really annoying rattle

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NDRYDEN123

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hey guys I have this really annoying rattle that sounds like it is coming from the top left of the inside of the truck. its right between the front and rear doors at the B pilliar I believe. I was wondering if any of you knew how to take the plastic pieces off without setting off the curtain airbags. thanks in advance.
 
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Funny old thing.. I just started hearing a very annoying rattle in my truck that seems to be coming from the same place. It sounds like something is loose inside the trim... rattles only when going over very small bumps, not big bumps. It's bugging the piss out of me because it constantly rattles when driving on the freeway.

However, one thing I have learned in years of owning rattling cars is that rattles often come from nowhere near where you think they do. The inside of a car is a big echo chamber. Although mine sounds like it's coming from the driver side door pillar I'm planning to check the entire vehicle this weekend to try and find it. Could be the sunroof, could be the headliner, could be from the trunk or either door. I've no idea. I do know it's not the infamous rear seat latch rattle (I fixed that) and I'm pretty sure it's not the sunroof (that has a very unique rattle). I hope I find it.

I'll keep you informed.
 
Check the roof rack and see if the hand tightening screws are loose. Someone recently had a similar problem and one of the screws were missing.
 
I recently started hearing a rattling noise coming from the trunk area in my 04 V8 Sport as well. I wondering if maybe the colder weather has something to do with it....(I live in Northern Manitoba) I will look for something obvious and if I figure it out i'll let you know.
 
I sometimes hear very quiet rattles in my 08 that sound like they're coming from the upper attachment points of the front seat belts. It's nearly imperceptible, but I hear everything and it bugs me.
 
pipspeak said:
... However, one thing I have learned in years of owning rattling cars is that rattles often come from nowhere near where you think they do. The inside of a car is a big echo chamber. Although mine sounds like it's coming from the driver side door pillar I'm planning to check the entire vehicle this weekend to try and find it...
Click to expand...

I agree about how sound travels.
I had a similar annoying noise. I finally found the source by getting an accidental "second" opinion. I had a passenger hear the rattle and he thought it sounded like a driver's side speaker noise. I thought it was a passenger side door top speaker. Turns out it was the sunglasses rattling in the roof console holder!
Don't be so quick to tear things apart. Another trick I learned from a previous ride is to unload EVERYTHING from one compartment at a time to rule out a cargo issue.
 
Update to my rattle;

I was driving around today and was pushing up different parts of the headliner and it seems to stop ratteling when I push up the back left corner of the sun roof. but it also seems to be still coming between the two doors. and just for reference my runner is a 2003. I'm going to try to locate the problem more specifically over the weekend and let you know so we can get this rattle thing straight.
 
Yeah my 03 does this too. It's worse when I have the sun roof shade back, and again a little louder if I have the roof open or tilted up. Seems to get better when I get up there and lube the sunroof rails.:confused:
 
It is a rattle in the sunroof area. I get it as well.
There is a tsb about a sunroof issue for an earlier year 4Runner and it does not look like Toyota solved the issue with this generation.
I think the dealership will lubricate the rails in an effort to minimize the rattle but I am hoping to find time to see if there is anything else that can be done about it because it is thoroughly annoying.
 
I thought I fixed my sunroof rattle but I'll check it again. FYI, I always get the sunroof lubed when i get my oil changed. Not lubing the sunroof increases the chance it'll jam on you. Crummy design but east to remedy.
 
I get a little rattle from my moonroof as well. Especially when it's closed. And i think it's the two black (metal) things that are just there that are loose. I don't know how to tighten them regardless if the moonroof is closed or open. :confused: Only thing i can do is close the moonroof with the manual cover, speed up and turn up my radio. lol
 
yeah it sounds like it is coming from the sunroof area between the leftside and the doors. but when i push up on the headliner by the sunroof it goes away. i also dont recall whether or not the little shade thing was closed or open but im not sure if it really mattered because it rattled regardless if it was open or closed.

