Hello, need some help.

[calcrc]

Hi guys, I read somewhere in a thread about the trail with KDSS that makes noise . Well I hear clanking under the truck and it starts to worry me. I think it comes mostly from the back end. Is it some used bushings that need to be changed ?

I want to ask your feedback before bringing it to the dealer since the warranty is over. I checked myself under the truck to see if anything is loose but I didnt find anything.

 

[Go JayBee]

check your spare tire...

 

[1engineer]

Hi guys, I read somewhere in a thread about the trail with KDSS that makes noise . Well I hear clanking under the truck and it starts to worry me. I think it comes mostly from the back end. Is it some used bushings that need to be changed ?

I want to ask your feedback before bringing it to the dealer since the warranty is over. I checked myself under the truck to see if anything is loose but I didnt find anything.

IIRC thread on KDSS noise is full of speculation and conjecture but no fact at all. Somebody got it in their head that it was the KDSS cylinder and others followed suit. Nevermind most of them have no idea how KDSS works or what could be making the noise lol. I would check the spare, the jack or anything else before jumping to conclusions.

Here is the thread http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/160261-14-te-guys-weird-noise.html and it is pretty funny when you read it. The guy with the original noise never came back to report, the guy who was gung ho on the smoking gun of different part numbers was going to sell it and another guy reported he put his up for sale all over a noise! And of course there is no resolution there so no, I would not worry.

 

[calcrc]

Ok so what should I do ? Live with it or take it to the dealer ?

It is a 50k $ truck and this noise only came this year, I had no trouble since I bought it, I mean wth when I ride, the clanking makes it look like a cheap ass truck.

Don't get me wrong truck is badass gets me everywhere from home to work to deep in the woods for fishing and hunting. I don't mind all the scratches and stuff that's why I got a truck but the noise is really not right/normal.

1engineer please let me know the course of action to take

If not I will have to sucker myself and go to the dealer so he can scam me out of 200$ + or something : /

Hmmm I guess I will find time this week end and recheck under to see if something is loose or whatever.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[calcrc]

I checked the spare and the noise from under the chassis. The roads where I live suck balls I have to admit. If you ever come to Montreal or have ever been there you would know. Orange cones and signs all over the city ( 5 feet of snow with 18 wheelers, huge snowplows to clear it and salt make the roads with big holes everywhere )

When I drive on nice pavement no sound at all.

 

[nevetsvsx]

This admittedly is going to sound a little nuts, but try lightly kicking your muffler (pretty sure I read that on here). Mine made a weird noise when closing the back door and a good little tap on the muffler stopped it for me.

 

[ShAwTWiN]

I checked the spare and the noise from under the chassis. The roads where I live suck balls I have to admit. If you ever come to Montreal or have ever been there you would know. Orange cones and signs all over the city ( 5 feet of snow with 18 wheelers, huge snowplows to clear it and salt make the roads with big holes everywhere )

When I drive on nice pavement no sound at all.

J'avoue qu'un 4runner c'est parfait pour l'état des routes de MTL. C'est pas bin bin mieux à Québec...

 

[calcrc]

Ok here is a link to a small video I made with my phone so you guys can hear what it really sounds like when I drive. There is some wind sound also but when the clanking starts you will hear it .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DubtooSNwDo&feature=youtu.be

 

[st8rocks]

I would take a hard look over your aftermarket exhaust system hangers, shields, hitting the body somewhere etc.. Doubt that noise is the KDSS, I think you have that stuck in your head.

 

[calcrc]

I haven't said it was the KDSS, I was wondering what the noise was and remembered a thread I saw. I will take it to the dealer and have the fix it properly since I don't have the knowledge or the time to get under the truck and fix this issue.

I have looked twice under the truck and everything seemed solid when I hit on parts. The only thing that made some noise was the protective skids under the oil filter and the small chain from the spare tire.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

Does the noise happen when only one side of your 4runner goes over a bump or pot hole, but not when both sides go over a bump? (Like driving over a speedbump) If this is the case, it could be your KDSS or a swaybar bushing.

My wife's GX470 Sport (has KDSS) clunks every time I drop the tires on one side in a pothole, or something similar, but not when both. I have tracked it down to either the rear KDSS Cylinder that may have leaked (noticeable residue on the cylinder) and lost the "KDSS Fluid" or a bad swaybar bushing, which is usually the cause of something like this, but with the additional movement of the KDSS system, I believe being low on fluid could also cause an issue like this. We were quoted $1500, by lexus, to replace the Rear KDSS cylinder, and bleed the system, so we haven't fixed it yet. With how expensive this system is to repair/work on you really should address it while it is under warranty.

Either way, you need to figure out how to reproduce it well (ideally near your dealer) then take a tech for a ride and reproduce it for them. Otherwise, they will just drive it around the lot and say they can't reproduce it. Since you are under warranty you should get it checked out incase it is something expensive like the KDSS system (Which cost $600 just to bleed!). Even if they can't find the issue, atleast you have it documented that you brought it in under warranty, and they said it was fine. Then when whatever fails out of warranty, you have something you can hold the dealer to.

