2012 Tacoma PreRunner V6 – Intermittent “airplane/whooshing” noise above 45 MPH under acceleration
Hey everyone, hoping some Tacoma owners can help me track down a weird noise on my 2012 Tacoma PreRunner V6 2WD.
The truck makes a loud whooshing / airplane-like noise that usually starts around 45 MPH. The strange part is that it comes and goes while driving — whoosh, quiet, whoosh, quiet.
Here’s what I’ve noticed:
Starts around 45 MPH
Mostly follows vehicle speed
Gets noticeable when I’m on the gas / accelerating
When I let off the gas, the sound gradually fades away
Seems like it’s coming from the front/engine area
Truck otherwise drives pretty smoothly
I originally suspected the fan clutch, so I replaced it. The old clutch definitely seemed questionable and the cold-start fan roar changed, but unfortunately the 45+ MPH noise is still there.
I’ve also checked the driveline/U-joints. There is a little movement, but it feels more like a rubbery movement rather than obvious metal-on-metal play. I haven’t seen any torn/cracked components around it.
Someone recently suggested it could possibly be the differential, so that’s something I’m looking into next as well.
Has anyone with a 2nd-gen Tacoma experienced something similar?
I’m especially wondering about:
front wheel bearings, driveshaft/U-joints, differential, transmission, or anything else that could make a speed/load-dependent whooshing or airplane noise.
Any specific tests I can do in the driveway or while driving to narrow it down would be appreciated. I’d rather diagnose it properly instead of continuing to throw parts at it.
Thanks!