Driveline Vibration

[KevinG]

Does anyone else feel a vibration throughout the vehicle including the steering wheel? The best way I can describe it would be a "buzzing" feeling (if that is a feeling?) :lookout: Kinda like if you put your hand on the manual 4WD knob while driving, except not as severe. I had a shimmy too but replaced the tires over the weekend and shimmy is gone but still feel the vibration....

 

[Fuzzylogic]

Does anyone else feel a vibration throughout the vehicle including the steering wheel? The best way I can describe it would be a "buzzing" feeling (if that is a feeling?) :lookout: Kinda like if you put your hand on the manual 4WD knob while driving, except not as severe. I had a shimmy too but replaced the tires over the weekend and shimmy is gone but still feel the vibration....

Not on my T4R. But, right after I bought my Titan, I had a high-frequency vibration in the wheel. It took some time and creative diagnistic techniques. It turned out to be a failing rear end. The pinion bearing was bad (manufacturing defect at 3,000 miles). They replaced the whole rear axle assembly with one that had a different part number (they would not tell me the difference...though I think the new one had a dual bearing pinion)

The vibration translated through the drive train to the steering column (it was 4wd) and into the steering wheel.

The diagnosed it by removing my rear drive shaft and driving the truck down the road in 4wd with only the front wheels propelling the truck.

Strange...but true. I never would have gone down that path...

 

[KevinG]

Not on my T4R. But, right after I bought my Titan, I had a high-frequency vibration in the wheel. It took some time and creative diagnistic techniques. It turned out to be a failing rear end. The pinion bearing was bad (manufacturing defect at 3,000 miles). They replaced the whole rear axle assembly with one that had a different part number (they would not tell me the difference...though I think the new one had a dual bearing pinion)

The vibration translated through the drive train to the steering column (it was 4wd) and into the steering wheel.

The diagnosed it by removing my rear drive shaft and driving the truck down the road in 4wd with only the front wheels propelling the truck.

Strange...but true. I never would have gone down that path...

Interesting...that sounds like a very solid service department :biggrin2: I highly doubt any of the dealers around here would go to that extent. I would attempt this myself but fear that they would blame me and void the warranty. It is much more obvious at highway speeds and if you coast for a few seconds and ease back into the throttle, you can almost feel something pulsating. It is annoying not being able to describe it exactly!!!! Everyday, I try to find a way that it feels worst. It may be in my head, but I think that if you hold the wheel lightly at top center or bottom center, it is more severe.
:wtf:

 

[harper7]

Interesting...that sounds like a very solid service department :biggrin2: I highly doubt any of the dealers around here would go to that extent. I would attempt this myself but fear that they would blame me and void the warranty. It is much more obvious at highway speeds and if you coast for a few seconds and ease back into the throttle, you can almost feel something pulsating. It is annoying not being able to describe it exactly!!!! Everyday, I try to find a way that it feels worst. It may be in my head, but I think that if you hold the wheel lightly at top center or bottom center, it is more severe.
:wtf:

Did it do it with the oem tires ?You sure it's not the more agressive AT tires you put on because I can feel the knobs on my tires,especially at low speeds.

There is a TSB out for the part time 4x4's and a few on here have had it done.Mentions a noise but not vibration though.

T-SB-0175-10
Some 2010 model year part-time 4WD 4Runner vehicles may exhibit a growl or rumble noise from the front differential assembly when the vehicle is in motion in 2WD.

 

[Fuzzylogic]

Interesting...that sounds like a very solid service department :biggrin2: I highly doubt any of the dealers around here would go to that extent. I would attempt this myself but fear that they would blame me and void the warranty. It is much more obvious at highway speeds and if you coast for a few seconds and ease back into the throttle, you can almost feel something pulsating. It is annoying not being able to describe it exactly!!!! Everyday, I try to find a way that it feels worst. It may be in my head, but I think that if you hold the wheel lightly at top center or bottom center, it is more severe.
:wtf:

No! Don't do it yourself! This was with my Titan, which is well known for rear end failures. The service manager knew what to look for. My failure was unique because it was still drivable. Most failures were catastrophic. Yes, this service department was excellent. I wish they were a Toyota service department.

I tend to agree with the post above. It could be a tsp related to the front differential, or maybe a tire resonance issue translating to your steering wheel.

