Noisy/whining From The Front Of Car

[lexus189]

I have a Rx400h, when i am driving at 40-60 mph i get this whining noise from the front off the car, but it goes away after that, the noise is really loud at 60mph, have been to lexus and they said it might be the gearbox/tranmission. I have changed the tyres which are new, tracking is also done. Please could someone who has had this problem tell me what it is before i spend money i dont need too.

[Lydiamight]

I too had a noisy whining sound from the front of the car----solved it by getting the mother in law to sit in the back.

[PCM]

:)

Has the Trans., fluid been changed at all?

[lexus189]

Not that i know, i know that i've had the car over 1year 1/2 and i haven't done it, and not sure if the people before me have done that, i will try this hoping it will do the trick. If this doesn't work what else could it be !!!!

[ChrisKaye]

Could be a wheel bearing - especially at those speeds.

I would have thought if the gearbox was bad, you'd hear it at certain RPMs rather than speeds - especially on a CVT box like yours...

Check what RPMs you are at when you hear it worst, then try and replicate with different gears (using semi auto mode) at different speeds.

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[DanD]

- Is the noise the same when you accelerate / decelerate? (does the noise continue when you take your foot off the gas?)

- Is it the same when going up hill / down hill

- Is the noise worse when going in a straight line or around bends? (could it be steering related?)

@ChrisKaye: there is no semi auto mode on the 400h and no "different gears" as such with a CVT

How many miles has your car done and if over 100k, has the cambelt ever been changed?

[lexus189]

thank you all for your reply to my problem, my car has only done just over 91,000miles, i have been to a gearbox guy and he says its not the gearbox, the noise is more of a humming noise which haapens at 40-70, it happens on 60 mph then stops then 70 then it goes quite. when you take your foot of the gas after 80 when the speed goes down, it make a noise at 70 then quite, the 60 then after quite,

[lexusrx400h1001]

Hi, any update on this problem? Any ideas to what the problem was?

I have the same problem on my 2009 LexusRX400h (70k on the clock). Dealer siad it was the wheel bearing and although I got this changed the noise remains. Comes in around 40mph, very loud around 60-70, then goes away - It's a loud howling noise. Tyres have been changed and made no difference and tracking is fine.

Althogh the car has FSH, not sure if the geadbox / Diff oils have been changed - woudl that be a good next step?

[ChrisKaye]

Might be worth taking to a good Indy garage as they have wireless mics they can hookup and go for test drive.

You typically get four and they can place one over each suspect area to see exactly where the sound is originating from (although this probably doesn't work for bearings).

I don't know enough about the hybrid so can't help further, if it had them, I'd say possible CV joint that's lost it's grease but wouldn't think that the CVT gearbox was a likely culprit.

[Kye04]

Hi. Any update on this one? I have a highlander hybrid 2008 with exactly the same problem. I cannot tell if it is coming from the front or rear. I changed front wheel bearing and nothing. I'm afraid i'll change the rear ones without solving the problem. 

I believe it is a gearbox problem

[rayaans]

400h will make a small whine when slowing down but its not hugely noticeable - its the recuperation of energy when coasting kicking in.

If its too loud, somethings wrong

Could be the tyres as well - odd shaped tyres can make a whirring noise

[Kye04]

My friend, your answer is out of subject. Read carefully what we wrote and what our problem is.... 

[Kye04]

Problem solved : one wheel bearing on the rear..