A nightmare in the making - 2025 Land Cruiser sort of update

[katekebo]

I took some spectrograms from my 2024 LC 1958 and posted them here

Constant high-pitched ringing noise

Update: For anyone who is curious, I've escalated this to corporate and they connected me to another Toyota for a full diagnostic - this is different from the typical maintenance checklist. They have my car for a few days. I sat in the car with them and at first they said it sounded like the...

www.landcruiserforum.com

There clearly are some high frequency "tones" present - very narrow bandwidth and steady frequency. Interestingly, there is one at ~11 kHz that is always present, while other, at ~9 and ~14 kHz come and go.
They are too narrow to be of mechanical origin, like gear or fan noise. Most likely coming from some DC-to-DC converter (USB chargers), the main engine inverter, the infotainment or the 120VAC system.

 

[Area 51]

Appreciate your insight! What I am afraid of is if it's an issue with ALL LC's and that some people just can't hear it. There's another person on this forum that posted what I think is the same issue as mine, where it's clearly different from a regular engine noise, and it sounds super electronic and disruptive. I will definitely run a frequency analyzer when I get the car back. I wish whoever ok'ed this car had better hearing because my god this is such a deal breaker for me. I'm not exactly sure why it only manifested 2 weeks after buying it. I can't even look back and regret anything, I checked for all the right things, as a noise-sensitive person

I would hear it if it existed in my new vehicle.
No odd noises or anything else in my new cruiser.
@250 miles.

 

[melvincat]

I would hear it if it existed in my new vehicle.
No odd noises or anything else in my new cruiser.
@250 miles.

Interesting - please update me when it’s got more miles. I didn’t hear anything when I first got it and after 500 or so miles I started hearing it

 

[melvincat]

If it's the other thread I'm thinking of, it sounds like the noise is 14,000Hz, which is definitely high-pitched, but is within what is considered to be the normal range of hearing.

Having said that, when I go here: Online Tone Generator
and play a 14,000Hz tone, I have to put the volume up pretty high to hear it myself (48, male)

So...I suppose it's possible that if it's not very loud, a tone at 14,000 may be barely detectable by older individuals, but annoying to younger ears

Yeah I’m afraid that may be the case, I’m not sure these Toyota technicians will hear much of anything when they look into it

 

[melvincat]

Unless the techs are analyzing the noise, you might be better off getting the truck back so you can gather your own noise data (as suggested above) to prove your case and have a baseline for comparison against any changes from work done. You'd probably want before and after noise data for your own LC plus noise data from a similar LC for comparison.

My guess is this is a new one for most techs and you might get the run around without something concrete to refer to.

Yeah this is a good point. When I get it back I will record some things and compare. I’m starting to think the only way to move forward with such an edge case is keeping corporate involved and (respectfully) being persistent with everyone involved

 

[jumpin]

I'd also press for ongoing communication during the diagnostic. Let them explain how they plan to diagnose this. Squeaky wheel approach and a face to go with the vehicle.

 

[ArinsaChamp]

So... I don't know how much more of this I can take. My car is with Toyota for a full diagnostic, but there's no timeline on when we'll get the car back or if they'll even be able to diagnose my issue. The car has been making this high pitched ringing noise for a couple of weeks and I don't know what to do. It's been to multiple service appointments and they all have said "it's normal hybrid noise." (yeah, it's not. My hybrid corolla rental doesn't make such a noise.) If they "can't find" the issue then there is nothing to declare in need of fixing. I am only able to be in my car with noise cancelling headphones, otherwise the noise is extremely distressing, distracting, and causes pain. Does that sound safe to you? It certainly doesn't seem so to me. Every single technician and mechanic from Toyota has blown me off and told me to deal with it. They said don't get your hopes up for anything out of this full diag. Now, I am paying $45/day for a rental and there's no update on when we get the car back. I even looked into legal routes and it doesn't even qualify as a lemon if other LC's are making the same noises. We'd literally have to sue under consumer protection laws and that could be months. And obviously that's an extreme route.

What would y'all do at this point? I've called corporate once and that is what got me scheduled for a full diagnostic. Should I call again? I just don't think this is right. If anyone wants a sound clip of the ringing I can post it and compare to a sound clip of the corolla hybrid without the ringing noise.

First off they have to give u a rental or loaner for free. So you should have to be paying 45 dollars a day. Next try another dealer. And last if you car has been in the shop for 30 days consecutively or 45 days non-consecutively are in the shop for the same reason three or more times then contact a lemon lawyer and lemon the car. If this is a vehicle you still really want after limiting it then purchase a new one or talk to Toyota about replacing it under the lemon law. But I would suggest driving another Land cruiser to make sure it's not doing the same thing.

