Constant high-pitched ringing noise

[ultane]

Hi melvincat, would you have a recording of this noise?

Is it similar to this:

That would drive me nuts..

 

[TrailWhale]

Hi melvincat, would you have a recording of this noise?

Is it similar to this:

That's a horrific sound, but only around 1kHz. I think the folks in this thread are experiencing significantly higher frequency noise - in the 12-15khz range.

 

[FLC250]

That's a horrific sound, but only around 1kHz. I think the folks in this thread are experiencing significantly higher frequency noise - in the 12-15khz range.

Hmmm I wonder how it sounds like.

 

[AlexGates]

I have this issue too. It stops when I am at a complete stop. Sounds like it is coming from the rear, right side. I have tinnitus and that is what it sounds like, except it does stop. I originally thought it was the spaceship hybrid warning sound, but it sounds more like a high pitch electronics fan.

-or- something electronic/mechanical is tweaking my tinnitus.

 

[neema2k]

Put your driver console view to the Iforce max view and it tells you when the turbo or electric motor is kicking in. I bet that sound you're describing is the turbo.

 

[AlexGates]

Negative, I know what the turbo sounds like, this is coming from behind me. It's coming from the center console. I'm going to take it apart and dynamat it.

 

[KWLC250]

Answer from another thread:

My '24 has the same issue, and every '25 sitting at the lot at my local dealer has it too. As found in the other thread, it's a design flaw in the hybrid DC converter being moved inside the cabin vs outside the car in all other Toyota hybrids. All LC's have it and you're lucky if you can't hear it (or maybe unlucky you can't hear high frequencies anymore lol). I'm pretty disheartened, maybe angry, that there seems to be no resolution.

The only thing that gives me solace is that it's really only aggravating to me in the passenger seat while driving at city speeds (<45mph). It's slightly quieter in the drivers' seat. On long highway trips, the road noise mostly covers it up. Music mostly covers it up. Since it only kicks in when the hybrid system is active, when sitting at stoplights it's silent, or while sitting while powered on while camping, it's silent. Still, Toyota really needs to issue a recall for this. It's unacceptable an $80k car simulates tinnitus with absolutely no resolution.

For prospective owners I otherwise love my LC but I absolutely wouldn't have bought the car had I known about this issue previously, it's extremely aggravating.

My '25 Premium and my wife's '25 LC both have the noise. Seems all '25's have this issue. I plan on bringing it up at my first service. If enough of us document it then maybe they will release a TSB with some sound deadening material or replace the converter all together.

 

[BlueCruiser]

For what it is worth, my 2025 doesn't seem to have it. All smooth and quiet in the cockpit while running.

After shut down is a different matter. All kinds of interesting noises like an old steam engine at Waterloo Sation

 

[KWLC250]

For what it is worth, my 2025 doesn't seem to have it. All smooth and quiet in the cockpit while running.

After shut down is a different matter. All kinds of interesting noises like an old steam engine at Waterloo Sation

It's really subtle to me honestly. I also thought it was normal "hybrid sound". Because I also hear a type of "honing" sound I'm assuming coming from the hybrid's regenerative breaking. Both our LC's make both sounds. I never heard this in my BMW which had a "mild hybrid" system. But I'm sure there was more sound deadening material in the cabin of the BMW.

I could honestly live with it. It doesn't bother me enough to have a tech tear the car apart looking for the cause. But if it's the same sound others are mentioning and a "solution" does come from Toyota I'll get the TSB done.

 

[AlexGates]

Is this maybe a case where the sound is a high enough frequency that most people can’t hear it, especially those over the age of 30, but younger people can?

I'm 50 and I can hear it, I also have hearing damage, but also have super sensitive hearing for some things (I can hear the doorbell transformer, drove me nuts, so I removed it.)

"I wonder if my tinnitus is just drowning it out.. "

I'm actually starting to believe my LC (2025) is making my tinnitus worse. I've Googled and apparently this is a thing for some people, there is actually a tinnitus forum. I'm driving my truck for the next couple of days just to find out if I am just crazy. I have a 2025. But, I'm thinking my tinnitus kicking up is coming from the tweeters bouncing off the front windshield. But, I can hear the sound people are talking about in this thread.

ETA: I wrapped a jacket around/over the center console, not even a very heavy one, and it knocked the sound out to the point that is was barely audible. You could barely tell it was there and it wasn’t painful.

