuring at a constant frequency of about 10-15Hz for a duration of about three seconds. I notice it happening a couple of times on a typical around-town trip. It sounds like it's coming from near the front right corner.

    Alex
     
  15. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    Well, if we aren't talking about rattles, let me mention there are several 'housekeeping' sounds that you will not hear on a normal car, but which are perfectly normal on the Prius. An example would be the pumping of the radiator fluid into the thermos when you turn the car off. I've heard odd activity while waiting in fast-food drive-thrus, but I've never been concerned with the sounds. Perhaps a technical expert could chime in with all the unusual things a Prius does on a daily basis.
     
  16. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    well dont have anything to add to this post, but after nearly 18 months and 18,000 miles, i have discovered a new noise...

    last night, i had parked the car, and me being me, had to turn everything off, so i had the defrost on, so turned it off which causes it to switch to heat, then switched off fan and heard a squeak.

    with some experimentation, was able to reproduce the sound and have determined the sound comes from the reposition of the vent from defrost to the foot position.

    i had never noticed this before because i usually have all that stuff off as im pulling into park, but was on cellphone and didnt do it untill i was already stopped. dont know if the quieter situation did it or if it is something that has just started...anyone else have this?
     
  17. Wayne

    Wayne Active Member

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    Here are a few sound warnings from the owner's manual:

    * When the hybrid system is started or stopped, you may hear a sound coming from the hybrid vehicle battery in the luggage compartment. However, this does not indicate any trouble.

    * You may hear a small sound in the engine compartment after the hybrid system is started or the brake pedal is depressed repeatedly. This is a pump pulsating sound of the brake system, and it is not a malfunction.

    * When the anti-lock brake system is activated, you may hear the anti-lock brake system operating and the vibrations of the vehicle body and steering wheel. You may also hear the motor sound in the engine compartment even after the vehicle is stopped.

    In the following conditions, you may hear a motor sound in the engine compartment:

    * The brake pedal is depressed when the hybrid system is turned off.
    * The driver’s door is opened.
    * For a few seconds after the hybrid system is “OFF†and about 90 seconds have passed.

    I'm sure there are many other noises we haven't heard on conventional vehicles before... Of course it would be nice to be able to identify/explain any noise you do hear, so repair people, feel free to chime in!