D4D vibration at 1500rpm

[530jac Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close 530jac]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

I agree need to fix the root cause. I had the rattle fixed on the front guard but just waiting to see what shakes loose next.

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

You guys are just busy adressing the symptoms, if you don't address the source (root cause) of the vibration something else will start vibrating or breaking.

Why is it only at 1500 rpm? Is there a balancing problem with the engine? Did they change something to the design of the crank/balancing shafts between the 120 and the 150? Is the vibration there when you put the vehicle in park and rev it up to 1500 or only when driving, i.e entire drivetrain is also turning?

Don't accept Toyota just eliminating the symptom they must find the root cause or you will have further problems, maybe after your warrantee period.

I agree but I can't find a Toyota service department in Sydney that has even heard of it before let alone acknowledge that it is a common problem despite the fact that numerous owners on this forum have or have had it. Three service departments to date have said they have not had any customers with this problem or the 2400RPM flat spot problem for that matter. They all appear to reject the comments of this forum as irrelevant. No joy from customer care either. This is extremely frustrating and a disappointing attitude from Toyota. I always swore that I would never buy the first series of a new shape vehicle but thought that in Toyota's case I would be safe.......I was wrong!

The vibration and associated noise definitely occurs only whilst the engine is in gear and is more pronounced the higher the load e.g. up hill etc. As time goes by (I am waiting till 5k for a oil change before I take it in) it is definitely getting more pronounced.

If only there was a definitive answer to the problem (both symptoms and cause) as I don't relish the idea of the service department disassembling my dash to find the noise is coming from some other area.

In summary (so I can relate this to the service department later) the following sources of the noise seem to be most common:
Front drivers guard
Engine Air intake (or in combination with front guard)
Drivers side headlight
Wiring looms behind dash

Did I miss anything?

[kavibaba Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close kavibaba]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

You guys are just busy adressing the symptoms, if you don't address the source (root cause) of the vibration something else will start vibrating or breaking.

Why is it only at 1500 rpm? Is there a balancing problem with the engine? Did they change something to the design of the crank/balancing shafts between the 120 and the 150? Is the vibration there when you put the vehicle in park and rev it up to 1500 or only when driving, i.e entire drivetrain is also turning?

Don't accept Toyota just eliminating the symptom they must find the root cause or you will have further problems, maybe after your warrantee period.

I agree but I can't find a Toyota service department in Sydney that has even heard of it before let alone acknowledge that it is a common problem despite the fact that numerous owners on this forum have or have had it. Three service departments to date have said they have not had any customers with this problem or the 2400RPM flat spot problem for that matter. They all appear to reject the comments of this forum as irrelevant. No joy from customer care either. This is extremely frustrating and a disappointing attitude from Toyota. I always swore that I would never buy the first series of a new shape vehicle but thought that in Toyota's case I would be safe.......I was wrong!

The vibration and associated noise definitely occurs only whilst the engine is in gear and is more pronounced the higher the load e.g. up hill etc. As time goes by (I am waiting till 5k for a oil change before I take it in) it is definitely getting more pronounced.

If only there was a definitive answer to the problem (both symptoms and cause) as I don't relish the idea of the service department disassembling my dash to find the noise is coming from some other area.

In summary (so I can relate this to the service department later) the following sources of the noise seem to be most common:
Front drivers guard
Engine Air intake (or in combination with front guard)
Drivers side headlight
Wiring looms behind dash

Did I miss anything?

+1

[thylacene Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close thylacene]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

Possibly missed one, the guys at Toyota Phillip in the ACT dismantled the drivers side A Pillar including the curtain airbag, checked and repacked and the noise resulting from the vibration was gone, noting that the vibration is still there, but it doesn't rattle anymore.

I asked the mechanic who is also a bit of a techo to check out this site, and to lodge a call with Toyota advising the resolution. The mechanics name was Graeme, and he also did a fantastic job of the electronics customisations. He also showed me how to access a number of the customisations that the book says the dealer must do. Just hold down the screens button on the steering wheel with a blank display screen, engine running and foot on brake and page through using the toggle on the RHS. You can do a heap of cool stuff, check it out.

My take on the vehicle so far;

Generally a practical vehicle, but designing a vehicle with peak torque @ 1600RPM (my primary reason choosing the D4D) that also has resonant vibration @ 1500RPM is an embarrassing design flaw. However, as a 3.0 lt it is a large displacement for a 4 cylinder engine, which as a result, produce vibration. Maybe some "softer" engine mounts might make the issue irrelevant.

The overheating indicator issue is also real. I experienced this on my first trip up Brown Mountain in traffic, with no where to pull over for four kms in traffic. Using the S function and holding a lower gear with higher RPM saw the light go out in less than 30 seconds, before there was even room to pull over. A software update to the gearbox resolved this issue and it has not been experienced since, with a mild but noticeable change to the shift behavior.

As to the flatspot, I can only summise that the the flat spot is probably a combination of throttle body opening speed, fuel mapping and turbo lag, that are the result of the same root cause as the gearbox issue. The root cause being the need to market 8.5L/100Km to be seen as a "green vehicle" producer. While I can achieve that mileage driving judiciously and using the cruise control, I am able to average 9.3L/100Km driving smoothly in traffic both urban and highway. I would have still bought the vehicle at 9.3L/100Km. A software upgrade may even be the fix to this also, I work in IT, stuff happens.

