The annoying droning engine sound
11-05-13, 04:57 AM
#17
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RX350 Noise
I drive a RX350 AWD A/T and it has always been noisy inside. Lately it seems to be louder. It sounds like I need to change gears, like it's revving too high. Loudest when I reach 50 to 55 mph.
Is that what others are experiencing?
Is that what others are experiencing?
Droning engine noise
11-12-13, 11:46 AM
#20
Droning / Rumbling Sound
I had a very similar issue and it was found to be a bad wheel bearing.
See the full thread here: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...eed-sound.html
I hope you find the cause as it can be a nuisance.
See the full thread here: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...eed-sound.html
I hope you find the cause as it can be a nuisance.
11-13-13, 03:53 PM
#21
I think I may have to same issue or a similar noise...2013 RX350 AWD. From day 1 have notice a low pitch "whine" at low speed acceleration. It's almost like the transmission sounds when you are in reverse. Service adviser said they can't find anything wrong. Had a 2013 RX350 FWD as a loaner-no noise. Asked another dealer's service department if there a difference in noise in AWD vs FWD.... He said it could be. He didn't show a lot of concern.
11-30-13, 07:43 PM
#22
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Mine is definitely going into the shop as soon as I get back from vacation so hopefully it will be diagnosed and fixed. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.
12-01-13, 04:27 AM
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If Lexus can't find or acknowledge the problem you can take it to a shop that has a "chassis dynamometer" (dyno). A chassis dyno has rollers that the drive wheels sit on so the car can be run in gear under power while its sitting in the shop. This makes it a lot easier for the mechanic to move around the vehicle listening for sounds while the vehicle is "being driven". If you can pin-point the source of the noise, you can go back to Lexus with the info to help them resolve it. Of course, you should not have to do this (and you will pay for the dyno service - unless Lexus can get this done) but it may be the only way to figure this out.
here is an example of a chassis dyno (and this site has a "locator" so you can see if there are any shops with this in your area. Of course this link is specific to a certain model dyno. There may be other shops in your area with different brands.
http://www.superflow.com/Dynamometers/Chassis/
here is an example of a chassis dyno (and this site has a "locator" so you can see if there are any shops with this in your area. Of course this link is specific to a certain model dyno. There may be other shops in your area with different brands.
http://www.superflow.com/Dynamometers/Chassis/
12-02-13, 08:02 AM
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As the original poster of this thread, I have been in contact with a Lexus Field Engineer on and off for a while. Occasionally, I will send some of the suggestions from this thread to him and ask if it could be the issue. For example, "the bad wheel bearing" - he replied that it can't be in my case. If it were, then turning around wheels will make a difference in terms of the noise ...
During the test drive with the engineer, he would acknowledge the sound, but it was not deemed as a defect ... he called it a somewhat different "engine note". His diagnosis is it has something to do with the muffling. He performed some experimental adjustment, but it doesn't make a difference in the end.
I can only conclude that I am one of a kind that is too sensitive to this low-frequency noise. I tried to not let this droning sound upset me too much to forget about all the other good traits of the car, but it is not that easy once it got into your ear.
Even though Lexus extended my warranty as a good will gesture, after 6 months of driving, I am still very very disappointed at Lexus, and their inability to fix this seemingly nuance problem.
For those who found and fixed the problem, good for you.
Oliver
During the test drive with the engineer, he would acknowledge the sound, but it was not deemed as a defect ... he called it a somewhat different "engine note". His diagnosis is it has something to do with the muffling. He performed some experimental adjustment, but it doesn't make a difference in the end.
I can only conclude that I am one of a kind that is too sensitive to this low-frequency noise. I tried to not let this droning sound upset me too much to forget about all the other good traits of the car, but it is not that easy once it got into your ear.
Even though Lexus extended my warranty as a good will gesture, after 6 months of driving, I am still very very disappointed at Lexus, and their inability to fix this seemingly nuance problem.
For those who found and fixed the problem, good for you.
Oliver
Last edited by python152; 12-02-13 at 08:45 AM.
12-02-13, 09:09 AM
#25
I don't know if this will help, but I will though out the story and suggestion... In short, could it be your tires?
I just upgraded my RX last Friday, so I had been test driving several 2010 to 2014 models. I noticed that many of the newer models had more noise than my 2010 model. This struck me as odd at first, then I drove another 2014, and it didn't have the noise I had heard on two other RXs. The difference was the tires. All the models had 135 miles or less on them, but the vehicles with the Dunlop tires had a low rumble/drumbeat noise when I got things to 65mph. The vehicle that didn't have the annoying drone had Michelins.
I bought one of the cars that had the annoying noise, and as part of the deal, had them swap the Dunlops for the Michelins. I don't hear the noise at all.
I guess one easy test to tell if it is engine related or tire/bearing related is get it up to speed where you hear the noise, then let off the gas. If the noise is still there, it probably isn't the engine.
Good Luck...
I just upgraded my RX last Friday, so I had been test driving several 2010 to 2014 models. I noticed that many of the newer models had more noise than my 2010 model. This struck me as odd at first, then I drove another 2014, and it didn't have the noise I had heard on two other RXs. The difference was the tires. All the models had 135 miles or less on them, but the vehicles with the Dunlop tires had a low rumble/drumbeat noise when I got things to 65mph. The vehicle that didn't have the annoying drone had Michelins.
I bought one of the cars that had the annoying noise, and as part of the deal, had them swap the Dunlops for the Michelins. I don't hear the noise at all.
I guess one easy test to tell if it is engine related or tire/bearing related is get it up to speed where you hear the noise, then let off the gas. If the noise is still there, it probably isn't the engine.
