Okay, here's another rattle. This one is in the engine, I believe in the area of the drive belt, water pump, A/C compressor, etc. The dealer has acknowledged hearing it, at 2000rpm-2250 rpm only. It is worse when it's hot outside, but the A/C has not much to do with it. It first happened in winter, at 12K miles. Now I've got 17K and it's still there after the dealer looked at it 2 times. A belt tension adjustment, a new motor mount (cartalk show would laugh at that one!) . . . then the story from Scion's tech line that until it gets possibly worse, there's nothing to do about it. If the mechanics knew something about noises, I'm certain they could fix it. My option is to go to a private mechanic who would at least tell me something other than "other xb's on the lot do it too" . . . or "we don't hear the noise, I just hear the exhaust note" . . . and such. Then the ridiculous phone calls after the dealer sends it home "95% certain it's gone" . . . so it goes on. Does anybody experience this same thing with their xB? Go out and listen, it's a subtle "rattle" type noise at the 2000 rpm range that happens under normal load, but not as easily when under low load such as going downhill, or driving out of overdrive. What is up??!!! Oh, my car is Blue Onyx Pearl, I'm sure the dealer would say it happens because of the color . . . . . . my response was "fix it or pay my mechanic to fix it, eh?"

 

i have something kind of similiar. Mine happnes right when i accelerate, around 2 to 3ooo rms. I havnt been able to figure it out either. However, mine sounds like its comming from under the speedo. I have a feeling it might be the window wiper actuater cuz when i was installing my lowering springs i noticed a bolt missing were to peices of metal touch. Maybe its the same for you,,,, maybe not. Hope you figure it out, cuz rattles are the most annoying thing a car can have!

 

I had a sound kinda like that, and I was gonna get it looked at, but today I had to pull my car over and get a ride to work because the v belt split in half. So I don't know if that's the same as what's been going on with you all, but hopefully you don't have the same misfortune of having something in your engine come apart before you can get it into a shop. Guess last month when it was at the dealership getting an poil change, they may not have checked that belt to see if it needed replacing. 40k miles on it

 

Wow, sounds like the belt just frayed spontaneously. After the belt is replaced, could you post whether or not the little rattle still lingers? That may help tremendously since my thoughts are that the noise is/was related to the drive belt.

 

I thought they checked the condition of all that stuff when I got my oil changes. I'll post on wheather or not there's still that little rattle after everything's taken care of. Now I just have to find out if this is something I can do myself.

 

I was just going to post the same question! I hear a slight squeck like a belt is loose or somthin just when i start to take off but then it stops,it doesnt apear to hurting nething just anoying! I thought it was my ur pulley.

 

Naw, that's different. See post above. This rattle is specific to 2000-2250 rpm range only.

 

I've recently developed a similar sound that occurs around 2000rpm; I thought that the engine was pinging at part load with the A/C on, but premium didn't seem to resolve it. The belts seem tight...

 

How many miles did your car have when you first noticed? On mine, it was right at 12K miles. The rattle happens no matter what kind of weather, temp, A/C on or off. Have you taken yours to the dealer?

 

I have about 15K miles. The local dealer is worthless. If I know what's wrong, I usually can talk them into solving a specific well defined problem.; otherwise, I'm on my own.

 

I agree. I was told the sound is "normal", but who knows what happens after more miles? I think the best thing to do is pay a trusted mechanic for a few hours of diagnosis, and then tell the dealer what the problem is. Toyota/Scion acts oblivious to the problem until customers in the field go through the task of finding out. Seems like their engineers would know more about causes of noises . . .

 

Okay guys, here's the diagnosis: I took it to the dealership and the reason the belt shredded and came off, was because the pulley was bad. So they replaced the pulley, the water pump, and BOTH belts. And best part is, it was under the 5 year powertrain warranty! Any odd sounds that were made before, are not there anymore.

