2010 4Runner SR5 4WD. 1800 Miles

My Issue is this.
While in Drive or Reverse while stopped there is a rattle noise.
While in Park or Neutral. There is No noise.

Its difficult to describe the noise but its a light rattle that sounds close to dog tags jingling on a dog collar. The noise appears to be coming from behind the engine by the transmission.

I'm having trouble with a Toyota Service Department acknowledging and/or locating a rattle noise on my 2010 4Runner. I took it to 2 different dealers and got a wide range of answers.

Dealer1 Explaination: Since the new engines now use a timing chains it can make noise while under load.

Dealer2 Explaination: Airbox snorkel that goes into the fender was rattling. They supposedly put more insulation around the airbox snorkel to pad the vibration. This did not resolve the noise but in the service notes it says "Noise is gone"

2nd visit to Dealer2: Asked to show the tech (instead of the service advisor) exactly what i was hearing. He tactfully did not deny or admit he heard the same noise. Nothing was done because there were no malfunction codes coming from any of the cars computers.

Does anyone have any advise on when dealers cannot find issues such as this? I wrote Toyota Customer Service and have not received a reply. I hear that warranty work does not profit the dealer so I'm thinking that they don't deem my issue as important for them to take up their time.

are you able to take all the loose items out while going for a drive to see if it replicates? i've noticed in previous cars that it could be something you have in the glove box or center console.

I hear the noise while outside the truck. Basically I have someone put it in drive and not accelerate. I was able to compare the noise with another 2010 SR5 and did not hear it on another one. I'm guessing service departments hate trying to diagnose rattles because it takes up their time and they're not getting paid for it. Its frustrating for the owner too.

Another case where the independent dealerships do not take on the Toyota motto of quality.

i had the window rattling in my FJ and the dealer came back and said its "normal". it's not normal to have a window rattling up or down in a new car. dealers do not like to spend time figuring out a rattle and will usually say they can't replicate it to get rid of the vehicle. when i owned a vw, the dealer was great about finding the rattle and getting it fixed the first time.

Call Toyota (800-331-4331) and tell them you want to file an official complaint, they will give you a reference number and a case manager will call you back. Make sure to get names and numbers and time of day and keep records of anytime you talk to anyone, and how many times, how long and what dealers you have taken your truck to. I know a "rattle" isn't a serious problem but you deserve to have the car in good working order....

The only reason I say to do all this is because we are having a steering issue with my husbands 09 Matrix, we have had to file complaints and have had it in the shop 4 times already, and waiting on a district manager out of TX to come to AR and try to figure out what is wrong with the car. Warranty issues are such a pain!

Check your state laws. In CA, three failed attempts to correct an issue qualifies it as a lemon.

Warranties are their entice buyers to get them to buy. But don't count it when you need it. Like sales people who have sales quotas to exceed, people who authorize warranties also have a quota to stay under.

[QUOTE=Uneek;531155]Check your state laws. In CA, three failed attempts to correct an issue qualifies it as a lemon.

It's the same way in AR but there are certain procedure you have to go through to lemon law it. We are in the process of it but we are kind of at their mercy right now only because we have to give them appropriate time to fix the problem. They have until the end of this Month.

Sorry Newbie, didn't mean to hijack your post. I'm not telling you to try and lemon law your truck at all. The ONLY reason I say to file a complaint is because it seems to be the only way we got anyone to actually pay attention to the problem and even after that we still got the run around at the dealer here in town. You would think that with Toyota focusing so much on "quality" right now that all their service departments would treat a customer the same but they don't even come close. Filling out a formal complaint puts it on record. Make sure and tell them exactly what the service departments told you too. It's a pain and it may take a while but it does actually make someone pay attention. Good Luck.

[QUOTE=5thGenJenn;531219] Thank you for the advice. I'm trying another service department to see if they are any different. then i think ill escalate it to toyota.

Good idea.

Got the truck looked at showed the tech. exactly what sound I was concerned with and got a diagnosis that its normal.

Maybe its just a matter of opinion. I don't believe my new 4R should sound like its got issues.

I think what would help me accept the answer "Normal" is if I heard it on another 4R (I had the opportunity to listen to new ones on the lot) but none of the ones I listened to had the same noise.

You might want to point that out to them and actually make them do a side by side comparrison. If they still say it's normal than I guess you will either have to give up or file a complaint. Just FYI ~ Mine does not make that noise.

I have 99 4 runner limited and I have the same problem, I changed the rear u joint it did not fix the problem, I called overseas since no one here seems to want hear what I was hearing I was told that is motor and trnsmission mount problem, even thought they look ok sometime they may not be , they are about 60 doolars t the dealer I am yet to gop that rout.