**UPDATE. I'VE DISCOVERED WHAT WAS CAUSING THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. SEE BELOW**



You guessed right!

I was able to trace the noise to the rear of the vehicle. Since I can only hear the vibration while in Drive and Reverse, I had to get someone to sit in the vehicle while I inspected the rear of it. I got my wife to sit in the driver's seat, and w/ the brake depressed, put it in Drive. I walked around back and discovered the problem. Here's what I found:

Near the tailpipe, there is a rubber bushing that joins the pipe to the frame of the vehilce allowing the pipe to give under normal operation. When the vehicle is in Drive, and the engine has had time to warmed up, it sends a vibration through this rubber bushing onto the frame which in turn causes my trailer hitch to vibrate. When I apply pressure to this rubber bushing, the vibration stops!

I recently replaced my '02 OEM trailer hitch with my wife's '00 OEM hitch and apparently did not tighten everything up like I should have. I stole hers to put on mine b/c one, it's lighter weight and two, it has a higher receiver point to help w/ ground clearance.

I'm glad that's one mystery I've finally solved!


Oh and that chirping noise coming from my engine was a belt too. I replaced that belt and no more chirping. Problem solved.


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Just recently I've started to notice while I'm in "drive" and I'm sitting still, say at a street light for example, I get a vibration I can feel throughout my 4Runner?

It's an '02 4wd auto w/ 33k miles on it. I guess I first noticed it last week when I was in a drive-thru line at the bank. Everytime I moved up in line, the vibration would disappear, but as soon as I stopped, within a few seconds, I'd get a vibration I could feel thoughout the truck. It's not a terrible vibration, but one that's noticable. The truck drives great besides that. The only mod to the engine is the air elbow mod.

For those who have ever played video games, it's like I had a rumble pack installed on my truck.

Anyway, just thought I'd ask everyone out there to give me some advice to what this might be coming from, so I don't have to take it to a dealer and bend over.

For what's worth, I also just noticed what sounds like a small parakeet chirping in my engine as well. Maybe a belt that's going bad? Don't think it's got anything to do w/ my vibration, but thought I'd throw that out there anyway.

 

motor mounts? i know this was the case on my honda accord,

also your idle air control valve may be bad...

what are your RPM's when it vibrates? does it do it when you are driving? what about if you put a little gas while at the stop light to increase the rpm?

 

It could be a cheap gas? Mine does that sometimes. Or maybe try resetting your ECU? My vibration was a lot better after switching to mobile1 synthetic engine oil at 14k miles too. just throwing my ideas out there, hope it helps

 

Have not checked the rpms. I'll do that next.

No it doesn't do it while driving. That's why I ruled out the motor mounts. As soon as I apply the gas pedal, it smooths out.

I don't remember it doing it in "Neutral" or "Park", but I'll check again. (Just trying to think how to raise the rpms at a stop light in "Drive" while stopped. I guess like powerbraking maybe?)

The ECU idea isn't bad either. I'll give that a try too.

 

Where abouts is the vibration in your opinion? drivers/center/passenger? I've got one that I can only hear at idle. I'm almost certain its an exhaust leak or somthing is wrong with a belt/pulley. It sounds like it is coming from behind the glove box.

 

I have a very similiar, if not the same vibration. Only happens when in gear, and stopped. Rythmic vibes in the steering wheel, and felt throughout the entire vehicle.

My last 97 3.4 did it as well. No clue.

 

I would check the Tranny Mount. I had a similar issue with another car I had. The Tranny Mount fell out in two (2) sections when I unbolted it. My thought was the vibration from bad tranny mount caused the whole car to vibrate when in gear and idling.

Mike

 

I too have a similar vibration throughout the whole truck, and I notice it the most when I have it in park. RPMs are actually pretty low when it does this, couldn't say a number but it's lower than I would expect. Give it a little gas and it smooths out. I have 122,000 miles on mine, quite a bit more than your 33,000 miles, and I wouldn't expect such a problem on a low mileage engine.

