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Transmission whirring noise?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by yibo829, Feb 22, 2019.

  1. yibo829

    yibo829 Junior Member

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    Can someone watch this short video I made? You can hear the whirring noise coming from under the hood when I'm on the gas pedal, the noise seems to go away when I lift my foot off the gas pedal. Is this a sign my car's transmission is failing?


     
  2. audiodave

    audiodave Active Member

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    How many miles and has the fluid been changed?
    I couldn't really hear anything wrong with what I heard.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i honestly couldn't hear anything, i don't think you have any worries
     
  4. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

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    OK; I don't know if it is 'abnormal' but I can hear the whine you are speaking about; it is basically there on acceleration only, is a mild whine, mostly (but not fully) goes away when you let go of the accelerator. Mine didn't have it last time it was moving. It is probably nothing, but :
    - How many miles has the car done?
    - When was the fluid last changed (has it been changed?). Also what is the fluid level (when was that last checked).

    If it is bothering you, it can't hurt to get a proper transmission fluid change done. I don't know where to direct you to but it will be on this forum somewhere.
     
  5. yibo829

    yibo829 Junior Member

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    My car has about 144,300 miles now. The transmission fluid was last changed around 109,900 miles on 10/30/2015 at a Toyota dealer. And “landspeed” described the symptoms perfectly.
     
  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    "Florida" is a pretty vague location, so it's impossible for other Floridians to know if they are close enough to hear it in person.

    That said, I didn't hear anything unusual in the video.
     
    Skibob and edthefox5 like this.
  7. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    I think I hear it.

    If it only does it when you have the gas pedal engaged that means its coming from the engine as the engine shuts off when you lift off the gas pedal.

    Not much info from you. Where do you live? How many miles? How long have you owned the car? Is it a salvage title?

    Open the hood and look around. Engine oil full? With car off get a flashlight and look at the front of the motor (passenger side) where there is a fan belt that turns the engine water pump. Look for dried up red flecks in that area they may be green looking that means the water pump is leaking out the weep hole and is probably shot don't know for sure as don't know the miles on the car. Take the black plastic cover off the top of the rad. Push behind the crews as you unscrew them. That will allow you to get to the radiator cap. Open the cap and check level. Should be right to the top of the neck with nice clear red coolant. Don't bother looking at the overflow tank it could be full and the rad empty. If rad is low top it off and drive some more than check again. If then lower you have a leak. Coolant level in the rad should not move in the slightest.

    And if over 100,000 miles its way way over due for new belt and possibly the belt tensioner. You lose the belt you will never know it's overheating the engine and your looking at a new engine all because of a $10 belt.

    With car then in READY open the inverter coolant reservoir cap. With flashlight look in there and red coolant should look like its bubbling which reflects good coolant circulation. If coolant just sitting there not moving in READY then the inverter coolant pump has failed very very common failure.

    Go on youtube and search

    Prius inspection mode

    It will explain the chicken dance to get the car in inspection mode which allows the engine to run continuously for engine inspection so you can listen carefully for any bad sounds.
    A mechanics stethoscope is very helpful.