1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Is High Pitch Squeaking Noise From Wheel Normal?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by ktling, Nov 7, 2009.

  1. ktling

    ktling Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2009
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    My 2010 Prius II has just less than 5,000 on it. Started couple weeks ago, there is a high pitch squeaking noise coming out from the rear wheel on the right hand side. It happens when the car start rolling from 0 to 5MPH with no gas or brake applied. The noise is getting loud but will go away as speed increases above 7 MPH.

    I took it back to the dealer, the service guy first agreed that it could be a problem. But he came back and told me that their technician said that the noise is normal on the 2010 model and the noice is coming from the hybrid system.

    I dont agree that it is a normal noise as I dont hear it from any other Prius. Does any one else experience that kind of noise?

    Thank you for your input!
     
  2. Jim05

    Jim05 Occasional Quasi-Hypermiler

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2009
    115
    20
    0
    Location:
    Culpeper
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Without the benefit of hearing it, I generally agree that it is not normal, especially on acceleration. There a few sounds in a hybrid that are different, but a squealing wheel on acceleration is not one of them. Take it to a different dealer, and tell this one that you "no longer require their services and will be sure to share your experience with every current and potential Toyota owner."
     
  3. dogfriend

    dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2007
    7,512
    1,188
    0
    Location:
    Carmichael, CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius

    Have the tech (or service writer) demonstrate it for you using another Prius on their lot. Then when the other car doesn't make the noise you can nicely tell him/her they are full of crap.
     
    Chris L. likes this.
  4. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2009
    691
    151
    41
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Search this website and you'll find a long thread on this problem. I've got it too. My dealershipbid a bit more understanding - they've worked on the front brakes (I thought the squeak came from there), and I have to go back for the rears (still squeaking).
     
  5. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    4,089
    468
    0
    Location:
    Bahstahn
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    To debug this, slightly apply the parking brake while rolling
    slowly and listen for any changes.
    .
    _H*
     
    2 people like this.
  6. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2009
    691
    151
    41
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Arrg, I should have thought of that. Good idea!
     
  7. dc202

    dc202 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    230
    22
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I experience it and so do a lot of others, based on posts here.
    Whether it is a significant problem remains to be determined.
     
  8. priusinhb

    priusinhb New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2009
    1
    0
    0
    Location:
    Hermosa Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    About 6 weeks after purchasing by 2010 Prius, i noticed a very annoying squeaking noise coming from the back wheels as I rolled out. It returns after the car sits for a while. It goes away after washing the car, but returns within two days.

    My local dealership kept the car for 2 days and could not determine what was causing it. I plan to take up the issue with the dealership I purchased it from when the car is due for the 5,000 tune-up.

    If anyone has further information on how to permanently fix the problem I would like very much to hear about it.
     
  9. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2008
    771
    62
    0
    Location:
    Albany Ga.
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19107
    Brake Caliper Lube/anti-squeal - AcuraZine Community
    Changing Miata Brake Pads
    anti-squeal compound and brake pad shims....: Pathfinder Forum / QX4 Forum: Nissan Forums / Infiniti Forums - NICOclub
    Brake Squeal

    From a quick Google search on "eliminating brake squeal" Couple of things you'll notice.
    1. It's not Toyota specific
    2. In just about every case you'll see the recommendation of placing anti-squeal compound on the backside of the brake pad and or shim as the fix.
    It works on almost all other makes of cars, I can't imagine why it wouldn't on a Prius.
     
  10. ffedog

    ffedog New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2009
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    I have the same problem. I took it to the dealer and they were able to reproduce the problem right there. On my car the squeaking came from the rear rotors. The dealer said that because the car has regenerative braking, the rear brakes don't get uses that much and a layer of rust forms on the rotors which causes the squeak when the pads are just barely touching the rotors. They resurfaced the rotors and the problem went away for a couple of months but the squeaking came back. How frustrating! Also, I think, when they resurfaced the rotors, they forgot to adjust my parking brake and now, the car does not hold very well on a steep hill when I apply the parking brake. I plan to bring the car back to the dealer but I might wait till my 6 mo service. It's such a hassle to bring the car into the dealer because I need a car to drive. This problem is just annoying. No new car should have a squeaking noise from the rotors like this. I think this is a design flaw because they can't just keep resurfacing the rotors because I don't think that will make the problem go away.



     
  11. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2009
    691
    151
    41
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I had my rear brakes de-glazed the last week of December. They're still virtually squeak-free (I've heard an isolated squeak in the morning). If it comes back, I'll try the anti-squeak compound on the brake pad back plates.
     
  12. constellazn

    constellazn New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2009
    1
    0
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I've had the same problem when I accelerate so I recently took it into the dealership. The shop foreman was able to hear the squeaking sound and later told me that they worked on the rear brakes. When I got my car back I noticed that the squeak became louder.
     
  13. toyolover

    toyolover Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2009
    441
    67
    0
    Location:
    toronto, canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Squeaking noise from brakes, especially in a early cold morning, is not uncommon. The reason is when you come back from a trip, the brake discs are hot. As soon as you park the car, the hot disc metal contacts the cold air with the moisture. Oxidation occurs almost immediately and a thin (almost invisible) layer of rust will form. When you drive the car away the next day morning, the first few applications of the brake will wear off this "rusted" layer and this causing the noise. The noise should be gone within a few hundred feet or after applying the brakes a few times. However, if the noise is still audible when you apply the gas, then I suspect adjustment of the brake pad is needed or even may be a slightly warpped disc. If this is the case, machining of the disc is required but doing this would also reduce the thickness of the disc. A disc can only be machined one or two times. Anti-squeaking compound is not a permanent cure. An imperfect brake pad may also cause the noise.
     
  14. RogerR2

    RogerR2 New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2010
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I have a 2010 Prius IV that has a high pitched squeal during low speeds. I have been to the dealer on numerous occasions and they finally put me in a brand new, just delivered Prius and it makes the same irritating noise. The explanation from the dealer is that the noise comes from the Hybrid System. It only occurs when the car is in gear and moving. The noise disappears when the car is moving and shifted to neutral, so I don't think the brakes are the source of this noise. I think it is a design flaw that must be addressed by Toyota. I have contacted them, but they simply refer me back to my dealer, who tells me that it is a normal noise from the Hybrid System, so we are in this continuous loop that will not get this noise fixed. My previous Prius, a 2006 did not make this noise. I guess Toyota updated the system.
    Thanks,
    Roger...
     
  15. GasSaving

    GasSaving Saves $1,000/yr on gas

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2010
    52
    15
    0
    Location:
    Boston
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Hi Roger! I've had no squeaks, squeals, or rattles from my 2010 Prius, so I'm not angling to get a new one for free, but I'm just curious. How did you convince them to give you a brand new car? As stated above, overnight micro-layers of rust on your brakes may squeak (in any car) until the first time you hit the brakes. The Prius is one of the most reliable cars on the road, so if yours has a problem, get it fixed (under warranty) so you can get back to enjoying it, since an OPEC barrel of oil is now double what is was 2 years ago!
     
  16. 2013-Prius v

    2013-Prius v 2013 Prius v 5

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2013
    198
    39
    0
    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five