When you notice unusual noises on your Toyota Highlander you usually tend to stress. Specifically when you experience a noise coming from the release bearing of your Toyota Highlander. It is directly assimilated to an engine trouble and can therefore be serious. As we know that you do not take these concerns lightly, we have decided to make this content to support you find the triggers and free yourself from this concern as quickly as possible. To do this, we will first concentrate on the function and operation of the release bearing of your clutch, and in a second step we will look in detail at the different release bearing noises on Toyota Highlander and their sources.
What is the purpose and operation of the release bearing on Toyota Highlander?
Task of the release bearing on Toyota Highlander
The release bearing of your Toyota Highlander has a major function in the operation of your entire gearbox system. Indeed, its mission is to liberate the gearbox from the rotation of the engine block via its action. This will allow you to shift gears. It is operated by the clutch pedal and then by the release fork, which, when it is activated, will press on the clutch and release the gearbox from engine rotation for you allow you to shift gears on your Toyota Highlander.
Action of release bearing Toyota Highlander
Let’s now look at the technical side, the release bearing is composed of two units, a first fixed part that slides only when the stop is pulled, or pushed (depending on its type) and finally a rotating part that is composed of a bearing that will allow it to stay in contact with the mechanism and follow its rotation.
There are two distinct types of release bearing Toyota Highlander :
- Pulled release bearing
- Hydraulic release bearing
It is the most unconventional of the two types of release bearing . This one, in contrast to the hydraulic type, is operated by a mechanical pulling system that will release the clutch disc. In this situation, the release bearing must be mechanically fixed to the mechanism.
The hydraulic release bearing, although more complicated, is the type most used in contemporary vehicles. It is however more complex than the pulled release bearing. Indeed, it will be composed of a hydraulic tube that will receive the pressure directly from the clutch pedal.
More conventional clutch stop
Release bearing noises Toyota Highlander and their sources
I experience a release bearing noise on Toyota Highlander when I drive and it stops when I release my clutch pedal
If you experience a noise from your gearbox, release bearing or clutch itself when your engine is running, but it stops when you press your clutch pedal, this noise often sounds like a bell noise, it is highly possible that your release bearing is the reason. Make sure that this noise stops when you disengage, in which case it is time to swap the release bearing of your Toyota Highlander.
I experience a release bearing noise when my pedal is up and I experience jolts in my foot
If you experience too much or too little resistance when you press your clutch pedal, and it is associated with jolts that you can experience in your clutch pedal, then the stop/fork release/blades grouping is degraded. Indeed, this noise often comes from the broken fork that no longer allows the device to work normally.
I experience a grinding noise coming from the release bearing of my Toyota Highlander when I try to shift gears and they do not shift
This concern arises most often on models equipped with hydraulic release bearing. It is often related to a clutch pedal that has little or no resistance. If you are in this situation and you feel a grinding or cracking noise coming from the release bearing of your Toyota Highlander, then you probably have a leak coming from your release bearing. It must therefore be swapped quickly or risk damaging your gearbox in addition to the clutch. If you have a noise coming from the gearbox of your Toyota Highlander and it’s not from your release bearing, check this article to have more informations.
