Constant squeak from the front left

lukeskywalker · Mar 22, 2017

Hi Ya'll.

So I followed the advice of checking out the rubber/plastic sheet cover connected with the plastic fasteners. It was indeed loose and was making a noise. A NOISE. But it wasn't the big culprit. The loose fasteners make a high pitched squeak. I fastened it with some electrical tape and it fixed the high pitched squeak I'd hear from time to time.

The main sound though, hasn't been fixed yet. It's sporadic and the only equivalent I could think of is the 'cooing of a pigeon'. (no, no pigeon is present... please don't.) Its a mid-range frequency and sounds like metal that's not tight nor lubricated.

No leaking from the 5100s.

When I push down/bounce the front of the car (the front left), I can sometimes recreate it. There was a similar sound coming from the hood hinge. But i'm not sure if this is it. It's driving me crazy!!!!!

Ray Dunakin · Mar 28, 2017

This thread popped up at the right time for me, I had just recently started noticing a loud, annoying squeaking sound from the front end. After reading this thread I went out and checked the splash shields, sure enough that's the problem.

So... dumb question, but how do you remove those plastic pins that hold it in place? Do you just pry them out with a screwdriver or something?

slide531 · Oct 21, 2017

1000MPH said:
Yep. That was my exact problem. Fixed it by making a washer of sorts with a couple squares of double-sided sticky foam tape. That was 2 years ago and it's still going strong. Just checked it last week.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...solved-my-2011-trail-edition.html#post1209646

Thank you! I was convinced for 6 months that this squeak was coming from my skid plates. After ruling the skid plates out I was thinking it was the suspension but turns out it was these plugs in the splash guards! I used your double sided tape fix and just had my first squeak free ride since March! Forever in your debt!

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Tmcleavor · May 8, 2018

lukeskywalker said:
Hi Ya'll.

So I followed the advice of checking out the rubber/plastic sheet cover connected with the plastic fasteners. It was indeed loose and was making a noise. A NOISE. But it wasn't the big culprit. The loose fasteners make a high pitched squeak. I fastened it with some electrical tape and it fixed the high pitched squeak I'd hear from time to time.

The main sound though, hasn't been fixed yet. It's sporadic and the only equivalent I could think of is the 'cooing of a pigeon'. (no, no pigeon is present... please don't.) Its a mid-range frequency and sounds like metal that's not tight nor lubricated.

No leaking from the 5100s.

When I push down/bounce the front of the car (the front left), I can sometimes recreate it. There was a similar sound coming from the hood hinge. But i'm not sure if this is it. It's driving me crazy!!!!!

Have you had any luck tracking this down? I am having the exact same “cooing” sound. Mine seems to only start after 10ish miles of driving and is driving me nuts. I have tried all the common tricks to track it down.

lukeskywalker · May 9, 2018

Tmcleavor said:
Have you had any luck tracking this down? I am having the exact same “cooing” sound. Mine seems to only start after 10ish miles of driving and is driving me nuts. I have tried all the common tricks to track it down.

It's the latch for the hood. I think a lot of people have this problem. It's fixed with WD40.

Tmcleavor · May 10, 2018

lukeskywalker said:
It's the latch for the hood. I think a lot of people have this problem. It's fixed with WD40.

You’re a god!! This has been driving me insane. If you’re ever in Santa Fe Ive got a dozen beers for you.

drifterWA · Sep 6, 2018

2 year squeak fixed

Have 2015 4 Runner....During summer of 2017 a squeak in the front end developed.

I tried everything, dealer, WD40 everywhere.....but not in the correct place. Happen to find the problem by pure luck....

I'd tried pushing down on the front end, more than a few times, to try and get the squeak to be heard.....no could do.

Happen to drive to a friends house, when I got out, grabber the "upper part of the opened door and pushed down......sound was there.....did it a few more times, sound continued......had friend come out and listen, did the door bit, sound was there....he asked me to open hood..NO SOUND CAME WHEN I PUSH DOWN ON OPENED DOOR.....got some grease put on hinge, closed hood....push down on corner of door....PROBLEM SOLVED:rockon:

4runner-RP · Sep 7, 2018

Yep... i just fixed mine. We were almost ready to get rid of it.

4-PRO · Apr 7, 2019

I had the same squeak issue with the splash guard, mainly at highway speeds. Initially it did seem like it was coming from the driver side dash area.
I fabricated some shims from a plastic school binder (thick stock). I slid them in between the body and the splash guard. Eliminated the slack along with the squeaking noise.

genesyn · Apr 11, 2019

I fixed the rattle/squeak in the left front of the car! I noticed the rattle for the last 3 weeks after I had the air bag recall replaced. It drove me crazy! Took it back to the dealer and they could find anything wrong since I thought it had to do with the dash that they had to removed. Was frustrated beyond belief since it only occurred over 40mph and checked out every connection under the steering wheel. I could find anything on this website since I was looking under "dash rattle" instead of a "squeak." Yesterday, I looked under the left front fender and saw that the 2 bolts on the fender shield was "squeaking" with vigorous shaking (just like the photos on this thread). Used make shift zip ties to hold the 2 bolts down and this fixed the problem. Will plan a permanent fix with tape or rubber washers. I was planning to write a new thread with pictures until I magically found this thread.

mteolus · Apr 11, 2019

lukeskywalker said:
Hi Ya'll.