 

[jbe2289]

I took some spectrograms from my 2024 LC 1958 and posted them here

Constant high-pitched ringing noise

Update: For anyone who is curious, I've escalated this to corporate and they connected me to another Toyota for a full diagnostic - this is different from the typical maintenance checklist. They have my car for a few days. I sat in the car with them and at first they said it sounded like the...

www.landcruiserforum.com

There clearly are some high frequency "tones" present - very narrow bandwidth and steady frequency. Interestingly, there is one at ~11 kHz that is always present, while other, at ~9 and ~14 kHz come and go.
They are too narrow to be of mechanical origin, like gear or fan noise. Most likely coming from some DC-to-DC converter (USB chargers), the main engine inverter, the infotainment or the 120VAC system.

Possibly ANC?

 

[Steve.Berglund]

You could try to science the $h*t out of this by running a frequency analyzer (rent one or download an app to your phone) in your vehicle to identify the specific tone causing the problem to your ears (you can cross check using a tone generator at the same Hz to confirm its what you are hearing) and then take test ride in a dealer model to see if it is absent (both to your ears and to the analyzer). Might give you some concrete proof that there is something not right with your truck whether you want to pursue repairs or a lemon law solution. Not sure that using the Corolla as your baseline will be useful (in court or otherwise) given it is a different car with a different drivetrain unless you know for a fact that the noise is coming from some component identical to both models. My LC doesn't sound anything like my X5 hybrid and I'm pretty sure neither Toyota nor BMW gives a . Comparing to another LC without the ringing sound might give you standing to argue it's not normal hybrid noise.

As an RF engineer, I love this message.

 

[lmwong]

Drive another LC on the lot back to back with yours and see if it’s there too! Good luck, what a bummer.

 

[crow_enjoyer]

FWIW my 2025 LCLC (no premium) has this same ringing that is a little louder when I put my head by the center console. I notice it when it’s driving around and at a complete stop.

I’ve got good ears and have wondered if most people just don’t notice it because it is pretty faint but I find it quite noticeable.

I’ll be asking the dealer about it when I bring it in for its first service. But until then I’ll be following this thread with my fingers crossed.

 

[BuzzedOnTacos]

Week two in my rig, I hear something high pitched too, extreme low voloume, radio off. Not concerning for me to this point as it’s easily drowned out by the radio. I hope the best, and i will continue to follow this thread for your updates.

 

[swampdog]

We have the premium package on a 2024, not that that may make a difference. We have not noticed any noise issues.
Our two quite young dogs, both with exceptionally good hearing in the upper range that we can't even hear, haven't reacted negatively to riding in the LC. Young people with keen hearing also have not mentioned any unusual noise.
Have you tried taking dogs for a ride to see if they react? Maybe someone who trains dogs or dolphins would have instruments that can measure the sound that you are hearing? Or an audiologist might be able to help with diagnosing the issue - both with the LC and person(s) bothered by the noise?

 

[melvincat]

Well everyone, no dice. I’m on the phone with corporate and it doesn’t look good. They didn’t even tear apart the car - they just rolled the windows down according to the app. They said they don’t know where the noise is coming from AND there’s nothing they can do.

 

[RideWithYanu]

Time to invest in mud tires.

 

[stug4]

My car makes constant coil whine like noise, it stops when engine turns off. Its not loud but I can hear it when stopped in traffic.

 

[melvincat]

Just got off the phone - they went ahead and sent a report to the dealership that sold us the car. She asked me what do I want Toyota to do about this and I said tear that car apart and snip that wire or give me non-predatory lease terms unlike the last time. So now I've been redirected back to the original dealership, not the one that did the full diag... I can't live with this noise for 3 years. I'm stuck on what to do, seems there are no options really! Sucks!

 

[RideWithYanu]

Just got off the phone - they went ahead and sent a report to the dealership that sold us the car. She asked me what do I want Toyota to do about this and I said tear that car apart and snip that wire or give me non-predatory lease terms unlike the last time. So now I've been redirected back to the original dealership, not the one that did the full diag... I can't live with this noise for 3 years. I'm stuck on what to do, seems there are no options really! Sucks!

Why didn’t you tell them you wanted them to take the vehicle back? It sounds like you’re quite unhappy with it?

 

[melvincat]

Why didn’t you tell them you wanted them to take the vehicle back? It sounds like you’re quite unhappy with it?

I’m confused as to why you think I didn’t ask them to take the car back?

 

[RideWithYanu]

I’m confused as to why you think I didn’t ask them to take the car back?

Sorry mate, was just assuming you only told them what you wrote that you told them:

"She asked me what do I want Toyota to do about this and I said tear that car apart and snip that wire or give me non-predatory lease terms unlike the last time."

My bad.