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Rumbling vibration when driving or parked

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by 04 Prius, Jun 24, 2018.

  1. 04 Prius

    04 Prius Member

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    Going to work today (22 mile cummute) about 1/3 of the way there I noticed a deep low rumble, definitely a bearing or axle noise. It did not change in turns. It did change with load, gets a little quieter during accel or decel, gets louder under light load cruising. It’s enough to make the entire car quiver. No noises aside from the deep rumble.

    Finished my day at work, got in & turned the car on, engine started, still in park. I thought the dashboard was going to fly off in my lap the car was rumbling/buzzing so violently! No noises other than the entire interior buzzing from vibration. I do notice when parked & the engine is charging on the MFD the vibration is notably worse than when it is running not charging. I’m sure it’s a transaxle issue at this point, but curious on thoughts as to what it could be. My suspicion is an MG1 bearing.

    Car is an ‘04 Prius with 223k on the clock.
     
  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Do you have a way to read the codes?

    Have you had any other noises or vibrations recently?

    Original owner?

    How’s the mpg been?

    Good luck and keep us posted (y).
     
    SFO likes this.
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    motor mount?
     
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  4. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Seen some chain failures and def not the dif or mg1 as you were not moving. Pull the trans fluid asap and look for bits of metal on the magnet and in the fluid if you suspect trans failure. Before dumping check the level of the fluid at the fill hole. May be low on fluid and blew up.

    have you been hearing some suspicious noises for a while down under?

    May be lack of maintenance on the fluid or you lost the fluid from leak at the inner cv joints seal.
    Have you ever changed the trans fluid?
     
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  5. 04 Prius

    04 Prius Member

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    I haven’t tried scanning any codes yet, all dash lights are normal.
    MPG!/ si far as I know we’re normal, last week I noticed it seemed like I had to use the throttle more to keep velocity wher it normally would coast freely, felt like it was fighting a light resistance.
     
    #5 04 Prius, Jun 24, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2018
  6. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    This is sounding like a bad hv battery:(.

    Have you had this looked at?

    The codes will guide the next steps:).

    I’d want to know what exactly I was looking at before shot gunning parts at the problem ;).

    Good luck and keep us posted (y).
     
    SFO likes this.
  7. 04 Prius

    04 Prius Member

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    The camera distorts the sound like a high speed rod knock, that noise is actually the dash/console plastics vibrating
     
  8. 04 Prius

    04 Prius Member

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    For some reason the video wouldn’t load yesterday (probably too big).

    I scanned it today, no pending or set codes in any of the 3 modules. I won’t be tearing into it until next week at the earliest, too much going on this week. By then I’ll decide if I’m going to fix this beat up hail storm survivor, or retire it & start driving the nice ‘07 I’ve had set aside.
     
  9. 04 Prius

    04 Prius Member

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    UPDATE:

    I finally had some time to get it on my lift & poke around. Turns out (ironically) the vibration dampener pellet on the lower engine mount separated & the steel pellet fell directly into the engine torque mount, transferring all engine vibration directly to the chassis.
     
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    good find, congrats!(y)
     
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  11. JIM777

    JIM777 Member

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    This link was very helpful got under there try to find bad motor mount. As it ran in inspection mode shaking between engine mount and frame. Then a rock fell out apparently was pinched between engine and frame problem solved. Just thought might help somebody.
     
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