2001 Corolla: Drilling Noise In First/second Gear - Toyota Corolla, Chevy Prizm (1998-2008)

Hi,

I have a 2001 Corolla. Recently, i notice a drilling noise when i step on the gas pedal. It is most noticeable when the car is in the first gear, then it goes away after reaching about 20 MPH. Could this be a transmission problem?

The car has 42k miles, i havent change the oil for a 5 months, but i only drove 1200 miles for the past 5 months.

Please help.

Thx.

I take it this is a 5-speed and not an automatic? Ragardless of type - has the gear oil/fluid in the transaxle ever been changed (ie, drain and refill)? As for engine oil - should be OK. For ones that put very low miles on the car - should still try to change the oil every 6 months, just to flush the system of corrosive acids and normal combustion byproducts.

Need a bit more information -

- Does it make that sound only from a stop, regardless if the engine is warmed up or not?

- Does it only make the noise right from a cold soak (ie, car sitting overnight) or does it still do it everytime you start off from first gear?

- Have you noticed if the sound is louder from outside the car or inside the cabin (to help pinpoint the source)?

As being a tranaxle issue - could be. Doesn't mean that the transaxle is damaged - could be as simple as a case of oxidized or dirty fluid/oil. Could also be noise from the brake rotors or tires - give that the car doesn't see a lot of miles. May just need to take the car for a long(er) drive - as fluids needs to be brought up to normal operating temperture and fully circulated to properly "exercise" components and make sure that excessive deposits, contaminants, and moisture doesn't build up in there.

EDIT: I also took a peek at some of your past posts - this could also be a bad wheel bearing or a bad hub. These sometimes will cause problems to crop up years later due to a previous problem that necessitated the replacement of components in the drivetrain, wheels, axles, etc. Left alone or incorrectly diagnosed, they could lead to more expensive problems - even leading up to damage to the transaxle.

fishexpo101, thanks for the valuable explanation.

First of all, my car is automatic, and i have not change the gear oil/fluid in the transaxle. In fact, it's the first time i hear about it. Do you know how much is it, i'll try to go to the shop soon and get that done.

- Does it make that sound only from a stop, regardless if the engine is warmed up or not?

It is slightly louder when the car is not warmed up, so the noise is there regardless.

- Does it only make the noise right from a cold soak (ie, car sitting overnight) or does it still do it everytime you start off from first gear?

It starts off when I am in first or second gear. It doesnt matter whether it is from a stop or a deceleration.

- Have you noticed if the sound is louder from outside the car or inside the cabin (to help pinpoint the source)?

It's is freezing in NY, i'll try to roll down the window over the weekend and compare. It does seem louder from the inside and comes from the wheel i was hit.

I really hope this is not related to the accident. Is the car safe?

How come I dont hear it when i go above 20 MPH?

Bikeman982

Hi,I have a 2001 Corolla. Recently, i notice a drilling noise when i step on the gas pedal. It is most noticeable when the car is in the first gear, then it goes away after reaching about 20 MPH. Could this be a transmission problem?

The car has 42k miles, i havent change the oil for a 5 months, but i only drove 1200 miles for the past 5 months.
Please help.
Thx.

I am not sure what you mean by a "drilling" noise.

A 2001 with only 42K is pretty low mileage!

Drilling sound????? That was tough. I think Fish nailed it.....It all depends on how hard it was hit. If it was a fairly light hit a wheel bearing is my guess. A whirring, or when severely worn, a grinding sound could imply wheel bearing problems.

If it was a hard hit and the suspension was buckled, the damage could have extended from the axle/cv to the differential. Again, it depends on how hard it was hit and how good the repair shop was.

It should be safe to drive if the wheel is not loose when inspected. I'm just guessing but I would think around $250 to replace a wheel bearing as the hub is often damaged as well as the bearing.

Good luck,

Jay in MA

.............It does seem louder from the inside and comes from the wheel i was hit.

Drilling sound, it sounds like you're using an electric screwdriver and installing something.

Thanks for the input everyone. I rolled down the window and it sounds like the noise is coming from below the car rather than from the passenger side (where it was hit). I cant be 100% sure because I am by myself and no one is sitting at the passenger side.

How does that explain

1- why it happens only when i step on the gas?

2- it doesnt sound when i go over 30 mph?

Also, I did change the transmission oil back at 30k at the dealer, does that include the transaxle fluid change as well?

Yup - transmission service should have covered it. Hard to tell where noise comes from, without someone else riding with you to pinpoint the noise. Sometimes a tech will have someone ride along to help diagnose noise/vibration issues. Since noise most noticeable when you step on the gas (accelerating) and goes away at higher speeds - might be pointing at a wheel bearing. Another quick test is to jack up the suspect side and wiggle teh tire around to see of there is any slop there. Also try spinning it and see if the noise is present. If you are able to jack up the front end and safely sit it on some jackstands - you can also put the car into gear and see if the noise is transmission related. You could try rotating the tires around to see if the noise is actually with a tire or if a different tire/wheel will change the pitch of the drilling noise. Any extra bit of information you can figure out from this - will greatly increase the chance of a successful (and probably less expensive) fix. Good luck.

I was searching for an answer to a similar problem that I have with my 2000 automatic.

The noise is not very loud and only happens when car is travelling at around 35-40 km/h, i.e I only slightly push on gas to maintain that speed. Car pretty much rolls by itself needing only slight push on gas pedal once in a while.

If I go from 0 to 60km/h constantly increasing speed I don't notice any noise at all. It happens only if I try to maintain that certain pretty low speed.

To me it sounds like noise comes from passenger side.

Where to begin to look?