This issue has confused many a friend, and technician at the dealership, even all of the master techs on site. We all hear this noise, but no one knows what it is...

On my xA, I've pinpointed the conditions that replicate the issue, 50-55 mph vehicle speed, and 2000-2500 rpm engine speed. Between those bands, what we hear is an electric whine, which is directly relative to force on the accelerator, and the engine speed. Aerodynamics are likely not the culprit. Once outside of those bands, either below or above, the noise will disappear.

The master tech at my local dealership went on a test ride with me, and we had all electronics off, stereo, a/c, etc. Thought it might be a ground loop issue, but the noise still came from the engine bay. After a couple miles, we pulled over and disconnected the alternator...noise still came on.

I think we might have narrowed it down to the intake on the airbox (which is stock, except for a k&n drop in), or somewhere inside the throttle body. The last thing we thought it might be was the motion of the air (vortex, possibly?) through the intake.

Been dealing with this for about a month now. I'm pretty sure I'm not going crazy hearing things, all of my passengers and all the techs that drove it notice it. Any suggestions?

 

here is a similar post--but not a good answer............

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...253&highlight=

 

well i wouldent know i always h ave my stereo on . ill give it a try ssometime though

 

I had a noise that I never really thought was an electrical noise but now that I am reading your post I guess it could have sounded like that. What I found was that the screen that is on the intake for the heater, a/c was vibrating at about 50-55 mph. It was a high freq vibration and nearly drove me nuts until I saw another post on this site. This screen is located right in front of the windshield wipers. You can remove the plastic piece and anchor the screen with some black silicon adhesive from the back side so it will not show.

 

is it kind of a high-pitched whirring sound? kind of like what a plane sounds like when it is taking off (or getting ready to)? cause if it is, then my car makes that sound when i'm going anywhere between 50-60 MPH.

 

i'm taking it tomorrow.

 

Has anyone thought that it might be a transmission whine? My car does this as well just before the engine opens up into the powerband. I have heard this same sound in my previous vehicle a Ford Focus but it was more noticable and it sounds very similar to the noise the xA transmission makes. It sounds similar to straight cut racing gears if you were trying to describe the noise.

Gear whine is a side effect of close ration transmission and it will not harm anything. I actually find it to be a very interesting noise more than anything.