So, for the last few months, I have been getting a constant squeak from what sounds like my front left. By constant, I mean I start driving, it starts squeaking and it does not stop until I do. It's annoying as hell It seems to happen in almost all conditions and is only getting louder with time. Suspension is all stock (with KDSS). Interestingly, I can't replicate the sound by forcing the suspension to move using my body weight. Anyone have any idea what could be causing this? Anything under there that might need lubing up ? I only have about 500 miles left on my warranty so if it needs to go in, then it needs to go this week.

Thanks!

Hi FR4R,

I had very similar issues w/ my 3rd gen 4Runner SR5 (40-50k mi); a very distinct squeak beneath the left front area... turned out to be control arm bushings that were drying out and showing there age (like me) lol. You can try saturating them 'first' with penetrating oil e.g., WD-40. Once that reaches the target area you might also finish the process w/ white lube grease; which will stay there to help prevent the bushings from drying out again!

PS: I would also treat the body mount bushings w/ the same! Rgds

rigtec, cheers!

Thanks Rig, your overall knowledge and experience is absolutely invaluable to this forum and I was hoping you would be one of the people to comment on my issue. Considering that this issue is repeatable, do you think it's worth my while to bring this up with the dealer and see if they will replace my bushings, or do you think they will just do what you suggested above? Honestly I have a few other issues that need to be addressed and I have decided that the vehicle will be going in regardless, but I would rather have them focus on other things, if their fix will just be something I can do in 10 min. I live in CO, the land of dry air, so I expect to have things dry out, but not at 35k miles (my old ass Subie has just over 200k @19 years and I'm just starting to get issues). Thanks again

I'd look into this:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/1393978-post7.html

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.
Squeaking noise solved on my 2011 Trail Edition

Hi FR4R,

Thank you for your kindness... "very much appreciated!"

Replacing control arm bushings at 35k may not be the best approach as they're usually not showing any appreciable wear at that interval however, there are different ways to approach this issue. (1) If you feel comfortable rolling up your sleeves and taking charge here's one of the most effective 'and cheapest' ways to eliminate that squeak. As stated in my first post, just saturate all eight front (upper and lower) control arm bushings, leaving a little 'soak time' (10 mins) in between several applications. Ordinarily I'd opt to loosen 'and spin' all four pivot bolts to aid in bushing surface lubrication, but because toyota utilizes caster/camber adjustment lobes on the lower control arms, doing it that way would prove counter productive... that's if you do it yourself.

(2) You can however, take it to a local front-end shop (avoiding inflated dealership pricing) and have them loosen-and-spin all four front control arm bushing bolts, hitting them w/penetrating oil at the same time, then white lube those parts. To finish the job, a front wheel alignment would be necessary to re-establish proper alignment angles. I think that, that's as much as you need to do to eradicate that annoying squeak, the lubricant will continue to 'work-in' as you drive, preventing any premature, future squeaks and creaks! Rgds

Hi 1000MPH,

That's a great place for @FrontRange4Runner to check for his squeak; that stupid 'splash shield' never occurred to me but as they say... 'live and learn'!

rigtec, cheers

Awesome, thanks everyone. Ill be very happy when this noise is gone.

FR4R, did you end up fixing this? My 14LE just started doing this. But it only has 2k miles on it! It's a squeak (not a rattle) coming from the front left. Around where the door meets the dash. It sounds "plasticky", almost like rubber gaskets rubbing. I drove down the street with the door open to see if it was the seal gaskets but I still heard it. It seems to me it's inside the cabin, but it could be from outside. I can't tell.

sounds to me like the same exact noise i had.. and that rubber flap being secured tighter eliminated the noise!

Not yet, unfortunately I have been super busy and now my Runner is in the body shop for at least a week (someone tried to squeeze past me while I was stopped a light and they didn't fit ). I will come back and update this thread once I am able to do the repair.

It's crazy that it's loud enough to hear at 70mph ...but it is.

Digging up an old thread to say thanks!

This was exactly my problem for a 14 trail. Constant and loud squeak in all driving conditions and speed. Slightest paved road imperfections were sufficient to make ever present noise bad enough that my passenger would point it out.

Went and checked the front driver fender apron. Wiggling it by hand produced a racket of squeaks. Further inspection revealed the noise to be the 2 plastic fasteners circled in the photo earlier in the thread. Went ahead with double sided foam under the fasteners to snug them up and repeated on passenger side. Happy to say that after a 20 min test drive the noise is gone!

Mine hasn't come back...yet. It's hard to believe that it's such an easy fix.

I did the same "fix" as others, but used neoprene fender washers. A bag of 3 costs $0.72 at Home Depot. (I thought neoprene might hold up better in the long run than a piece of foam tape.)