Guys,

As a favor for my friend, i researched his problem that he is having with his 2003 4th gen V6. his belts are squealing like pigs and the dealership (Longo) was not able to fix it after two tries. Of note, one of the service writers blamed it on the cold, east coast climate's effect on his vehicle

fire that fool already.

Anyways, there is a TSB on it and it is TSB EG012-03. One of the best descriptions of the problem came from a T4R member and he had this to say:

There is a TSB on this problem with the V6. I had the same problem with mine, and it took 5 trips to dealer before they found the TSB and ordered the parts to 'fix' it. It started after about 4K. Basicaly, the problem is with improper alignment of the tensioner pulley for the belt. Because the tensioner pulley is offset from the crank and fan pulleys, the belt has to shift over as it transitions from one to the other and back again. What you are hearing is the belt rubbing against the tensioner pulley as it goes around it. For a short term 'fix' try spraying a belt dressing on the back side of the belt as it is running, the noise will go away almost instantly. But it will come back after a while. The TSB calls for the dealer to install a new tensioner pulley, and a new mounting bolt along with a shim, and a new belt. They did mine in July, and it was OK until early in December, when I think I noticed it again. But now that it has gotten really cold it has gone away again. I will wait until it warms up to see if it returns again. I don't recall the number of the TSB right now, but if you check the NTSB site, they have it listed.

As for further reading and reference, check out these threads:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...erpentine+belt
post #6 and #8
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...ght=noisy+belt
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...p?threadid=353
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...p?threadid=452
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...belt+tensioner

I think the best course of action would be to call Toyota USA with your VIN and see if your vehicle falls under the VIN range for this fix. If the answer is yes, I would make a call to your local Toy dealership and let them know taht you are aware of TSB EG012-03 and that you've called Toyota USA and verified that you fall under the VIN range and qualify for the service.

Now time for a mini-rant:

Dealer's mechanics must hear the sound in order to verify what you are hearing. That is fine and understandable. But the standard tricky, deceitful dealership procedure with sounds and noises is to take your truck into the back and drown the problem with some kind of grease or lubricant when they know what the problem is, but do not feel like they need to fully follow through with the applicable TSB fix. this has happened to me with my 99 4runner as well as my wife's GS300 at Longo Lexus and Glendale Lexus

If you are going in for the first time, they will have to verify the noise. Under no circumstances, do NOT allow the dealership personnel the opportunity to take it back into the shop and spray the "band aid" solution and send you off on your way...only to have the sound return a few days or weeks later. Get a mechanic or someone with some type of authority to sign off that they hear the problem. get it on paper (documentation) so that when you inevitably have to come in, at least you have someone (preferably a mechanic) state for the record that you have this problem.

(mini-rant off)

Bob

 

I'm the one you quoted from T4R (been a member here a little longer). And it is now March, and I have started to notice the noise again when I first start up. If it follows past patterns, it will get gradually worse, and will take longer and longer to quiet down. Eventually, it will sound so bad, you would swear that a bearing is ready to sieze up any minute. When I first started hearing it, I couldn't believe it was just the belt. If I remember correctly the actual TSB procedure, the technician is supposed to take some measurements to determine the amount of offset between the pulleys before dismantling them. Then he is supposed to install the new pulley and install shims to compensate. He then has to re-measure the amount of offset, and if it still does not fall within the proper range, the procedure has to be done again to add more shims. The Service writer said the procedure took about an hour to do each time, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were reluctant to do it a second time. In any case, I am due for my annual safety inspection next month, so I will be asking them to try the belt thing again.