You may also want to check out this thread to see if what you are experiencing is similar. At 50k miles, Lolrax's GX460 (Also has KDSS) had a rear suspension clunk that he fought for a long time. Ended up being one of the rear swaybar bushings.

Rear Suspension Rattle - Club Lexus Forums

 

[Stifler]

It is a 50k $ truck

fawk what options did you get? lol

 

[st8rocks]

fawk what options did you get? lol

Maple syrup dollars

 

[Stifler]

Maple syrup dollars

ah good catch.... little slow today

 

[calcrc]

Going to get an appointment tomorow with the dealership. I have read the lexus thread and will ask to go test drive the truck with the tech. I will not pay 1k plus to get this fixed since the problem seemed to be the bushings.

That thread was very informative so when I talk with the tech I will have a better idea about what to tell them. Thank you all for the help and I will get back to you when the truck is fixed with the cause and repairs done.

 

[1engineer]

Going to get an appointment tomorow with the dealership. I have read the lexus thread and will ask to go test drive the truck with the tech. I will not pay 1k plus to get this fixed since the problem seemed to be the bushings.

That thread was very informative so when I talk with the tech I will have a better idea about what to tell them. Thank you all for the help and I will get back to you when the truck is fixed with the cause and repairs done.

Taking it to a dealer is the right thing and be sure to report back!

 

[calcrc]

I found the culprit !

I was going to drop off the truck to the dealer tonight and leave the keys so they look at the rig and fix it tomorrow, but my friend helped me find the origin of that damn clanking and we managed to locate the problem.

Look at the picture below




It was the loose bolt on top of the spacer ..... fml I looked 2 times under the truck and found nothing, today I was with my friend and our families at the local pool with the kids and I explained to him my issue. After we left he jumped on the towing ball and told me to look both sides in the back and there it was, a loose bolt.

When I got home I took out my tools and a flashlight ( my daughter wanted to come and help me lol she held the flashlight for me, she's so sweet ) and tightened it properly then took it out for a drive and no more damn annoying sound. Now my truck feels like a 50$k truck again.

Me happy, my wife very happy since we saved 200$ + at the dealer

I would like to thank everyone again on the forum. You guys are the best, better than the people at the dealer ... I took it Wednesday for them to look at it and some young dude in charge there said , quote ( we haven't found the problem, we have to look under and see, there is something between the protective plate and the gas tank, it seems to be little a rock .....)

That didn't sound like my problem so I am really happy it was a super minor thing but that noise make the rig feel like a beaten up 20+ year old truck.

 

[Hellamatic]

fawk what options did you get? lol

Bought It In Canada option - mine came to $55,000 w/tax. If you feel sorry for us, feel free to send Shrockworks/CBI front/rear bumpers.

 

[adam2562]

Does the noise happen when only one side of your 4runner goes over a bump or pot hole, but not when both sides go over a bump? (Like driving over a speedbump) If this is the case, it could be your KDSS or a swaybar bushing.

My wife's GX470 Sport (has KDSS) clunks every time I drop the tires on one side in a pothole, or something similar, but not when both. I have tracked it down to either the rear KDSS Cylinder that may have leaked (noticeable residue on the cylinder) and lost the "KDSS Fluid" or a bad swaybar bushing, which is usually the cause of something like this, but with the additional movement of the KDSS system, I believe being low on fluid could also cause an issue like this. We were quoted $1500, by lexus, to replace the Rear KDSS cylinder, and bleed the system, so we haven't fixed it yet. With how expensive this system is to repair/work on you really should address it while it is under warranty.

Either way, you need to figure out how to reproduce it well (ideally near your dealer) then take a tech for a ride and reproduce it for them. Otherwise, they will just drive it around the lot and say they can't reproduce it. Since you are under warranty you should get it checked out incase it is something expensive like the KDSS system (Which cost $600 just to bleed!). Even if they can't find the issue, atleast you have it documented that you brought it in under warranty, and they said it was fine. Then when whatever fails out of warranty, you have something you can hold the dealer to.

You may also want to check out this thread to see if what you are experiencing is similar. At 50k miles, Lolrax's GX460 (Also has KDSS) had a rear suspension clunk that he fought for a long time. Ended up being one of the rear swaybar bushings.

Rear Suspension Rattle - Club Lexus Forums

did you ever get that clunk taken care of? i've recently developed one up front. and i'm thinking it could be my kdss sway bar bushings. i'll do those first.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

did you ever get that clunk taken care of? i've recently developed one up front. and i'm thinking it could be my kdss sway bar bushings. i'll do those first.

I have the new bushings sitting in the garage, but never have gotten around to installing them. It has to either be that or the leaky rear KDSS cylinder, and since it shows signs of leakage, thats likely what it is. Are you seeing any signs of leaks on either of the cylinders?

Since it is my wife's DD, and she doesn't really notice it, I put that project on the back burner...although I couldn't live with that noise every day... sorry I couldn't be of any help.