Good Luck...
12-02-13, 05:39 PM
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If your RX350 makes more noise than your wife's Odyssey, then you have a problem. I traded in a 2005 Odyssey with under 56,000 miles on it for my 2013 RX350 and the Odyssey was considerably louder with road noise, particularly while on the freeways. yes my Lexus does make a droning noise, but I kinda like it actually.
12-05-13, 06:53 PM
#27
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Humming/whining sound
Got a RX350 Hummer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a "newbie" at this Forum and my new RX ('13) just turned 3 K. Not sure I'm at the correct Thread, but the sound coming from under the hood is a major disappointment with my
luxury vehicle.
At start-up, we get a humming/whining sound which gets higher in pitch with acceleration.
The Tach. actually resembles a frequency meter.
This continues for approximately 8 - 10 miles and eventually dissipates. Can't blame it on the temperature since it did it @ 80 degrees back in August and @ 24 the other morning.
Left it at the dealers once for an early morning start-up, but the Tech supposedly could
not hear it.
Has anyone else encountered this problem or have I purchased a soloist ?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a "newbie" at this Forum and my new RX ('13) just turned 3 K. Not sure I'm at the correct Thread, but the sound coming from under the hood is a major disappointment with my
luxury vehicle.
At start-up, we get a humming/whining sound which gets higher in pitch with acceleration.
The Tach. actually resembles a frequency meter.
This continues for approximately 8 - 10 miles and eventually dissipates. Can't blame it on the temperature since it did it @ 80 degrees back in August and @ 24 the other morning.
Left it at the dealers once for an early morning start-up, but the Tech supposedly could
not hear it.
Has anyone else encountered this problem or have I purchased a soloist ?
12-09-13, 06:56 AM
#28
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It sounds like a similar issue with my vehicle, but "eventually dissipate" part is not the same - the droning sound is present whenever I push for gas. So in that sense, you have a "lesser" issue.
Got a RX350 Hummer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a "newbie" at this Forum and my new RX ('13) just turned 3 K. Not sure I'm at the correct Thread, but the sound coming from under the hood is a major disappointment with my
luxury vehicle.
At start-up, we get a humming/whining sound which gets higher in pitch with acceleration.
The Tach. actually resembles a frequency meter.
This continues for approximately 8 - 10 miles and eventually dissipates. Can't blame it on the temperature since it did it @ 80 degrees back in August and @ 24 the other morning.
Left it at the dealers once for an early morning start-up, but the Tech supposedly could
not hear it.
Has anyone else encountered this problem or have I purchased a soloist ?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a "newbie" at this Forum and my new RX ('13) just turned 3 K. Not sure I'm at the correct Thread, but the sound coming from under the hood is a major disappointment with my
luxury vehicle.
At start-up, we get a humming/whining sound which gets higher in pitch with acceleration.
The Tach. actually resembles a frequency meter.
This continues for approximately 8 - 10 miles and eventually dissipates. Can't blame it on the temperature since it did it @ 80 degrees back in August and @ 24 the other morning.
Left it at the dealers once for an early morning start-up, but the Tech supposedly could
not hear it.
Has anyone else encountered this problem or have I purchased a soloist ?
12-09-13, 07:00 AM
#29
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Yes, I have heard similar stories on tires that made a difference on noise. In particular, Michelins fares better than Dunlop ...
Giving the driving characteristics and noise I heard in my case, it is a bit hard to attribute that to the tires though ...
Giving the driving characteristics and noise I heard in my case, it is a bit hard to attribute that to the tires though ...
I don't know if this will help, but I will though out the story and suggestion... In short, could it be your tires?
I just upgraded my RX last Friday, so I had been test driving several 2010 to 2014 models. I noticed that many of the newer models had more noise than my 2010 model. This struck me as odd at first, then I drove another 2014, and it didn't have the noise I had heard on two other RXs. The difference was the tires. All the models had 135 miles or less on them, but the vehicles with the Dunlop tires had a low rumble/drumbeat noise when I got things to 65mph. The vehicle that didn't have the annoying drone had Michelins.
I bought one of the cars that had the annoying noise, and as part of the deal, had them swap the Dunlops for the Michelins. I don't hear the noise at all.
I guess one easy test to tell if it is engine related or tire/bearing related is get it up to speed where you hear the noise, then let off the gas. If the noise is still there, it probably isn't the engine.
Good Luck...
I just upgraded my RX last Friday, so I had been test driving several 2010 to 2014 models. I noticed that many of the newer models had more noise than my 2010 model. This struck me as odd at first, then I drove another 2014, and it didn't have the noise I had heard on two other RXs. The difference was the tires. All the models had 135 miles or less on them, but the vehicles with the Dunlop tires had a low rumble/drumbeat noise when I got things to 65mph. The vehicle that didn't have the annoying drone had Michelins.
I bought one of the cars that had the annoying noise, and as part of the deal, had them swap the Dunlops for the Michelins. I don't hear the noise at all.
I guess one easy test to tell if it is engine related or tire/bearing related is get it up to speed where you hear the noise, then let off the gas. If the noise is still there, it probably isn't the engine.
Good Luck...
12-20-13, 10:07 AM
#30
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So I put my Lexus with the LOUD DRONING noise into the shop for a day. Both front wheel bearings were bad, have been replaced and I just can't believe how quiet my car is now. Ok, this also took care of some noise that had been there since I purchased the car when it sounded like I needed to change gears. Call me crazy but my tach is running lower (below 2) when it use to always stay at 2 or slightly above.
But I'm really pleased with my car now and thanks to all of you for your input!
But I'm really pleased with my car now and thanks to all of you for your input!