Neat

My 2016 IS has been making a winding/whining noise when I am accelerating. It sounds like a supercharger is winding up... I purchased the car at 18K miles and it is still making the noise when I accelerate at 22K miles. I purchased it in the winter and just thought it had to do with them temperature being cold.

I did some research and people were saying it could be related to the timing chain tensioner. Has anyone experienced this issue? If so, what was the remedy? Replacing the timing chain tensioner?

NickCaesar

Its a completely normal sound (one of the many) this engine makes. It’s surprising at first, but from every Toyota tech and club Lexus member I’ve heard from on it, it’s normal. Mine does it.

ex00

Like NickCaesar says, it's normal. my 18 IS300 made the same noise out the dealership since day 1. doesnt bother me since i thought that was neat.

Neat

Lol it bothers me. And it’s annoying when people are like why is your Lexus making that noise lol

E46CT

My 200t does this, but it's inconsistent. It does it only some of the time. And usually during turns and associated with RPM (seemingly) it sounds like a classic power steering pump whine. But our cars use electric steering so it can't be that. maybe some other accessory starved for oil

either way not my car not my problem. haha

NickCaesar

I was told it’s transmission whine, I just say **** it and pretend it’s supercharged.

pngo

Experienced the same thought with my CPO at 15k miles. Brought in to the dealer and they said it was normal noise. It was super annoying at first, but after 10k miles driving with it it is less annoying.

E46CT

nah. nothing to do with transmission. if i had to guess, it's something to do with oil delivery to the cylinder head or variable valve timing stuff.

arentz07

It makes the sound when parked or in neutral. Therefore, I would not expect it to be the transmission.

bumbletuna

my 2015 is350 also has this and i wasn't a fan of the "supercharger noise" either. so i straight piped the exhaust and now i can no longer hear it

NickCaesar

Mine doesn’t. Mine makes an audible supercharger like tone when accelerating only. Does not make the sound at idle. Never heard of an IS350 making a supercharger like whine at idle. Toyota tech explained to me it’s the transmission when I asked about it when I first bought my car. He’s a thread of other owners describing the same sound under acceleration
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ine-whine.html

arentz07

I am 100% confident it happens during idle/neutral. Maybe you have a different sound.

edit: You can very clearly hear it in this video:

Flash5

My 2018 Turbo does this too. I’ve always wondered why it makes that “supercharger” whine lol. I don’t mind it, but it is the first car I’ve had that does this.

NickCaesar

You have the 3.5 V6 or turbo 4??

AtomicAWD

Do non-F Sports have the intake sound generator? Would be curious to hear the difference.