New Runner new rattle?!?

[robsrunner]

Okay the quieter they make these things the more you notice stuff...

I have a rattle. Kind of sounds like a spring, tick tick, sound coming from somewhere in the cabin. I've banged on the center console, held the seat belt adjuster, pushed down on the radio stack, slammed the glove box, held the headliner, and can't seem to locate it. It happens whether warm or cold out and when driving over bumpy streets. My Tacoma had one in the drivers pilar that I could never get to go away and now this. It must be following me...Any ideas?

07 Sport V6. I don't want the dealer messing with it so I'd like to find it myself. Thanks

 

[ran]

New runner rattle?

I found a noise in the right rear lens, I can push in a bit and it makes a strange sound. Still need to fix that. I believe someone mentioned the rear seat catches were squeking.









___________
07 SE Titanium V6 4X4 986 miles

 

[robsrunner]

Re: New runner rattle?

I found a noise in the right rear lens, I can push in a bit and it makes a strange sound. Still need to fix that. I believe someone mentioned the rear seat catches were squeking.






___________
07 SE Titanium V6 4X4 986 miles

Rear lens meaning tail light?

 

[pipspeak]

Try the sunroof if you have one... I have an annoying springy rattling sound, not too loud but loud enough to annoy me when the radio's off, and it seems to come from the sunroof rails. I slam the sunroof cover a few times and it's gone. There's also one from just above the maplights/sunglass holder. Somewhere in that area. A few thumps and that one's usually gone for a few days.

Rear seat latches are easy to fix with some electrician's tape around the latch post. I also have creaking door seals that need lubing every now and then, one of the bits of plastic trim on the passenger-side froint door occasionally rattles and requires a few thumps, there's an occasional ticking sound from the bottom of the windshield... the list goes on. My freakin' 10-year old Jeep had fewer rattles !

 

[robsrunner]

No sunroof but I'll check those other places. Just enough to be annoying is right! :bash: Stripping a brand new car again to see what I can find. 2 new cars in a row with a wierd rattle. QC must have been asleep. I didn't hear it when I test drove which is strange.

Oh well my buddy's Chevy Trailblazer sounds like a pinball machine compared to mine so I should be happy.

 

[JohnG]

Rob, you might try the little lid to the console box right next to the shifter. Mind had the faintest rattle and I stuck a business card in between the hinge side of the lid and the console and that stopped it until I can get a free moment to look at a more long-term solution.

I bought a sheet of thin black felt recently, so I may cut a piece of this and attach where appropriate.

Other than this minor annoyance, my cabin is tight and quiet. So nice.

John

 

[robsrunner]

Was it the little cubby where the 12 volt plug is or was it the bigger part where the coin holder is? Mine seems to be center or left side dash area. Maybe poping out the glove box or radio panel I've read elsewhere have fixed it for some. I'm going to be adding an Ipod adapter in the next few weeks so I'll get back in there and see if everything is tight.

The ride is ultra quiet except for the bumps that cause it to make the springy sound. It sounds like a very faint cricket noise. Stuff like that drives me nuts....:upset:

 

[dingo]

Don't worry, my '07 also has an occasional rattle coming from what I believe is behind the dash (of all inaccessible places!). It manifests when I go over rough roads. Like a loose dash clip or something. What's frustrating is you're trying to localize this annoying sound, while turning your head to localize with your ears, while trying to drive and not hit anybody, and as you try and hold various parts of the interior with pressure to stop whatever is rattling or vibrating. Kind of a moronic situation really. The big pisser is when you are parked the sound cannot be reproduced. Ugh.

 

[JohnG]

Rob, I was referring to the little cubby left of the shifter, with the 12V plug.

I'm with you guys; these rattles and squeaks drive me nuts!

Good luck!

John

 

[drake3]

I think I have the same rattle as you. It took me a long time to find it but it seemed to be coming from the left side of the dash or just where the steering wheel meets the dash.

I think it has to do with the material of the dash meeting the gauge cluster. I can get rid of the small squeek by pressing hard on the black material to the right of the vent or just to the left of the gauges and around that area.

I generally only notice it when I am not listening to anything on the radio or talking with someone.

 

[dingo]

I think I have the same rattle as you. It took me a long time to find it but it seemed to be coming from the left side of the dash or just where the steering wheel meets the dash.

I think it has to do with the material of the dash meeting the gauge cluster. I can get rid of the small squeek by pressing hard on the black material to the right of the vent or just to the left of the gauges and around that area.

I generally only notice it when I am not listening to anything on the radio or talking with someone.

Drake3, that's almost exactly what I have! I press the dash to the left and the rattle is reduced or sounds more muffled. The PITA part is I try squeezing underneath to take a look and it's almost impossible to get your hand any higher than the steering column. Thanks for the tip though. I'll revisit the steering column area near the dash.

 

[robsrunner]

Someone also posted that it could be the ducting meeting the air vents. They are only pressed in and could move when the vehicle vibrates. They solved it by stuffing foam against the ducts to keep them from moving up underneath the dash.

Another area that is suspect to me is where the dealer added the aftermarket alarm in the fuse box area. They did a good job zip tieing everything neat but if I wigle the wires the loom they used kind of rattles. If it doesn't rain this weekend I'm going to roll up my sleeves and get to the bottom of this and post back.

Dash rattles are so annoying. My wife thinks I'm nuts trying to drive while banging on panels, and leaning all over to see if I can find the source. I don't think my 2nd and 3rd gen 4 Runners ever had rattles that I can remember. These are certainly quieter rides but now you hear everything in the cabin.

 

[dingo]

robsrunner, I think you're onto something regarding the vents. I revisited this last night and pressed on the vent area on the left. There is definitely some play somewhere. As if something was not fully seated behind the dash. I'll try to squeeze under that area and take some pics (as impossible as it seems). It's strange sometimes though because the rattle seems to come from directly behind and above the gauge cluster. This is only on my SE, my SR5 doesn't rattle at all in the same area. Rather the SR5 has the overhead sunglass holder rattle. No such thing as perfect I guess.

 

[robsrunner]

Yup more driving more banging today. I swear this rattle moves. One minute I think I found it and then it surfaces again. I think I'm going to remove the center console and drive around, then the radio, glovebox, etc until the rattle is gone. I'm not sure what dealers do to find these things but trial and error is the way I've always found mine.

I really think mine is in the lower center dash somewhere. If I bang on the lower side by your right leg I think I can reproduce the sound which means it may be in that area. Man I hate to start pulling stuff apart but I'd rather be the one then the dealer.

 

[DigableKid]

Have you checked if your roof rack brackets were fully secured?

 

[4by4th]

Sometimes I get an annoying rattle that goes away when I realize it's my box of Altoids in the compartment under the radio thats not sitting quite right. Could be anything....