"It is a rattle in the sunroof area. I get it as well.
There is a tsb about a sunroof issue for an earlier year 4Runner and it does not look like Toyota solved the issue with this generation.
I think the dealership will lubricate the rails in an effort to minimize the rattle but I am hoping to find time to see if there is anything else that can be done about it because it is thoroughly annoying." EEtM33t- if you could find the tsb or have any info on it could you please let me know. this rattle is getting really really annoying and seems to get louder and louder everyday.

thanks for all you helpful insight guys. i will try to figure it out more over the holidays and weekend. Happy Turkey Day!
 
On my runner there are two plugs where a handle would be mounted above the drivers side door. I had an annoying rattle from the same general area you are all describing. I finally pulled the cover on the plugs up to look in there and found two loose screws that were rattling. I took them out and have had peace ever since. Maybe this applies in this case as well.
 
drmorbius said:
On my runner there are two plugs where a handle would be mounted above the drivers side door. I had an annoying rattle from the same general area you are all describing. I finally pulled the cover on the plugs up to look in there and found two loose screws that were rattling. I took them out and have had peace ever since. Maybe this applies in this case as well.
Click to expand...

I was curious as to whether this was the source as well...I should open those covers up and see if there are screws in there that I can tighten...

Do the covers just pop open and swing to one side?
 
EEtM33t said:
I was curious as to whether this was the source as well...I should open those covers up and see if there are screws in there that I can tighten...

Do the covers just pop open and swing to one side?
Click to expand...

Yeah I just checked mine and they pop open with the help of a flat head screw driver. It turns out that one of them was loose so I retightened it but that wasnt the cause of the rattle. it is still present so I guess I'm forced to take it to the dealership to have a tech look at it to see if he can better pin point the rattle. if anyone knows how to deactivate the side curtain airbags and take off the plastic part where the seatbelt is this would save it from getting hacked apart by the dealership.
thanks for all your help in this really annoying rattle.
 
NDRYDEN123 said:
yeah it sounds like it is coming from the sunroof area between the leftside and the doors. but when i push up on the headliner by the sunroof it goes away. i also dont recall whether or not the little shade thing was closed or open but im not sure if it really mattered because it rattled regardless if it was open or closed.

"It is a rattle in the sunroof area. I get it as well.
There is a tsb about a sunroof issue for an earlier year 4Runner and it does not look like Toyota solved the issue with this generation.
I think the dealership will lubricate the rails in an effort to minimize the rattle but I am hoping to find time to see if there is anything else that can be done about it because it is thoroughly annoying." EEtM33t- if you could find the tsb or have any info on it could you please let me know. this rattle is getting really really annoying and seems to get louder and louder everyday.

thanks for all you helpful insight guys. i will try to figure it out more over the holidays and weekend. Happy Turkey Day!
Click to expand...

Here is the text from the tsb regarding the sunroof. It does not appear to be directly related to the rattle...

BODY



Technical Service
BULLETIN

August 21, 2006

Title:

Models:
 
I'm pretty sure my rattle is coming from the driver-side door or under the steering column. I had a passenger give me their verdict and the agreed. So I guess it's time for a tear-down!
 
Finally peace of mind or atleast for now anyways. It turns out that the rattle that sounded like it was coming from the back left corner of the sunroof was indeed the sunroof rails. All I did was spray a hefty amount of white grease on the rails and all around the rails and especially the part where this tread suggested. quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by rgbot
I had the same issue with an 03 I picked up recently. This thread worked perfectly to fix the rattle:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showt...=sunroof+rattle
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Thanks I will have to give this a try tomorrow morning. This rattle has driven me absolutly crazy. Its pretty much at the point that I honestly dont want to drive my 4Runner becasue it is so annoying. Sad I know.

It turns out that that was the part that was rattling and so far after two days it hasnt made a sound! I am now loving the fact that I dont get a headace every time I drive. Thanks to all who have helped in diagnosing the problem.
 
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