High pitched whining sound
Asked by dmartkel Apr 06, 2017 at 03:47 PM about the 2003 Toyota Highlander Limited V6 4WD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
On starting my car, which has approx 196,000 on it, there is a high pitched
whinning sound. Like it is wound too tight. It still seems to shift ok, but is kind
of sluggish at first. Is this the transmission?
2 Answers
Could be, but could also be a worn bearing in a drive belt component or accessory. Toyota's alternators are known to become loud before they stop charging. There are a few ways to do this, and both need to be done by a mechanic. A long enough screw driver or tool with one end at the mechanic's ear and the other end at the suspected component will tell him if the bearings are bad. The second option is for the mechanic to remove the drive belt and check the items by hand. If those items check fine, then transmission inspection may be needed. Line pressure testing and fluid inspection will tell a technician all he needs to know about the condition of your transmission.
There is a Toyota TSB about the whining sound from transmission. But you are out of luck because your car is out of drivetrain warranty. T-SB-0097-13 August 9, 2013 Abnormal Whine Noise Above 35 MPH