I’ll write Toyota, maybe include the links to these discussions. It’ll take them forever to release a fix, if they even think it is a problem. I’m going to pull the back off the center console and see what it looks like there.

 

[crow_enjoyer]

I'm 50 and I can hear it, I also have hearing damage, but also have super sensitive hearing for some things (I can hear the doorbell transformer, drove me nuts, so I removed it.)

"I wonder if my tinnitus is just drowning it out.. "

I'm actually starting to believe my LC (2025) is making my tinnitus worse. I've Googled and apparently this is a thing for some people, there is actually a tinnitus forum. I'm driving my truck for the next couple of days just to find out if I am just crazy. I have a 2025. But, I'm thinking my tinnitus kicking up is coming from the tweeters bouncing off the front windshield. But, I can hear the sound people are talking about in this thread.

ETA: I wrapped a jacket around/over the center console, not even a very heavy one, and it knocked the sound out to the point that is was barely audible. You could barely tell it was there and it wasn’t painful.

I’ll write Toyota, maybe include the links to these discussions. It’ll take them forever to release a fix, if they even think it is a problem. I’m going to pull the back off the center console and see what it looks like there.

Please let us know what you see when you pull off the center console. And if you could post some pics that would be awesome. I may end up doing the same in the near future and seeing what’s in store would be helpful!

 

[AlexGates]

Please let us know what you see when you pull off the center console. And if you could post some pics that would be awesome. I may end up doing the same in the near future and seeing what’s in store would be helpful!

I was planning on it. I'm going to do the back first and see if I can get an idea before I start looking at materials and remove the whole center console.

I think this little guy may be the offender. I stretched out to the back and mashed the gas (I was in park) and it sounds like that is where it is coming from, was actually louder on the backside of the center console.

 

[AlexGates]

It's pretty loud w/o the plastic covers on, there looks like enough room 1/2" on either side between the bracket and the center console plastic. There is space between the metal bracket and the offending unit.
First video is vehicle powered up, HVAC off. 2nd video is giving it some gas/motor running, HVAC off. There is no way Toyota can say "That is perfectly acceptable" with a straight face. It seems to be coming more from the rear (pax end) of the unit.

 

[AlexGates]

Internal pics:

 

[AlexGates]

Driving. I did this in lower quality video, I think the first too are too large and causing issues.
imgur u/l just incase.

 

[crow_enjoyer]

Wow! That’s incredibly loud with it exposed. Thank you for the great videos. I will be sharing these with the dealer when I bring it in in a couple weeks. What’s your plan now that you have these videos?

 

[AlexGates]

Wow! That’s incredibly loud with it exposed. Thank you for the great videos. I will be sharing these with the dealer when I bring it in in a couple weeks. What’s your plan now that you have these videos?

I guess I'll take it to the local dealer and see if they will contact Toyota. But, this gives me a headache even with the plastic shell on. If Toyota doesn't want to do anything, I'll consider some sort of sound deadener/insulation, but I'm leery because of heat/electronics. 2nd option is to trade it in on a GX550, which I would rather not do. What I would hope is that the local dealer agrees, orders a new unit, and it fixes things, but I don't know if that will fix it.

Toyota should have never put that inside the vehicle or a bunch of us have substandard units.

 

[AlexGates]

As expected, Toyota says this is normal and present on all the Land Cruisers on the lot, it is just the way they are designed. I'm going to sound deaden the area. Just the rear to start, since that seems where most of the sound is coming from, and it is simple to pull the panels. If I don't get a serious reduction, I'll do the entire center console.

Funny enough, I walked by a Sequoia hybrid, it was making the same sound, but from its engine bay, where you should put an inverter (if that is where it is on the iForce Max.)

 

[crow_enjoyer]

Disappointing to hear but yeah, expected. Was that just the dealer who said that or did you call Toyota corporate too?

Any idea what deadening material you’re going to use?

Weird that so many people on this forum don’t seem to notice this sound if Toyota’s saying it’s present on all Land Cruisers. Maybe it’s just 2025s?

 

[jmo]

As expected, Toyota says this is normal and present on all the Land Cruisers on the lot, it is just the way they are designed. I'm going to sound deaden the area. Just the rear to start, since that seems where most of the sound is coming from, and it is simple to pull the panels. If I don't get a serious reduction, I'll do the entire center console.

Funny enough, I walked by a Sequoia hybrid, it was making the same sound, but from its engine bay, where you should put an inverter (if that is where it is on the iForce Max.)

Good luck! If it works, would appreciate you sharing more details on what you did and photos.