 

[Snowfox]

Does anyone else feel a vibration throughout the vehicle including the steering wheel? The best way I can describe it would be a "buzzing" feeling (if that is a feeling?) :lookout: Kinda like if you put your hand on the manual 4WD knob while driving, except not as severe. I had a shimmy too but replaced the tires over the weekend and shimmy is gone but still feel the vibration....

Have you check the drive shaft ?. It happen to my Lexus several years ago on a trip to Yosemite, I ran over a piece of metal and it hit right between rear end of the Trans and the drive shaft linkage damage that piece of rubber that sandwich between the rear end of the Trans and the drive shaft throw it of balance and that has caused the vibration, at a certain speed you feel more than other.

 

[4RBob]

Did it do it with the oem tires ?You sure it's not the more agressive AT tires you put on because I can feel the knobs on my tires,especially at low speeds.

There is a TSB out for the part time 4x4's and a few on here have had it done.Mentions a noise but not vibration though.

T-SB-0175-10
Some 2010 model year part-time 4WD 4Runner vehicles may exhibit a growl or rumble noise from the front differential assembly when the vehicle is in motion in 2WD.

what is the fix for this TSB? sounds like what i had and they replaced the front diff and axles.

 

[KevinG]

It is definitely not a noise. I have had it all along but always chalked it up to a bad wheel or tire because you could see the shimmy in the steering wheel. Once I replaced the tires, the shimmy went away but the vibration is still there. You can see the passenger seat and belt shaking as you go down the highway. If you place anything on the passenger seat, it shakes like crazy, take a full beverage in an aluminum can and place in the passenger door panel holder, you can hear it shaking. The pulsating feeling I experience after coasting is best described as a hesitation/slight bucking but it is definitely not an engine power hesitation.

 

[harper7]

what is the fix for this TSB? sounds like what i had and they replaced the front diff and axles.

Yep, You were one of the ones I was referring to. Some other girl on here had them replaced before you.
TSB calls out to replace parts.....
41110-35901 Same Carrier Assy, Differential, Front 1
43430-60080 Same Shaft Assy, FR Drive 1

Could you feel any vibration or just noise?

 

[KevinG]

I read someplace (cant remember if it was on here or someplace else) about a drive shaft that was out of balance. I have a mechanical background and it seems feasable but dont know how to test that without something like a lathe and I am sure the dealer is not equiped for that...

 

[4RBob]

Yep, You were one of the ones I was referring to. Some other girl on here had them replaced before you.
TSB calls out to replace parts.....
41110-35901 Same Carrier Assy, Differential, Front 1
43430-60080 Same Shaft Assy, FR Drive 1

Could you feel any vibration or just noise?

a little bit of both, i think. it was several months ago so i don't recall the exact symptoms. it was noticable, but didn't feel/sound real bad.

 

[KevinG]

Yep, You were one of the ones I was referring to. Some other girl on here had them replaced before you.
TSB calls out to replace parts.....
41110-35901 Same Carrier Assy, Differential, Front 1
43430-60080 Same Shaft Assy, FR Drive 1

Could you feel any vibration or just noise?

Is there a VIN range that they have identified as potentially being affected?

 

[Snowfox]

I read someplace (cant remember if it was on here or someplace else) about a drive shaft that was out of balance. I have a mechanical background and it seems feasable but dont know how to test that without something like a lathe and I am sure the dealer is not equiped for that...

Well, I am not a Mechanic but i think if you get the truck up high enough to get under neath then put it into drive the have something pointy stationary close to the drive shaft then move a few inches at a time from front to back and see if you find it.

 

[harper7]

Is there a VIN range that they have identified as potentially being affected?

No idea ,I hav'nt read the TSB.I'm just passing on what I read on other forums and by googling "T-SB-0175-10" .Your service dept. will know or should pull up a copy for you.

I remember the girl with the SR5 was last year when they first came out.They usually won't put out a TSB for a isolated case so there must have been a few.

 

[mikeync]

if it is obvious and as bad as you describe then they will find it during a test drive....

I realize lots of service departments suck, but I normally give them the benefit of a doubt before I start looking for innovative solutions.....

