It is never enjoyable to notice a sound on your car that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be wondering what to do when you identify a reversing gear noise that persists on your Toyota Highlander? Any gearbox problem can be critical, but before making sure, it is better to do a few investigations. Our team has written this content page to support you resolve it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on Toyota Highlander, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse Toyota Highlander noises and some tips to maintain your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my Toyota Highlander make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, integrating all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult exercise. The noise induced by the reversing of your Toyota Highlander is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. Indeed, the gears used for conventional speeds (1st to 5th or 6th) are so-called “helical” gears (oblique gears) . The use of such a pinion makes the noise caused by the gears much less important than with spur gears implemented for the reverse gear.
Tips to reduce wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
Certainly, if you kick the throttle hard when you are in reverse or when you put the car in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions. - Never reverse while the car is in motion or vice versa:
Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad idea. Indeed, the pressure you will exert on the gears will be monumental and you will create a premature wear and tear of the gears. You can even break the gears of your gearbox at speed by doing so. It will therefore be completely typical if you notice a reverse noise on your Toyota Highlander if you shift gear under these conditions.
Different Toyota Highlander reversing noises and their origins
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most interested in this article, to find out about the source of reversing noise on Toyota Highlander. Here are the 3 typical noises you may be victim of.
I hear a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you notice a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Toyota Highlander, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. Indeed, when the engine is in reverse gear, due to the pinions we saw above the vibrations made by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore conceivable that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this situation, do not hesitate to check this content for more info about strut mount noises on Toyota Highlander.
An increased reverse knocking noise on Toyota HighlanderX
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Toyota Highlander and this noise tends to increase as you gain speed. It is conceivable that you are experiencing a serious problem that needs to be fixed rather quickly before ruining your entire gearbox. Indeed, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will propagate to the rest of the box and damage other gears before long. Take your car to your auto technician quickly or check out this document about gearbox noise on Toyota Highlander for more data.
I discover a noise when I go in reverse
Experiencing a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and relating to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your Toyota Highlander reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is conceivable that filings have been created and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