I feel that Toyota (Australia Wide) would do well to acknowledge these issues, my experience with the Canberra Toyota dealership at Phillip has been exemplary. The Service Manager, Gary, and the mechanic, Graeme, have both taken the extra step to ensure that the vehicle was as it should be and that I left as a satisfied customer. It is not often that you experience this level of customer service these days.

Please feel free to cut and paste, print this off and give to your dealer or use in whatever manner to your advantage in getting your issues acknowledged. PM me if you need an email address for them to verify.

Cheers

Thy

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

thy, thanks for the great post I wish I could find a service department in Sydney like that......can I ask whether the vibration noise in your case presented itself as coming from behind the instruments in the middle of the dash as that is where the sound comes from in my D4D?

At the risk of going off topic....you mentioned a software mod for the transmission overheating problem, was this done at the last service as a matter of course or did you ask for it to be fixed? Also what month build is your D4D as to date I have not seen this problem on my March 2010 build then again I have not been stuck in heavy traffic going up a steep hill either.

[thylacene Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close thylacene]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

rattle seemed to come from dash, used stethoscope to identify was rh corner,workshop listened and did a pillar. i asked for tranny update to be done at first service. ask them to do it, at least then you have a record for future, it is only a software upgrade.

[davidsford Member Find all posts View Profile Close davidsford]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

... He also showed me how to access a number of the customisations that the book says the dealer must do. Just hold down the screens button on the steering wheel with a blank display screen, engine running and foot on brake and page through using the toggle on the RHS. You can do a heap of cool stuff, check it out.

Any ideas how to do this on a GXL? don't seem to have the screens button on the steering wheel or the toggle.

Cheers

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

Well took the car in and guess what, try as I could, no vibration, no noise, no clunk on stop and a very ordinary example of the flat spot at 2400rpm. Not a good result for me trying to demonstrate these issues. Of course after I had left and driven to work the vibration, and associated dash noise was back with a vengeance as was the 2400rpm flat spot. The car definitely has to be at full operating temperature including the transmission, for me this means probably at least an hour of driving. I will try again at my next service................

[jarpa Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jarpa]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

Hi, rang toyota customer line, they rang back, said they are aware and working on the problem, vibration, caused in the right hand guard, and will memo dealers with instructions on how to fix problem when they have completed their solution for the problem. Now that was a month ago, still waiting. I Trust it will be done ASAP

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

Hi, rang toyota customer line, they rang back, said they are aware and working on the problem, vibration, caused in the right hand guard, and will memo dealers with instructions on how to fix problem when they have completed their solution for the problem. Now that was a month ago, still waiting. I Trust it will be done ASAP

Curious that I was told only yesterday by customer care that they knew nothing about it and that I should talk to my local Toyota service department who also know nothing about it. Lets hope your contact is right and a fix is forthcoming!

[Badhabit Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Badhabit]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

I had my 1000KM service yesterday and mentioned the vibration. I was informed that they are aware of the problem and recognise that it is not an isolated case. I was told aht the fix involves changing the angle of the inake pipe into the air box and packing the guard with foam. The downside to this "fix" is that it reduces the wading deepth of the vehicle for water crossings. As I plan on fitting a snorkel in the not too distant future I discussed this with the rep, he advised that fitting of a snorkel also fixes the problem as the intake pipe is moved to attach to the snorkel.

Does anyone suffering from the vibration have a snorkel fitted?

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

I had my 1000KM service yesterday and mentioned the vibration. I was informed that they are aware of the problem and recognise that it is not an isolated case. I was told aht the fix involves changing the angle of the inake pipe into the air box and packing the guard with foam. The downside to this "fix" is that it reduces the wading deepth of the vehicle for water crossings. As I plan on fitting a snorkel in the not too distant future I discussed this with the rep, he advised that fitting of a snorkel also fixes the problem as the intake pipe is moved to attach to the snorkel.

Does anyone suffering from the vibration have a snorkel fitted?

ace had one fitted and the rattle stopped, refer to the post by ace on Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:09 am on page 4 of this thread.

[kavibaba Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close kavibaba]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

Hi All

It appears that a possible fix is by fitting foam packing between aircleaner and RHS guard. BenTas had his dealer do this and it fixed the vibration. Anyone else done this or was his dealer just proactive. My dealer knows nothing(why am I not surprised)

[Kaka do Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kaka do]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

I haven't placed in any packing but had a new air filter housing installed. This new air filter had a axtra large foam ring around the intake to mate up with the panel. This did get rid of most of my vibrations. Will wait and see what happens as the foam ages and compresses before I say it is solved though.

[Jimbo K Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Jimbo K]

Re: D4D vibration at 1500rpm

Hi All,

I have been watching this discussion for some time now. I picked up my Prado back in March this year and within the first week had it back to Toyota for the vibration/noise from the dash. Their first attempt was not successful but on their second they were able to eliminate the noise only from the dash. They informed me that they did pack out the air intake/RHS guard. BUT I still believed the vibration was still present so I took the car in again and the service tech agreed that the vibration is still present through the car at 1500RPM. He mentioned it could be engine mounts. I have since been back for other matters and make sure I let them know that I am still unhappy with this problem and they continue to tell me they are waiting on a fix from Toyota.

So be aware that what the dealers are doing now is only a band-aid fix. It only get's rid of the noise from the dash but the vibration through the vehilce is still present at 1500RPM. I have spoken to others who have had the fix but the vibration remains.

Jimbo K