Although I have no issues with any trans or rear whine on my car, the symptoms you are mentioning sound typical to a pinion gear whine. I've had this problem with numerous old vintage cars but have not heard of anything in any newer vehicles. Good luck. I hope you get it sorted out.

 

Oddly I believe it's an 04 thing. I also serviced the differential when I first purchased the car but it did not remove the gear whine. At least that I could tell. I don't know exactly where it is from but I no longer hear it in my 04. I can only assume it was the transmission but I am not sure.

 

If you can get a hold of some chassis ears you might be able to isolate the noise.

 

Huh....how ironic. Just last week I noticed a whiny noise....I immediately thought to drain and fill the diff because mine at 135k has not been done......and I have only done a partial or 1 drain and fill on the tranny. Mine is also an 04... ...I want no noise...thats why I bought the Pirelli P7s

 

It could have to do with that transmission replacement tsb that many 04's received.

 

I have an 04 and mine does it too. 90K miles on the car. Don't like it. Was hoping someone here had definite knowledge of the root cause. It rapidly becomes annoying to me because I know its there and it simply shouldn't be.

I will most likely take it to an independent whom I bet can isolate the whine. When I had my BMW, I took it to him and they put it up on a rack and took it up to speed to determine where my squeak was coming from. Turned it it was the right wheel bearing. Never thought it was a wheel bearing, but it was. Now, I am not saying it is a wheel bearing on the Lexus - but I trust him enough to be able to isolate it to the correct component. I will most likely get this addressed during the Christmas holidays, so if I find out for sure the culprit, I will post it here.

 

It's definitely not a bearing. About 80% sure it's the transmission due to how mine was corrected as well. Bearing noises are consistent. This gear whine can only be heard under certain speeds and conditions.

 

OP here:

I'm having a transmission fluid exchange performed within a month or two, and will report back!

 

I distinctively remember the noise not going away immediately. Again, I did 3 drain and refills over 30k miles or so and will repeat about every 30k miles.

 

Not to confuse the issue.....but I dont remember hearing this noise before I had the shifting TSB done........now I hear it

 

for transmission servicing, if the workshop is using a machine to pump out old fluid and pump new fluid into transmission, does this constitute as flushing? my understanding of flushing is adding cleaning detergent into the system, let it run and drain it out before refilling it with fresh oil, and that is what we should avoid doing to the transmission. is my understanding correct?

 

The transmission is never flushed with a separate cleaning agent. A flushing machine forces out the old fluid by pumping in new. Flushing is never a good idea if you are starting to take care of this late in the game.

Although the Aisin gearbox's are very strong I still stand by my many post that going about it slowly is the ideal way to renew the fluid. Drain and refill. It is also the procedure outlined in the service manual. Transmission fluid is not like car oil.

 

http://www.amsoil.com/lit/filter_man_council01.pdf

It sounds like using machine is ok but the filter has to be changed/replaced?

 

Negative. The filter is really just a screen and Aisin, the manufacturer of the transmission, states to not drop the pan unless you need to make a mechanical repair. Other have also documented it being pointless as this screen does not get clogged up.

 

Are you sure its not a wheel bearing? I too thought the noise would be constant but it wasn't in my case. I had a slight (whirring) noise that was hard to pinpoint a while back. It sounded like it was coming from the passenger rear but it was hard to tell. I was sure it was a bearing on the differential because when I grabbed a hold of the axles where they entered the diff, you can move them around a bit by hand??? The noise was not constant and seemed to come and go but after a while (several months) it started to get louder and happen more often. I just got so annoyed that I had to do something. I was ready to rip it out and replace the bearings in the diff but when I raised the rear of the car up, put it in gear and tapped that gas you could easily hear the noise coming from only one side. It was the drivers side wheel bearing. I was getting ready to replace all of my struts anyway so while I was at it I replaced it and the noise was gone.

Good luck in finding the solution to the noise.