aNY UPDATES from previous posters for this one?

My seat is once again popping like crazy. I might try to lube the rails.

Okay, i looked around online and found a TSB for 2003-2006 manual seats but not for the newer models. My 2008 has electric seats and i have the noise as well when turning or stopping and the body sways a little. Ths noise is a intermediate popping or clicking around my lower back area on my right side (kind of near the seat belt). I can actually feel it a little when it makes this noise. Just like others here on the forum i have complained about this recently to the dealership where the tech rode with me and heard it as well. I left my vehicle there overnight they called me n said they could not find anything wrong with my seat. They removed it and re-attached it and can not replicate the sound. I picked it up from them and as soon as i drive off the service lot it is popping and clicking. I am like are you serious! Anyway. i call them back up and talk to the service manager. He says bring it in and the shop foreman will check it out. So now he is driving it and can not get it to make a sound. Then i drive it with him in it do some figure 8's in the lot and get the noise several times. he says i didn't hear it. I told him sometimes it is faint and others louder. I then do some more driving and sure enough it makes some more popping/clicking noises he says okay i hear it now. I am like tuned in to it and it's driving me nuts since i can hear it everytime and my wife as well. So long story i know but i am having to go pick it up again today and once again they are saying that there is nothing wrong that they can find!!! Anyone help me with this?

A little update form last night at the dealership. When i arrived to pick my vehicle up the shop forman informs me that after they called me he decided to let a lighter tech around 160 lbs try and get the noise. He remebered that he could not get the sound while driving but when i drove it with him in the car it would happen. He is a little larger around 260 or so. I am 177 lbs. Anyway, not sure about the heavier weight having anything to do with it but it happened for the lighter tech and they ended up taking my chair apart again to try and pin point it. He said they had to order the whole chair assembly and that when it came in i would use my old seat cover and cusions but the chair would be new internally. He said that the parts were on back order and they would call me latter in the week and give me an eta. Hopefully this will fix my prob. I was excited that they are actually doing something about it now. Let ya know how it all works out

darknight: many have had their seat removed/replaced and after a few months the "creeks, cracks and clicks" return. Dont be discourage if this happens to you. Good luck!

I know. I read the others complaints and i am crossing my fingers.

I picked my 4Runner up from the dealership Friday. Parts added: new chair assembly, new frame rail, new air bag. I do not have the part #'s off hand but if needed i will post them. Basically an entire new seat with the old seat cover on. Everything seems to be cool for now. Not a sound and the seat seems to be more secure then before. Even more supportive. I am happy and i just hope this one will last as i plan on keeping my 4Runner for a very long time.

I picked up a CPO 2008 Limited V8 a little over a week ago, and I have the popping seat problem as well.

It's very annoying and noticeable as the rest of the truck is so solid and quiet.

Hopefully someone will come up with a permanent solution, as it really diminishes the joy of ownership for me.

I'm still debating whether it's worth taking it in.

We had the exact same fix like you did.

Was great for a while...now a year later it's like it was never replaced.

Just live with it I suppose.

Sigh.

I had mine done last year after I bought mine and, knock on wood, I still don't have the seat creak noise. I remember they shaved down the seat frame/rail pins and added some "padding" per my technician. I'm not sure if this was TSB specific but that's roughly what was done on mine. I can't even duplicate it anymore like I could when I first got the vehicle.

I just got my '08 T4R Sport back from the Dealership yesterday. They performed the TSB recommendation under warranty and it seemed to work for about a day. Now the damn popping is back on the right lower side by the seat belt buckle. I can feel it when it does it. This is really disappointing because the quality of the rest of the truck is so good. I have the power leather seats as well. I wonder if I should take it back, but what exactly would they do? My temporary solution is to turn the stereo up.

More than likely they will need to replace the seat frame. That's what my dealer had to do for both my front seats.

How long ago did you have it done? I've heard the popping can come back even on the new frames.

I had the drivers seat replaced in 2009 (that took 3 or 4 visits ) and the passenger seat (only 2 visits) replaced this past Spring (2010). Initially, they replaced the seat tracks on both seats, but that did not help so they finally replaced the seat frames.

So far, the popping and clicking hasn't come back. I did have some noise coming from below the seats, but it turned out to be the Weathertech rear floor liner. I removed the liner and put back the original floor mats and the popping went away.

I do get some noise from the drivers seat, but I'm pretty sure it's the leather shifting.

After leaving my T4R at the dealer for 4 days I have a new seat frame in the Driver's seat and so far so good. Keep your fingers crossed!

Sorry to hear about others still having this problem. I know how frustrating this can be.
Update on mine, still seems fine since they replaced the seats dr/psg but it has not been that long since it was fixed. Theory and question. Does anyone with this problem have an after market suspension or lift?
My theory is that the stock suspension is so soft on these vehicles for the American consumer market that the pronounced body sway,roll,pitch and dive from the stock suspension is causing the components to wear out quickly. Just my theory.