Sport Mode: Whining Noise Normal?
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Driver School Candidate
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From: TX
Sport Mode: Whining Noise Normal?
I test drove a Lexus Certified 2014 IS 350 base model today and noticed that the engine makes a whiney and rather alarming spinning type noise (for lack of a better description) upon accelerating in Sport mode. Is this normal?? It goes away when I put it back in "Normal" mode.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Dec 2015
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From: California
I test drove a Lexus Certified 2014 IS 350 base model today and noticed that the engine makes a whiney and rather alarming spinning type noise (for lack of a better description) upon accelerating in Sport mode. Is this normal?? It goes away when I put it back in "Normal" mode.
Correct us if we wrong.
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
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From: TX
Thanks again... hope to buy it this week if all goes well!
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2016
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From: NJ
Thank you both for the feedback. I didn't lift the hood to tell where exactly it was coming from as I'm far knowing anything about engines. Are you guys suggesting the air filter is in need of replacement or are you just saying the higher RPM in sport mode is, by its very nature, going to cause more sound from the air filter and that it's nothing to worry about?
Thanks again... hope to buy it this week if all goes well!
Thanks again... hope to buy it this week if all goes well!
Lexus Champion
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,053
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From: CA
See this post to hear if this is similar to what you are hearing.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post9687331
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post9687331
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,476
Likes: 60
From: California
Thank you both for the feedback. I didn't lift the hood to tell where exactly it was coming from as I'm far knowing anything about engines. Are you guys suggesting the air filter is in need of replacement or are you just saying the higher RPM in sport mode is, by its very nature, going to cause more sound from the air filter and that it's nothing to worry about?
Thanks again... hope to buy it this week if all goes well!
Thanks again... hope to buy it this week if all goes well!
Also the IS350 has a sound generator that amplifies and pumps engine noise into the cabin. So you are more prone to notice this.
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Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
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From: TX
See this post to hear if this is similar to what you are hearing.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post9687331
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ml#post9687331
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Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2017
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From: TX
Its just by nature of how the car is built. Nothing is wrong. But, since your buying a CPO I would change the air filter just cause. Unless the dealer, did it for ya already.
Also the IS350 has a sound generator that amplifies and pumps engine noise into the cabin. So you are more prone to notice this.
Also the IS350 has a sound generator that amplifies and pumps engine noise into the cabin. So you are more prone to notice this.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,476
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From: California
I never understood why car manufacturers deliberately pump fake engine noise into the cabin. I'd rather the cabin be as utterly quiet as humanly possible. Is there any way the artificial noise can be disabled? I honestly expected the Lexus to be quieter in the cabin...even in Normal mode.
For the newer IS, 2017+ there is actually a scroll kn0b inside the cabin in which you can control how much noise gets pumped into the cabin. ASC - Active Sound Control. <-- this is fake noise imo
Lexus Champion
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,053
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From: CA
Yep, pretty sure that's exactly what I'm hearing. It's actually the noise of the engine "spinning down" after I let off the accelerator the same way it happens in this video. I'm not a car guy but I don't think I've heard that in a car before...just something unique to this engine type, perhaps. I'm coming from an Acura TL where there is no noise upon letting up on the accelerator.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ine-whine.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...elerating.html
Makes me feel better knowing the sound also exists on a very high-end super car, Pagani Huayra.
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
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From: TX
The engine noise your're hearing is not fake. Best bet is to get an aftermarket air intake. The sound generator is connected to the stock intake. Other than that, the IS is a "performance sedan", if quite ride is what you're looking for the IS may not be the car. Try the ES, they should be much quieter imo.
Lexus Test Driver
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From: California
However, there is road noise in these cars. Note, I have a is350 fsport it has a slightly stiffer suspension vs the non f sport.
Moderator
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I heard it had something to do with the fuel pump, also heard it's the transmission... kinda hard to definitively say what it is, but more people agree it's the transmission.
The weird thing is, if it's the transmission, how come the sound still occurs in neutral?
Either way, as others have said, the car's not broken. One thing I have heard is that with an aftermarket air intake, you'll remove the sound generator, which may reduce noise into the cabin (though outside, it'll be the same).
Edit: Found an old thread about the 2IS, which seems to be discussing the same issue. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...just-cold.html
More evidence this is common, if not normal
The weird thing is, if it's the transmission, how come the sound still occurs in neutral?
Either way, as others have said, the car's not broken. One thing I have heard is that with an aftermarket air intake, you'll remove the sound generator, which may reduce noise into the cabin (though outside, it'll be the same).
Edit: Found an old thread about the 2IS, which seems to be discussing the same issue. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...just-cold.html
More evidence this is common, if not normal
Last edited by arentz07; Feb 2, 2017 at 08:39 AM. Reason: adding other thread for reference