Creaking is driving me nuts

[my04runner]

I have been having a very irritating creaking noise coming from my wife's 04 Sport, from the back right rear cabin. I have taken the truck in to the dealer, and they replaced some moldings. I then ask my wife if the truck had stopped and she said she had not noticed. So I take her word and install a modest sound system in her truck and place an amp in the back wall and a small cross-over in the small pocket over the wheel well.

Now the system is installed and a pain to remove, and guess what the creaking noise is still there! Now I don't really want to install the system so they can "safely" remove the panels. I read a few threads talking about similar problems with the back seats not being fully in place, and tried that and it did not help.

I am starting to think, do the X-REAS need to be lubed somehow? I don't have this problem in my SR5. The noise is starting to seem like its coming more from the metal of the truck than the plastics of it. The creaking happens when truck is off-center, such as going into driveways.

 

[tkr128]

Is the creak there every time it's at an angle? I get a creak in the rear when it's cold out or when I haven't driven the car in a while, but it goes away after a short time of driving.

 

[my04runner]

Yep, as long the truck goes into an angle I get the creak, no matter the weather.

 

[MAC4Runner]

I had a creak from the rear of my 2004 T4R which I fixed by placing electrical tape on the bars that attach to the locking mechanism for the fold down rear seats.

Give it a shot.

 

[my04runner]

Thanks MAC4Runner. I tried that too. It really sounds like the noise is coming from the body or the frame. But I find that strange.

 

[gsr2is300]

Thanks MAC4Runner. I tried that too. It really sounds like the noise is coming from the body or the frame. But I find that strange.

I noticed the same noise when driving up a ramp in a parking deck. It only occurred when the car moved from the flat deck to the incline of the ramp.

It sounded like a creaking in the cabin or frame. I did not happen when going down the ramp.

 

[MAC4Runner]

Could it be the lift gate? Someone else on this forum mentioned rear noises and the culprit ended up being the rear lift gate. Do a search, you should be able to find the post.

Good luck -

 

[AK602]

ok heres your answer. If this works you owe me coffee. I had the same exact noise when my truck was new. There are 2 plastic guides on the sides of the tailgate that are made of hard plastic. the make a noise when the body flexes and they rub together. All I did was apply a drop of silicone grease to the stops. NOISE GONE. I have never had to reapply the grease. all you need is a tiny amount. You can use vaseline as a test. I am not sure how long it will last. but remember you owe me coffee if your noise goes away. I have posed this reply before.

 

[my04runner]

Hehe, guess I saved myself a coffee. That did not work. But I found my problem though, and it looks like I may have to disassymble my work on the sound system.
I might as well make my apologies to everyone (Sorry), and wasting your time. The problem is with the Rear fold down seat. I thought I had placed enough lubrication on the latch, but that is what I get for thinking:bash: . I had thought the rear seat was placed all the way back into position, but the problem is that there is so much friction that the seat does not really latch back on until I gave it a nice good shove. As apposed to my truck that latches on very easily.
Now I just need to check if just adding more lube will fix the problem of if I should take the truck into the dealer and have them re-adjust the latch.

 

[Nostromo]

I too had the exact same problem and like some of you discovered that it was the fold down rear seat. When you put it in the upright position you really have to give it a good bump to fully lock it in.