NEW!!! Service Bulletin for Engine Knocking at Startup T-SB 0012-10

Durant or Jerry's in Weatherford.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>Update 11/30/2013>>>>>>>>
Took car to Toyota of Fort Worth Saturday morning. Service adviser Eddie was very helpful and receptive to my problem. I showed him this Youtube video which was identical to what I experienced with my car.

He said this was the first time they have ever heard of this happening at this dealership, so nobody has performed the TSB. They found no error codes with my car. He pulled up TSB-0010-12. This TSB has been extended to the 2013 Prius and Prius V Wagon, but my VIN was newer than the included VIN's in the TSB. I am bringing it back this Thursday and leaving it with them for a "cold soak" over night in order to duplicate the rough start Friday morning. They will call Toyota Tech this week to get a ruling as to whether to apply TSB-0010-12 to my car. More to come...

 

I am not sure if my issue is this or not, but I have a 2013 Prius with 4k miles on it, and sometimes when I start it, there is a very loud noise (its like sticking a broom handle into a fan thats running sound) and it does not happen all the time, but when it happens its very loud. Once I put it in drive the sound goes away. I do not have my parking brake on so that is not the problem.

 

This is the exact sound that happens with mine! How do I go about fixing this?

 

Make a video of the noise or take it to the dealer and be prepared to leave it overnight so they can hear it. No other options, unfortunately, and the repairs may not even fix the issue. Some have reported the sound returns at random. My 2010 Prius III had the TSB done and the racket came back anyway.

 

OK, here we are on 12/1/13 and on 11/2813 and 11/29/13, the car is back to making the same engine noise as it was before they replaced the IM. Anyone else with the 37054 IM have the problem returning?

 

There are many people who have the IM changed out and soon after experience the same problem.

You can use one of the two following methods to try to avoid it during the winter months.

1.) The start up, press gas pedal down method.
2.) Move from the recommended 87 octane to the higher 93 octane with heet gas treatment.

my2cents

 

Is this knocking proven to have any damaging effects on the engine?

 

Also try to just put it in gear right away, but when it's done it to me holding the gas pedal to the floor always works

 

Lets keep the suggestions that helped individuals listed:

Suggestions to help the engine knocking issue

1.) At the start up, press gas pedal down method before ICE starts.
2.) Move from the recommended 87 octane to the higher 93 octane with Heet gas treatment.
3.) Also try to just put it in gear right away
4.) On short car movements(ie. in driveway), wait for initial warm-up to finish before shutdown.

I'm not advocating a fix, only suggestions that could help avoid the issue.

 

Since the problem is very irregular and cannot be predicted, how does anybody know that these suggestions help?

Nobody knows the root of the problem. Not even Toyota.

 

These are suggestions that individuals are using on their own.

IMHO when people do not get help from the dealer or the manufacture, they are going to look for suggestions or ideas of what other people with the same problem have done.

my2cents.

From above:
I'm not advocating a fix, only suggestions that could help avoid the issue.

 

Iwouldn't say that. They know but didn't produce a successful solution. We had a toy tech on here that descibed the problem to us.

 

If they know what the problem is, they would have a solution by now. They dont. But it doesnt seem to do any immediate harm, so I am sure they arent even trying to fix it for one simple reason, sh!t happens.

YMMV.

Carry on!

 

Absolutely. Happened to me twice. They installed the IM and engine mount and it hasn't happened to me since (going on 3 years). They fixed it for me.
Carry on.

 

Which dash number Intake did they install spiderman?

 

If this problem has been going on for 3 years, and Toyota knows of a fix to the problem; I think Toyota needs to recall all the vehicles and fix them before the problem starts. I know this will cost money, but it is the right thing to do.

This problem seems to be only in cold weather starts?
Has anybody heard of this problem in summer?

 

Has happened to me in the 70's.

 

Its happened to me three times in four years and I havent done anything. It must be fixed!

 

Good question... will look that up when I get home tonight.