I have a 2000 4wd Toyota Tacoma that making a noise that my auto repair garage is having trouble diagnosing. When I am driving at 30 mph or above and I take my foot off the gas (decelerate) I hear a high pitch squeak which sounds like it coming from the back of the car. I do not hear the noise while accelerating only for a few seconds when I let up on the accelerator. The brakes have been checked although it does happen while braking and my last visit they drained and refilled the rear differential. No luck with that. Any ideas???
Thanks
Since braking has no effect, I think we can safely eliminate the brakes as a candidate for cause, especially sinec they’ve been checked anyway.
To my mind likely suspects would include the universal joints, the pinion bearing, and the carrier bearing. I’d place the carrier bearing high on the list of candidates.
Did they check anything in the differential when they drained the fluid? Did they check the play in the pinion shaft? The wear on the crown (ring) gear? Did they check the carrier bearing for play? The U joints?
It could be the driveshaft and you may have to get a new one made. If you do, they cost about $550. The sound will get worse as time goes by.
Did you ever get this figured out? I’m having the same problem with a 2004 Tacoma.
A dry U-joint can make this sound. When accelerating the torque on the U-joint forces the trunions of the U-joint against the bearing caps. When decelerating the U-joint is now able to free-float in the bearing caps and can make a grinding noise to a squealing noise.
Tester