Normal '03 Noises

[live4swell]

Its been a little over a year with my '03 and I just wanted to get others opinions on noises they hear normally. I just feel like every bump or hole in the road i hear a squeak whether its the shocks, cladding or somethin or maybe the seats...but i just want to make sure other people are havin the same noises...I guess over time i have gotten used to them but want to make sure there is nothing wrong

Brian

 

[jharris2]

I have similar noises, but I keep going back to the dealer to have them work on it under the warranty. I want it to be virtually silent inside, and am plotting ways to justify yanking the interior components to make it quieter.

 

[Sad4RunnerOwner]

Noise ...

Hi Ya!

Yep, my driver seat makes an occassional funky thud. It's still better then the twisting and lunging that the old seats did. But, I have (And asked to have it looked at twice) odd noise squeak when going over speed bumps. Per Toyota, it's not there.

Who knew that we'd all be the stunt dummies for Toyota when we bought these products. Just make sure that you have all you ducks in a row when you leave the house. . .

 

[Mark86]

I have three annoying noises:

1. The infamous drone at 65mph-75mph which I know is normal.

2. A clicking noise when I start the car on cold mornings which I read is only the climate control adjusting itself.

3. I hear this high pitched squeal whenever I hit a bump that is very irritating. It seems to be coming from the rearview mirror. I did have the autodimming mirror installed at the dealer, so maybe they did not fasten something securely. I will have this checked out next time I go to the dealer.

 

[vcoglian]

I was just at my dealer and the service department made me aware of a TSB for the squeaky front seats in the 4th gen 4Runner. They have to order a kit from Toyota to replace some of the bushings in the seat frame.

 

[Sad4RunnerOwner]

How about a thud ...

Hi again!

So yesturday, I had a buddy with me in the car. We pulled up to a stop light. When the light turned green, I took my foot off the break, and physical "THUD" came from the rear end. I have been hearing that for some time, but I just thought that it was the break system and transmission releasing together.

Has anyone else noted that?

Thanks guys!

 

[Sad4RunnerOwner]

See the "SEAT" section of problems

I was just at my dealer and the service department made me aware of a TSB for the squeaky front seats in the 4th gen 4Runner. They have to order a kit from Toyota to replace some of the bushings in the seat frame.

Good luck with that . . . Unless you have a Limited with power seats, your in for a LONG LONG haul.

The TSB is only for the Limited. Review the "Seat" topic under warr. & problems.

 

[TechWrench]

Re: How about a thud ...

Hi again!

So yesturday, I had a buddy with me in the car. We pulled up to a stop light. When the light turned green, I took my foot off the break, and physical "THUD" came from the rear end. I have been hearing that for some time, but I just thought that it was the break system and transmission releasing together.

Has anyone else noted that?

Thanks guys!

This sounds like a well worn topic on the 4-gens. In most cases, this happens after you make an abrupt stop and then start up again. If it is what I think it is, it's called axle wind-up. As I understand it, the rear driveshaft skip joint is manufactured to very close tolerances, and sometimes binds up. So, if you stop very abruptly, the rear axle will rotate down a little, and the drive shaft slip joint will open up slightly and then stick in place. Then when you release the brake and start to accelerate, the shift in vehicle position will cause the slip joint to 'jump' back in place and this gives you the 'thump'. Some people have had success with lubricating the slip joint. Others have said the 'thump' gradually goes away after you get more miles on it. In my case, the lubrication trick worked. Do a search on this and you should find several threads with more info.

 

[Sad4RunnerOwner]

Thanks for the info!

Cool. I'll have to pay closer attention and see what the breaking situation is at the time.

Thanks again!

 

[02sport]

yup, have the driveline greased and the clunk should dissapear

 

[Good Times]

Re: Re: How about a thud ...

This sounds like a well worn topic on the 4-gens. In most cases, this happens after you make an abrupt stop and then start up again. If it is what I think it is, it's called axle wind-up. As I understand it, the rear driveshaft skip joint is manufactured to very close tolerances, and sometimes binds up. So, if you stop very abruptly, the rear axle will rotate down a little, and the drive shaft slip joint will open up slightly and then stick in place. Then when you release the brake and start to accelerate, the shift in vehicle position will cause the slip joint to 'jump' back in place and this gives you the 'thump'. Some people have had success with lubricating the slip joint. Others have said the 'thump' gradually goes away after you get more miles on it. In my case, the lubrication trick worked. Do a search on this and you should find several threads with more info.

Yup this is common in most all rwd/awd vehicles. You just gotta lube and lube. Or the other thing to do is stop and then go, none of that 1/2 a$$ed stops either

The truck is telling ya to drive more carefully! hehe

 

[Iman74]

Definetly a squeak coming from the driver seat, or something in it. I started hearing it a month ago, and between the move to the new house and everything else I have not been able to diagnose it. However what I can say if I shake my butt on the seat it does not happen, which leads me to believe it's something in the seat.

 

[Sac State]

Like any Toyota that I have owned, time will eventually work out the squeaks. But at 33K miles here is what hasn't worked out.

1. Rattle coming from Sunroof.
2. Seat moves slightly on occassion.
3. Alot of my noises went away when I switched tires.

Not bad overall. Hell, my parents new Chrysler Pacifica has the back door (lift) unpainted from the factory. They forgot to paint an entire side of the interior part of the back lift door.

I tried to entice them to look at the 4Runner. :bash:

 

[Mark86]

I tried to entice them to look at the 4Runner. :bash:

I was able to entice my parents successfully! One drive in my sport and they were sold. They just wanted leather and a navigation system.

I think Toyota worked out a lot of the rattles for 2005. Man that truck is quiet so I would definitely hear rattles!

 

[Kanab]

Guess I'm lucky mine is solid as a rock. No squeaks or rattles after 18K miles of driving. Mine was made in March of 2004 maybe they had everything worked out by then? Notice that most of you guys with the problems have 2003's.

Had a thump in the beginning but it wore in and has not been a problem in the last several thousand miles.

 

[mjfrank]

I had a slight rattle in my drivers side door. I just took off my door panel this weekend, tightened everything, and reinstalled it, and the rattle seems to be gone.

A light rattle in the driver side seat belt adjuster on the pillar.

I still have the occasional weird squeak in the drivers-side front suspension when the weather is cold. It's an odd one, because sometimes it does it and sometimes it doesn't. I thought maybe it was a body panel squeaking, but everything seems solid. It basically sounds like a dry bushing.

Occasional slight clunk from the drivers seat.

A squeak in the rear seat back that was fixed with electrical tape.

That's about it. I'm trying to avoid the dealer for these little squeaks, lest they make the problem worse.

Oh yeah, about 6,300 miles on it.

--Mike

 

[Spnix77]

TSB Grease driver seat

I called the dealer today and I am having the seat lubed, not sure what they are really going to do so I will try and watch and see if it actually fixes it.

 

[retco]

Ive got an 03 sport 4wd. I guess i am lucky, the only noise ive ever had was the sunroof. I have heard many complaints about it and lots ways people are trying to fix it. It was a very simple fix for me . I went to my local auto store and bought a can of LIQUID WRENCH WHITE LITHIUM GREASE and opened the sunroof and sprayed up and down the tracks with a generous amount, its a moving part, and all mechanical moving parts need grease. The sunroof hasn't made a sound in over a year, but if it ever does i will spray it again.