Take it in - describe the problems. Tell them the tsb numbers and hope they fix it...... make sure you mention it was there with the old tires

 

[KevinG]

I forgot a bit of important background info...I noticed this and first brought it to the dealer within 2 weeks of taking delivery. They said they balanced all of the wheels and it should be fine. Well...it has been back there 2 or 3 more times since then and they said it must be a "defective tire" and that they do not warranty tires. This past weekend, I went to my local Firestone shop and they covered them under their road hazard warranty (that I purchased that day). All 4 tires were upgraded to the Revo2's but I still have the problem. The last time I was at the dealer, the service manager drove my ride and I rode with him. He said everything felt normal to him (of course it did). When I brought it in the first time, I assumed it was a tire too because it seemed worse when it was cold. As the vehicle and tires warmed up after a few miles on the highway, the shimmy would go away in the wheel but you can still feel the vibration. Today was much cooler than it has been in quite a while and what do you know, the shimmy is back until the tires warm up!!!!!!!!! Maybe something as simple as a bad rim???

 

[KevinG]

I went to the body shop I used to work at today and threw my ride up in the air... there is definitely something going on. When you leave it in drive and hold the rear wheel from spinning, you can hear the rear end howl and clunk (traction turned off). When you allow the wheels to spin while in drive, you can see the drive shaft move on a vert. plane (sometimes normal). I think that the rear pinon bearings are shot due to a bad drive shaft (possibly other reasons too). According to the TSB's there has only been one other reporting of this. Any ideas??? I am going to set up a service appt for next week and will keep you posted. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[alleyman84]

Well, I'm not sure if my problem is exactly the same as yours, but here is an issue I've been having lately and it's at the dealer for the 2nd time right now. When the 4R gets to about 63 MPH (usually between 60 and 65) the steering wheel starts to vibrate, and even a slight pulling to the right is noticed. It is not always present, but most of the time it is. It does seem to get a bit better when it warms up, so possibly a bad tire (which they are going to look into). They already found a tire slightly out of balance and they balanced it. They also checked the alignment and said it all checked out fine (although I noticed the computerized printout was from a 4th gen). It only started about 1500 miles ago. I'm at 12,300 miles.

The interesting thing is, I noticed it after my last tire rotation. The service manager thinks it's a tire issue and that the suspect tire may have been in the back and once it was moved up front it's more noticeable in the steering wheel. I'll keep you informed...and let me know if any of you have ideas.

 

[Fuzzylogic]

I went to the body shop I used to work at today and threw my ride up in the air... there is definitely something going on. When you leave it in drive and hold the rear wheel from spinning, you can hear the rear end howl and clunk (traction turned off). When you allow the wheels to spin while in drive, you can see the drive shaft move on a vert. plane (sometimes normal). I think that the rear pinon bearings are shot due to a bad drive shaft (possibly other reasons too). According to the TSB's there has only been one other reporting of this. Any ideas??? I am going to set up a service appt for next week and will keep you posted. Thanks for the feedback.

Read my earlier post...This is what happened to my Titan, except, it wasn't caused by the drive shaft. It was caused by a faulty pinion design. I don't think that would be the case here. I think you are probably on the right track. A drive shaft that is out of balance can destroy a good pinion assembly.

In my case, it was the knowledge of the service manager that understood the translation of the vibration through the drive train to the steering column. Who would think a rear pinion failure would be felt in the steering column? I certainly didn't...and I'm fairly knowledgable. I thought he was crazy...but...he was right!

 

[KevinG]

Read my earlier post...This is what happened to my Titan, except, it wasn't caused by the drive shaft. It was caused by a faulty pinion design. I don't think that would be the case here. I think you are probably on the right track. A drive shaft that is out of balance can destroy a good pinion assembly.

In my case, it was the knowledge of the service manager that understood the translation of the vibration through the drive train to the steering column. Who would think a rear pinion failure would be felt in the steering column? I certainly didn't...and I'm fairly knowledgable. I thought he was crazy...but...he was right!

Thanks, it is back at the dealer today. I had gone earlier in the week to set up the appointment for today and they told me they needed it for the entire day. I go to drop it off today, and the service manager that is well aware of what is going on says, "we need to get a factory rep involved." He proceeded to call the factory rep and asked him if he was around the area today. Of course he isnt!! So, I am leaving the truck there all day today for nothing. It will be going back in next week when the rep is around. He said he is calling Toyota today in order to set up an investigation...