 

belts should last longer than 40k. it had to be misaligned or out of adjustment.

 

glad i found this topic...brought it by the dealer about two weeks ago for a rattle sound, really sounds like it comes from the exhaust b'cuz it happens when you step on the accelerator pedal and also when the vehicle has been running for a while after it's started. Another dealer said its probably coming from the timing chain or in that vicinity...any ideas???

 

I have that noise. My 05' has been doing that since about 5k. Took it to the Head Tech at my dealership. He heard it. We tested other Xb's both new and used on the lot and they did it too.

My friend Kelly has a 05'. Went to see her and tried hers out....it has the noise too. Whenever I am out and about on foot and there is an Xb nearby waiting to take off from a stopsign/stoplight/ or leaving a parking space??.....I always listen for that noise to see if they have it.....and "yes"....9 times outta 10, they all do it.

It drives me nuts, but if they all do it, they only thing we can hope for is.....

1. It is the way it is....and it's normal/fine.

2. If it is a problem, then maybe Scion will recall them later after enough of them screw up somehow as the miles pile on.

Strange sound though....I about freaked the first time I heard it.....and it still bothers me....but, if you goose it a little more than normal, you can by-pass the noise without wasting gas.

Oh yea, I do also have that slight pinging noise going up hills or with the a/c on ....and 93 does not cure it. But strangely enough, it disappears pretty much once the car is fully up to operating temperature.

 

wassup scioners...thought i'd drop somethin' for y'all...well, i brought up the noise rattle again to my dealer..they pointed out in the owners manual that the xb models will make that kind of rattle and it's normal (i don't see whats normal about that) but they said it they also brought up that the xb may make a pinging noise and that leads to the kind of fuel we use in them, which they strongly recommend the 91 grade and not the 87 grade even though our manuals say use the 87 grade. so i hope some of these help out our guys and gals out there still figuring out what the heck is goin on...but don't worry...i still got the noise it's an on and off thing and hell is still bothers the wack outta me...so laters evryone....

 

My 2006 xB does not make any such noises. Scion Customer Experience emailed that the engine is designed for 87 octane :The only reason for the engine to ping or knock on 87 octane is a bad knock sensor. In that case, there would be a trouble light and a code. However, a good knock sensor will be unable to prevent the engine from knocking on less than 87 octane.

The Owners Manual, Section 2, Page 114 says:
OCTANE RATING
Select Octane Rating 87... or higher.
Use of unleaded gasoline with an octane rating or research octane number lower than (87 octane) stated above will cause persistent heavy knocking. If it is severe, this will lead to engine damage.

Maintenance Manual says:
DIAGNOSTICS - SFI SYST
DTC P0325 - KNOCK SENSOR 1 CIRCUIT - CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
Knock sensor is fitted on the cylinder block to detect the engine knocking. This sensor contains a piezoelectric element which generates a voltage when it becomes deformed, which occurs when the cylinder block vibrates due to knocking. If engine knocking occurs, the ignition timing is delayed to suppress it.

 

Anybody getting the 2000-2250 rpm rattle? (this was the original post topic) Not the take off from idle rattle which is discussed on another topic posting . . .

 

i got the same around 2k-3k rpm, i started notice those noise around 8k miles, and now i m just over 10k.

 

Have the EXACT same noise cocteau3. The only way to describe it is to say it sounds like my xB is diesel??? Speed or gear doesn't matter, it happens when i just give it a bit of gas (like to maintain speed) at 2K rpm. And its getting WORSE! have 41K miles now, started around 17. Dealer said same thing, can't ID it.

I think its either the AC compressor or the trany (hoping for the trany as this would still be warranty). Actually it could be both (maybe 2 noises now). Trany I suspect cause: I can put it in D, hold the brake and give it gas to make the sound, but it wont do it in Park. The AC I suspect cause switching it on/off changes the frequency/intensity...

ANY info would be appreciated. I'll do the same.

~Jason