annoying sound from back seat area

[5VZFE]

There's a clunking sound that seems to come from the passenger side of the back seat area of my '98 4Runner. It sounds like something rather heavy is loose inside the interior panel next to/behind the back seat, and it only makes a sound while going over a bump when the outdoor temperature is below 50 degrees or so.

The colder the temperature, the louder the sound seems to get. I've emptied the hidden cargo compartment and even removed the door to it, so it's not that. Any ideas of what it might be before I start looking would be appreciated.

 

[Skulking]

There's a clunking sound that seems to come from the passenger side of the back seat area of my '98 4Runner. It sounds like something rather heavy is loose inside the interior panel next to/behind the back seat, and it only makes a sound while going over a bump when the outdoor temperature is below 50 degrees or so.

The colder the temperature, the louder the sound seems to get. I've emptied the hidden cargo compartment and even removed the door to it, so it's not that. Any ideas of what it might be before I start looking would be appreciated.

Have you checked that the tools under the rear passenger seat are fully secured? I don't know how the temperature would have any impact on that, but that's the first thing that comes to mind when you describe where the noise is coming from.

 

[sleepydad]

There's a clunking sound that seems to come from the passenger side of the back seat area of my '98 4Runner. It sounds like something rather heavy is loose inside the interior panel next to/behind the back seat, and it only makes a sound while going over a bump when the outdoor temperature is below 50 degrees or so.

The colder the temperature, the louder the sound seems to get. I've emptied the hidden cargo compartment and even removed the door to it, so it's not that. Any ideas of what it might be before I start looking would be appreciated.

if you put the back seats down? does it go away? that latch on the back seat can get out of alignment?

even though it sounds like it's coming from inside it might be something with suspension, exhaust... really anything. I had a bolt from an upper control fall out one time and drove from TX to MN... it really only made a mild bump noise from time time... once I got home to MN I crawled under the truck with my leather gloves on and started yanking on everything to find out where it was coming from? found it, bolt/nut was missing.

also had the exhaust hanger fall off and the exhaust would ting on the trailer hitch but only on large bumps... that one actually took me a while to find.

so... look around under the truck with a flashlight and some gloves, get all angry and wiggle stuff around... look for metal shaving.... cracked bushings?

 

[texadelphia]

I had something similar which turned out to be the jack under the rear seat. When you put it back in the holder you need to turn the crank to expand the jack, as if you were raising the jack, so it fits securely between the metal tabs.

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[Malcolm99]

I also had a minor cluck in the back for awhile, also assumed it was something in my tool compartment in the back, started to get worse this year, replaced the rear body mounts with Sonoran steels poly rear body mount, the old mounts where half separated and I gained a 1/4" body lift, I have zero extra weight in the truck. Also the rear trans/engine mount was practically completely separated as well, my trucks in pretty good shape and don't do any serious off-road just forest roads.

 

[brillo_76]

Have you checked that the tools under the rear passenger seat are fully secured? I don't know how the temperature would have any impact on that, but that's the first thing that comes to mind when you describe where the noise is coming from.

+1 on the rear seat latches. Man is that annoying when they are not latched.

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