So I followed the advice of checking out the rubber/plastic sheet cover connected with the plastic fasteners. It was indeed loose and was making a noise. A NOISE. But it wasn't the big culprit. The loose fasteners make a high pitched squeak. I fastened it with some electrical tape and it fixed the high pitched squeak I'd hear from time to time.

The main sound though, hasn't been fixed yet. It's sporadic and the only equivalent I could think of is the 'cooing of a pigeon'. (no, no pigeon is present... please don't.) Its a mid-range frequency and sounds like metal that's not tight nor lubricated.

No leaking from the 5100s.

When I push down/bounce the front of the car (the front left), I can sometimes recreate it. There was a similar sound coming from the hood hinge. But i'm not sure if this is it. It's driving me crazy!!!!!

I have a low pitched squeak (almost if you tapped the top of a glass soda bottle with your hand, probably the same as your "cooing of a pigeon") in the same area that occurs when driving on a rough (not 4x4) road. I have sprayed all the bushings I could find with WD-4 and added more grease to the UCA and it hasn't gone away. I'll see if some of these suggestions fixes the problem.

rb92673 · Apr 11, 2019

The double sided trick worked for me. When I took the splash shield off, there was shiny metal where it rubbed for 1000s of miles. THANK YOU!!!!

mteolus · Apr 12, 2019

Didn't have time yesterday to do the double-sided tape method, but I did squirt some WD-40 on the top plastic piece on the splash guard, the hood latch, and just a bit on the top of the two rubber hood stops. Squeaking gone! The is the best topic ever. That was driving me crazy. Not sure what exactly was squeaking but definitely one of the 3. I'll do the double-sided tape fix later.

Gecko · Apr 12, 2019

My 4R is currently at the dealer for the fourth time over this issue... to me, it sounds like a bad strut or shock. I forwarded this thread to the dealer in hopes that maybe the fix will be this simple so... thanks to the T4R community.

MAST4R · Apr 12, 2019

Gecko said:
My 4R is currently at the dealer for the fourth time over this issue... to me, it sounds like a bad strut or shock. I forwarded this thread to the dealer in hopes that maybe the fix will be this simple so... thanks to the T4R community.

I have no time to read the thread, but I had a very annoying squeak on the driver side.

I was able to trace it down to the divider between the wheel well and the engine compartment, the engine splash guard. There is actually an aftermarket replacement but I used WD40 on the clips and it stopped making any noise.

I might eventually go for the better divider anyway.
4Runner – Rad Rubber Design – FJ Fender Flaps, Toyota Engine Splash Guards

EDIT: it is easy to diagnose, just grab the divider by hand and shake it, if it squeaks, there you go.

MAST4R · Nov 17, 2019

mteolus said:
I have a low pitched squeak (almost if you tapped the top of a glass soda bottle with your hand, probably the same as your "cooing of a pigeon") in the same area that occurs when driving on a rough (not 4x4) road. I have sprayed all the bushings I could find with WD-4 and added more grease to the UCA and it hasn't gone away. I'll see if some of these suggestions fixes the problem.

MAST4R said:
I have no time to read the thread, but I had a very annoying squeak on the driver side.

I was able to trace it down to the divider between the wheel well and the engine compartment, the engine splash guard. There is actually an aftermarket replacement but I used WD40 on the clips and it stopped making any noise.

I might eventually go for the better divider anyway.
4Runner – Rad Rubber Design – FJ Fender Flaps, Toyota Engine Splash Guards

EDIT: it is easy to diagnose, just grab the divider by hand and shake it, if it squeaks, there you go.

I was wrong.

The culprit is the hood itself. There are two small supports on which it rests which are adjustable. In my case, they had to be adjusted up. It was a 5 second fix of an issue I have had on rough roads for like 15 months. WD40 and the splash guard replacement created the illusion of a fix but it was all mere coincidence.

Diablo6 · Mar 3, 2020

MAST4R said:
I was wrong.

The culprit is the hood itself. There are two small supports on which it rests which are adjustable. In my case, they had to be adjusted up. It was a 5 second fix of an issue I have had on rough roads for like 15 months. WD40 and the splash guard replacement created the illusion of a fix but it was all mere coincidence.

i just wanted to second this...i had been chasing a squeak for months, thinking it was the hood latch. i wd40’d the latch and also replaced some loose fender liner plugs/rivets...no go. I ended up raising the rubber hood rests on both sides of the latch by just rotating them a full turn and the noise is gone! Sooooo glad i read this.

osideplayer · Mar 3, 2020

This thread though! Thank you!

alphabeast · Mar 6, 2020

I also owe beer to whomever suggested twisting the rubber stops that the hood rests on. That squeaking has been driving me crazy and it was such a simple fix. Thank you random 4Runner person!

hoobhoob · Mar 8, 2020

Another Incessant Squeak data point... I had an ongoing squeak/chirrp from the rear of the cabin. After much investigation, it turns out to have been something in the rear hatch interior panel.

After removing it, cleaning the outer perimeter, silicone spraying the outer perimeter, and reinstalling it ensuring ALL the pressure tabs popped into place (including the ones at the center of the panel) the chirrp/squeaks disappeared.

Constant squeak from the front left

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