2002 4Runner Cabin Noise Unsolvable (so far)

[Dergibog]

I am trying to help a friend with a pristine, low mileage 2002 Sport Limited solve a cabin noise issue. I have searched this and other forums and see no resolution. Hopefully someone that has figured this out will have a resolution for us. All door seals have been replaced at the dealer with no change in noise level. This rig appears to be in immaculate stock condition.

I have owned a 1992 4Runner and currently own a 2004 4Runner with 186k and both were/are quiet.

I cannot find anything definitive on this. People either have 4Runners with a lot of wind noise or they are not noisy at all. I wonder if somehow the cabin is getting some sort or positive or negative air pressure that's causing air to either enter or exit to equalize pressure.
All I could find are folks trying things and not resolving the problem. They tried front windshield seals, side window seals, door seals,...nothing made a huge difference. One thing that did slightly reduce it was adding the little wind deflector things around the side windows (i don't know what they are called).
I would love to solve this problem. I really think its something else besides a poor door seal.
Thanks!

 

[alanflies]

Not sure what noise exactly you are looking for but, I once had a Tacoma that had a wind noise around the door frame when at speed.
I had to open the door and push inward on the top of the window frame to slightly bend it inward. This created a tighter seal around the top of the door/window frame causing the windy noise to stop.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dergibog]

Not sure what noise exactly you are looking for but, I once had a Tacoma that had a wind noise around the door frame when at speed.
I had to open the door and push inward on the top of the window frame to slightly bend it inward. This created a tighter seal around the top of the door/window frame causing the windy noise to stop.

Hope this helps.

good point to clarify. its air or wind noise. seems to reduce if you crack a window leading me to believe its a pressure differential.
thanks

 

[kevincva]

Check the rubber boots around the shift levers, you will have to do a little disassembly to get to them. both of them were split on our 99 limited. Bought new ones and installed, made a big difference.

 

[Nate_GB]

Check the rubber boots around the shift levers, you will have to do a little disassembly to get to them. both of them were split on our 99 limited. Bought new ones and installed, made a big difference.

I doubt that a pressure differential is causing this issue. There's a large vent behind the bumper on the left quarter panel that allows the cabin to maintain the same pressure as the outside atmosphere. All cars have vents like this so that the doors can close easily. I would probably start by making sure all the windows are rolling all the way up, then try to systematically track it down by stuffing towels near all the door and window edges to see if you can find the noise. Good luck!

 

[Dergibog]

I doubt that a pressure differential is causing this issue. There's a large vent behind the bumper on the left quarter panel that allows the cabin to maintain the same pressure as the outside atmosphere. All cars have vents like this so that the doors can close easily. I would probably start by making sure all the windows are rolling all the way up, then try to systematically track it down by stuffing towels near all the door and window edges to see if you can find the noise. Good luck!

Thanks. We have a 2000 model year example with over twice the miles and we are comparing the two. The 2000 cabin is quiet. There are no air leak noises. There is something different between the two that we haven't found yet. I only found a few other references to cabin wind/air noise for 3rd gen 4Runners and of the people that chimed in on those threads a lot of them said they didn't have the issue.

 

[Dergibog]

Considering the condition of this 4Runner it should not have these issues. It is spotless inside out and underneath. It's not a beater. It's actually in amazing shape for a stock 16 year old rig.

 

[Solidape]

Sport edition but without fabric sport edition seats and the god awful wood trim limited dash trim.

Frankencar?

 

[Dergibog]

Sport edition but without fabric sport edition seats and the god awful wood trim limited dash trim.

Frankencar?

Sport Edition is the badge on the side. Told it was a Sport Limited

 

[Solidape]

Yeah, saw the badges and the hood scoop. It's a lot like mine, but I didn't know they came with leather seats or wood trim. Learn something new every day. It sure is a sharp 4Runner!

 

[Dergibog]

Yeah, saw the badges and the hood scoop. It's a lot like mine, but I didn't know they came with leather seats or wood trim. Learn something new every day. It sure is a sharp 4Runner!

Yeah! I found it and should have bought it but I offered it up to him first since he had been looking and I was not in the market. However; he only paid $7000for it with 101,000 miles and not a spec of rust anywhere,... so I would have bought it if he didn't.

 

[phattyduck]

Sport edition but without fabric sport edition seats and the god awful wood trim limited dash trim.

Frankencar?

Leather seats were optional. The dash has the sport silver with an aftermarket wood trim kit over the top (check out by the auto shifter). Not a frankencar - looks near perfect!

As for noise... how are the tires wearing? It could be tire noise from feathering of the tires due to bad alignment.

Even when my cabin vent (left rear quarter panel, behind the bumper) was completely open it was still quiet in my 4Runner.

Is it a 'buffeting' wind noise, whistling or more of a constant hum?

-Charlie

 

[Dergibog]

It sounds to us like its all wind noise from around the doors. We need to get together again and do some more thorough testing to see where the air leak is strongest, if that's what it is.
Someone told him it looks like the dealer installed new door seals were improperly installed. I don't see any evidence of that.
The previous owner had the replacement door seals installed, I assume to fix the wind noise. Which obviously did not work. I think it's something else. The doors shut tight and the window seals look perfect too. It feels like new except for the whistle of air.
He now dubbed his 4Runner the Whistle Pig because of the noise and the poor gas mileage.

 

[1985taylor1925]

7k is a phenomenal deal for 100k miles! That would have been listed for 12000 in Colorado.

I know that people have said the sport hoods create some wind noise. But it’s usually more of a whistle. If the door seals were replaced maybe they could be the cause. Have you checked them all around to be sure they are seated properly?

Edit: I just saw that you actually said “whistle” in your last post. So I’m wondering if it’s the hood scoop

 

[Dergibog]

We had ourselves convinced it was from the doors. We need to take a fresh look if we get a nice day and pay attention to other things that could be causing it.

Toyota dealer installed the new door seals so we assumed they were OEM.

 

[liljoedafishho]

Two noise possibilities are the roof rack turbulence - seeping into the moon roof that is not all the way closed(move bar back a couple inches n make sure moon roof is flush)
and the rear heater fan maybe ON !...it has happened to me.

 

[Nate_GB]

Have you checked to make sure all the weather strips are there? If one is missing completely on both sides, it may not stand out.

 

[whyzee125]

Sport edition but without fabric sport edition seats and the god awful wood trim limited dash trim.

Frankencar?

The wood trim is obviously over the silver.. look at the shifter bezel. Also, those are sport leather seats. Optional on the sports, they're gray and perforated and more supportive than Limited seats. Nice rig.