I think at my next oil change I'll be sure to buy Mobile 1 Synthetic and see if that does anything for me. It's not bothersome, except that I hate to think that it indicates a problem with the truck that I should try to fix and have no idea where to start at.

 

check your 02's. does it only vibe in D? or in any gear while stationary (ie: brake fully applied). if it vibes in N or P as well, its probably something else.

is the parakeet engine speed dependant? or does it only chirp when the truck vibrates? check your belts...

 

I used to have a rough idle at times which later generated to troublesome cold starts. After the Seafoam treatment all problems are gone regarding idle and starting.

 

I can't tell. You can feel it any where you sit in the truck. It almost feels like it's coming from the engine...b/c as soon as I release the brake and truck starts moving, the vibration goes away.



Did yours do it while you where driving too? Mine only does while in gear w/ the brake depressed. As soon as the vehicle starts moving, everything smooths out.


Last night I played around w/ the 4Runner some more. I noticed it does NOT vibe in Park or Neutral. However, it does vibe in Drive and Reverse w/the brake applied. Oh and by the way, while in Drive and the brake depressed, the RPMs are at 600.

Yes, the parakeet chirp sounds like it coming from a belt right behind the fan. So that problem should be an easy fix.

But I did want to point this out:

Last night around 9ish, I was playing around w/ shifting from Drive to Park to Reverse and so on, I noticed when I turned my driving and headlights on and was in Drive mode w/ the brake depressed, the vibe was high. But when I turned off my driving and headlights and stayed in Drive mode w/ the brake depressed, the vibe almost went away?? Explain that.

Now I don't know how relevant all that is, b/c like I said before, I was at a drive thru at a bank the other day around noon, w/o my lights on, and the vibe was very noticable. Just thought it was odd last night, the vibe would be very pronounced w/ the lights on and not as much with them off.

 

well the vibe with headlights on is because theres a bigger load on the alternator. were you useing your AC in the drivethru?>

 

no, I have not used the ac in at least a week or so. It's been in the mid 60's around here.

 

Any luck with the vibration issue. I just got new tires and took about a week to get the balancing issues worked out. I still have a bit of a vibration in the vehicle - can feel it everywhere. Going to go through the list this weekend - plugs, clean throttle body, motor and tranny mounts.

G

 

Yeah, it's still there. I even took it to my local toy dealer and they told me they couldn't even "feel" it? I cleaned the throttle body hoping that would fix it, but it didn't it.

I can be sitting at a stop light in "Drive", w/ the foot brake depressed and the entire vehicle starts to create a small vibration. Something's also loose in my truck b/c it starts to rattle every time the truck does...too bad I still can't find what's loose rattling around?

However, if I'm sitting still in "Drive" w/ the the foot brake depressed and I turn my steering left or right a half turn, the vibration goes away? I'm assuming this is b/c the engine is working a small bit for the power steering.

It also goes away as I release the brake from a stand still and drive off.

Long story short, I wish I knew what is causing this vibration?? It's definitely not a tire issue...something to do w/ the motor I believe.

 

I too had a similar "very slight" vibration at stops. After searching I realized that it was my ball mount rattling inside the receiver hitch.

 

I started having the same vibration issue after I changed my oil to synthetic, changed my plugs and gapped them to .043, and had my throttle body cleaned. The vibration goes away once my engine has warmed up, so I just thought it was a cold weather thing.

 

I just did some of the simple things; plugs, wired, cleaned MAF and throttle body.

ONe biggie oout there for me is that I have not done my timing belt yet, so I may do that tomorrow. I may check the timing for the hell of it first.

Mine really seems to be that the engine is running a bit rough and it is vibrating quite a bit through the vehicle.

 

My vibe is in a '96 Runner 3.4 w/auto & TRD 'charger. Same vibe, noticeable @ a stop in Drive, rpm's @600. Slip it in to Neutral, rpm's go up to 800 and vibe goes away. I'm going to check the tranny mount this week, as I have ocassionally felt movment in the shifter under moderate to heavy acceleration. I'll let you know what I find.

 

That vibration! Same here and no clue!