High Pitch Noise **Super Annoying**

Hello Everyone, I purchased my first tundra 2 months ago used with about 30K miles on it. I immediately noticed a very high pitched noise coming from what sounds like the dash area when accelerating. Anyone else have this issue? I reported it to my local dealer and they took several hours looking at it. In the end they said it is "normal". They told me several other tundras on the lot have the same noise.

I never noticed it on any other tundras while I was test driving several before purchasing this one from a private seller. Below are some details on what I have observed. From what I can tell, the truck is 100% stock

2017 Tundra SR5 RWD (non-TRD)


1. Only happens when lightly or moderate pressure is on the gas pedal. I don't notice it during hard acceleration and it stops immediately when you let off the pedal
2. Happens with cruise control on or off
2. I don't hear it when in neutral and manually adding RPM's
3. Opened the rear window during normal driving and I don't hear it any louder or quieter. Seems like it is not coming from the rear.
4. Uploaded 2 videos with the noise. It is super high pitched so you have to listen carefully.
https://youtu.be/VwUQ0t9WkN0
https://youtu.be/CVwwMGvfwoU
5. Happens with the radio turned on or off.


Any help or ideas?

The noise seems like the high pitch noise that comes from old car amplifiers back in the day. They called it "transformer whine" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP73edpQwgc.

Thank you!

 

Can't really hear it. Yes I have good computer speakers and they were turned up. I am usually pretty good at noises too. Maybe a power supply for the radio or a usb port. Get a mechanics stethoscope an see if you can pinpoint it or a remote mounted camera/mic under the hood or under the chassis.
If it is not electrical maybe a bearing in the accessory drive or driveshaft U-joint or carrier bearing loading.

 

Just curious do you have a drop in aftermarket air filter..trd or k&n?

 

A lot of people say they have this noise including me. Some say its when the RPM's get to the right level the ECU or something on the passenger side vibrates just enough to make that noise. Some have used rubber or tightened down the screws and it went away.

Check out this thread

https://www.tundras.com/threads/humming-rattle-in-cab-when-rpm-1800-2000.20373/

 

I'll check on the air filter when I get home. I have not yet done any service on the vehicle so I dont know what the previous owner did. I do know that it has a stock airbox but I dont know the filter type.

 

The noise is very nigh pitched. I would guess it is around 8-10khz based on this sound test
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSfc21RDkbw

 

In the first video you can hear the sound right around 10 seconds in and then again starting around 25 seconds. I am using my phone camera and I think it is not able to really pickup that high of a sound very well. When you are driving both the driver, passenger and anyone int he back can hear it clearly.

Same for the second video. You can hear it around 10 seconds in and for both videos the sound fluctuates a bit as you drive.

 

Expanding on this post, if its a throttle/load dependent whistle you could check the gasket behind the throttle body for presence of a screen. You can either replace it with non-screened part number or cut the screen out carefully. My 07 with a k&n drop in filter whistled annoyingly, changed gasket to non-screen and it still whistles very lightly under certain loads. My 17 with afe drop in filter doesn't whistle but I haven't looked to see is there is a screened gasket in there or not yet.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/diy-fix-for-whistle-after-adding-high-flow-air-filter.2619/

 

Ok Great. I will check that as soon as I get home and post back.

 

I could just barely make out the sound in the first video at about 25s and nothing out of the second with my 5.1 Cambridge Soundworks turned up.
To me that sounds like switch mode power supply that is hitting saturation, not using a high enough switching frequency or has poor input filtering for a fluctuating supply. I always try to keep my smaller power supply designs above 25kHz switching frequency to avoid being able to hear them.
Do you have any sort of power supply or USB ports plugged in? Turn off your power inverter if it has one. Next try to isolate it by pulling fuses for the entertainment and USB ports or a wireless charger etc... etc...

 

Just opened the airbox and there is a square shaped K&N filter in there. Im guessing that is what is meant by a drop in.

 

Yes...remove it and replace with oem regular filter and see if the high pitch sound goes away...and I think I hear on 1st video..

 

Read post #8

 

Thank you. I am going to autozone to see if i can get a new air filter to see if that helps.

 

Mine made a high pitched noise at only certain throttle positions. It was this screen he's talking about. I cut it out of the gasket and it went away.

 

I picked up a new Carquest Premium engine air filter from Advanced Auto Parts last night and swapped it out for the K&N that was in there.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...1-P?navigationPath=L1*14932|L2*14979|L3*15240

I want to say that maybe the noise is less, but it definitely is still there. I will check tonight to see if I have the screen that is common in the 5.7L engines near in the throttle body.

To the point that hewitttech made, I removed all of my phone chargers from the cigarette lighters and the noise was still present. I don't have any power inverters or anything else connected that I am aware of to either the 12V system or USB. I will also try pulling some of the fuses for the entertainment system to see if that helps isolate the issue.

 

I can't hear anything.

 

Must be above 11.5k based on that hearing test. That's when I couldn't hear anything else and I can't hear anything on either of those videos.

 

I can hear the noise clearly on my phone, but maybe it's because I have the same exact noise! I get the noise during cruise control and around 2k rpm during acceleration. I have a k&n that came with my truck, I actually bought a new fram air filter I'm gonna drop in tomorrow and see if that helps. I also need to check for the screen. I'll update after the filter install

 

Post number 8 nails it. You can leave the drop in filter if you want. Just need to get rid of the screen in the throttle body

 

Yep post #8. You get used to it after awhile. For those that don’t hear it...well they’re either old farts or have bad hearing.

I actually took a hearing test recently. My upper range is 16khz. Most people over 40 are in the 12 range.

 

The new fram filter helped out alot, but the noise is still there, just not as loud. I'll look at the screen next

 

Yeah, believe it or not it is related to the throttle gasket screen for sure. I picked up the gasket without the screen and installed it and the sound is gone.

Thank you all!

I'm a new member and had read about this issue, but never thought that it could be the problem because it sounded so electronic in nature.

On a different note, I did notice that the sound went away eventually.... After installing the screen and putting back in the K&N filter it took about 5-10min to completely stop squealing.

 

My brand new Pro has this. It's almost like an electronic high frequency hum. Only when you're on the throttle.

 

Nope.

My high pitched sound was coming from the mirror bolt holes in the doors.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/07-whistles-at-speeds-above-40-mph.56540/

 

Good for you. My post was intended to help the OP in this thread.

 

My post was also intended to help the OP in this thread, and anyone else that has a similar problem.

 

@Rex Kramer yep… heard the noise finally today. ‘21 TRD Pro, 7.5k miles and the noise just started. Somewhere between 100Hz and 120Hz, definitely related to throttle position under load. I haven’t had a chance to check air filter or anything as I’m just now on a road trip… so this will be fun.

 

Check your throttle body spacer - the screens can cause a whistle

 

Did you remove the screen and did it solve the issue?