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Please Help! 2012 Ram whistling noise

51K views 127 replies 72 participants last post by  jrstuffytruck 
#1 ·
Hey guys, just got a brand new 2012 Ram a few weeks ago and since the beginning there's been a faint whistle or whine noise that I can't seem to pin point, here are the details:

- Its an "air" sound, not a grinding or mechanical sound.
- Noticable at 1100 -1200RPMs only when not applying the gas, just when cruising 30-40mph and the RPMs drop to this level.
- Only happens while driving, not idling.
- I've open closed all the doors, made sure the windows are up, tried opening and closing heat vents, turning the heat up/down and everything inbetween etc. and no change.
- If I press the button to put the truck to a lower gear, like 2-3, the RPM's go up and the noise immediately disappears.
- Had the dealer check this and they told me the noise is normal, its the MDS kicking in. However the noise is there with the ECO on and off, seems to have no effect to me. I put the truck into 4th gear, ECO goes off and it will still make the noise at 1100 - 1200 RPMS.

Any thoughts? Its pretty annoying and it seems the dealer isn't going to help much or at least I'll have to harass them to check further.

Thanks in advance!
 
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#3 ·
Mine WILL do it with the gas pedal very lightly applied as well I think. If I'm on a flat road and it starts to whistle, I can set the cruise control and it will keep on whistling down the road, so i think its applying a little gas at that time and it still whistles. Any heavy pressing of the gas and it immediately goes away. This makes SOME sense for if it were MDS, but i can drop it to 4th or 5th gear on the shifter and MDS/ECO goes off but the whistling noise still will occur as long as the RPMs are in the 1100 - 1200 range. And yes, very annoying and kinda ruining the "new car" experience for me.
 
#6 ·
I know on the older models they had an issue in the 1400-1700 rpm range that stated the torque converter should be replaced, there was a TSB for it. Idk about the 2012 year model. I am more of a "go till she blows" type guy, with 100,000 miles of warranty I'm not in a hurry. Someone should be along shortly to address this better, I was merely trying to provide a search term for you to google to see if it fit your symptoms.
 
#7 ·
I though the torque converter was more of a growling sound between those RPM's. I also thought the 2012 was addressed with a different torque converter....interesting.

I remember reading somewhere on this forum that the antenna sometimes caused a whistling sound but I also remember someone saying ICE on the antenna was the culprit. It's a long shot....highly unlikely but throwing it out there. Especially since winter never really arrived here in NY. ;)
 
#8 ·
Fat1, thank you for the search term, I guess anything's possible. I did do some searching and there's various info on whistle/whine noises from torque converters. I find it hard to believe thats the sound though, it just sounds very "airy", making me think intake, vacuum hose, etc. but i have no idea.

HeyBrownDog, its definitely not the antenna since if i press the gear down to 3rd or 4th and the RPM's go up, the sound immediately stops.
 
#9 ·
The only thing that fits the bill is the rpm change affecting the sound. From my understanding that was classic torque converter issue. It would seem if it was wind related then opening or closing of vents or changing from defrost to face to feet would change the noise as well. I am not a mechanic and I cannot stress this enough I don't have the answer, I'm just reading what you're writing and trying to provide directions for searching.
 
#12 ·
Mine does it too. I took it to my dealer. They told me it is whine from the rear differential. It's not the MDS kicking in. I can be running with the range selector on (so MDS is off) and still get the noise. It's not a growling or grinding sound.
The dealer told me that they could make the noise go away by messing with the rear diff, but I would lose some low end torque, or something, blah blah blah.

Don't know why your dealer told you it was the MDS kicking in, because running with the range selector on and MDS off my truck will still do it.
 
#14 ·
Yes mine is acting exactly the same as what you describe in the last two posts. I can't imagine its the differential, does your sound like an air sound or more mechanical? I guess i could just be totally wrong, but it just sounds so much like a whistle. Definitely that 1100-1200RPM range.
 
#16 ·
Mine sounds like blowing across the top of a beer bottle. Does that describe what you are hearing?
 
#35 ·
I have the same noise you described. Mine is a 2011 with tow mirrors and thought it was wind noise. It is annoying and I can only hear it at about 55+ on the gas, off the gas, or in neutral. It seems to be coming from my left mirror area. Sometimes I don't hear it at all so I'm going to see if having my blower motor on makes a difference.
 
#17 ·
Hey all, I too Just recently purchased a NEW 2012 RAM 1500 SPORT. Quickly discovered that it makes a slight whining, or humming sound when trying to maintain speed anywhere from 20-60km/h. Doesn't seem to be consistent with any type of shifting, mostly acceleration!! can have the pedal pressed down 1/4 of an inch, and the noise will occur, and as soon as i let off, it will instantly stop. This humming remains when trying to hold speed at say 40km/h, and even sometimes remains when letting off gas and truck is downshifting. BUT when on highway trying to hold 100km/h, it doesn't occur. The kicker of all this is that i have test drove 2 other RAM's of the same year and model, and they both seem to do the same thing!! If anyone has any insight on this, or knows what it could possibly be, the help would be greatly appreciated as well.

Tks, Ryan
 
#18 ·
Ramsail, yes mine sounds very much like blowing across the top of a beer bottle.

I also agree it seems similar to a vacuum leak, and R. Wilcox mine also doesn't make the sound at highway speeds either. It all seems to be related to that 1100-1200 RPM range for me while applying very little or no gas.

Seems like ALOT of 2012's with the exact same "issue", hopefully someone comes up with a fix. As CLOTAGAMES said, his 2011 didn't do this. I just posted this last night and we already have 5-6 people with the same issue.
 
#19 ·
My truck also does this also. I assumed it was the mds but it seems from you guys that that is not the case. So far it is only happening when I have cruise control set between 30-35 mph.
 
#20 ·
Well, lets try to do some group diagnostics, if they are saying it is the differential, which diff(s) do you have? If we all find out that we have the same gears and no other gears have the noise, that is a place to start. Mine is 3.92, 4x4, no limited slip. Yours?
 
#25 ·
The easiest way is your window sticker. The next easiest is to request a build sheet from Ram customer service. The ratio is on a tag on the rear differential, but limited slip or open is not.
 
#22 ·
I have 3.92, 4x4, limited slip
 
#24 ·
I have 3.55 4x4 open diff (no limited slip)
So it seems that it doesn't have anything to do with gearing or limited slip.
So, if the dealer tech was correct in telling me it was the rear diff, THEN this does not sound like an issue at all, but more of an annoyance - which it is very annoying. It makes me want to turn the radio up loud enough (about 10-12) so that I don't hear it.

I'm tempted to go test drive another truck at the nearest dealer and see if this noise is there or not. It seems like a lot of people are hearing this noise, so it could be just the way the 2012s are.

It does sound like someone blowing over the top of a beer bottle. WOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
 
#28 ·
One way to find if it's drivetrain related is to get to the speed/rpm that the whistle is occurring and apply the brake slightly with your left foot and keep the truck at that speed/rpm with your right this will put a load on the gears in the rear end and tranny and also your torque converter if the whistle stops it's something in the drivetrain most likely the rear diff gears Hope this helps
 
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