Tacoma Driver Seat Squeak/Dash Rattle

[Maxminus]

Well guys and gals as far as i can tell the annoying rattle is caused by the heater vent "bumping" the plastic dash while driving. It would seem that the tolerances are just not right. Wedging a piece of rubber between the windshield and the dash does work quite well. For the more brave of heart (or foolhardy) remove the dash assembly and get some 1/4" weather stripping (make sure it is UV resistant) and treat the opening of the dash heater vents by the windshield. Take care when replacing the dash as you can undo the weather striping in the process.

Just a word of advice here. I went the dash removal route and I now have a beautiful high pitched squeak comming from the dash near the driver's side door pillar.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

[mauitaco]

Take it into the stealership and have them repair it. Print this out and bring it with you in case they try and give you any grief.

http://customtacos.com/tech/index.ph..._v2&id=134&c=6

[R-ROD]

I have a 1999 Tacoma and have the same exact rattle. Seems like it's coming from directly behind the instrument panel. It only seems to happen in the morning when it's cold outside. Very annoying. I've actually taken out the whole instrument panel and added some foam. It seems to have minimized it a little but it's still there.

[Tmack0]

Same seat squeak, dash rattle and clutch squeak in my '02 Taco. Took it to the dealer once already under warantee. The "fixed" the squeak by lubing the clutch, which started squeaking again 2mi down the road, and the "lubing" consisted of spray greasing the whole underside of the dash in the area: big mess of white lithium spray grease all over the firwall and underside of the dash and everything, and some green grease on the clutch pedal linkages (a blob of it actually fell off onto my shoe while driving). Told me "we couldnt find the rattle" and "its alot of work" when asked why they didnt fix the dash rattle. They will be getting a copy of that TSB with a few nice words to the manager.

[adamsix]

my 03 taco has rattles inside the fuse box and gets annoying at times. Im just too lazy to take it to the dealer. It only happens here and there. Mayb, im just use to it now

[dfskinner]

I have a tennis ball wedged between the center of the dash and the window, been there since I got the truck in 1998, stopped the rattle, as far as the seats go, haven't had any problems.

When people ride in my truck for the first time, they always ask, you play tennis; I tell them "No", I'm just using the ball to stop a rattle in my dash, I tell them the ball has been there for over 5 years now, that's why it's white and not yellow.

[Tmack0]

Originally Posted by Tmack0

Told me "we couldnt find the rattle" and "its alot of work" when asked why they didnt fix the dash rattle. They will be getting a copy of that TSB with a few nice words to the manager.

So I took it back a second time with the document. They again told me they couldnt hear the rattle and therefore would not fix it. After arguing and bringing his manager into it, they said all I could do is ride with a service tech to see if I could get it to rattle. Once the tech started reading the papers while on our ride, he asked if it was just a rattle in the middle of the dash, kinda near the vents. When I said yes, he said "oh, thats a recall, we do alot of those, dont worry Ill talk to them". So I brought it back AGAIN (Thats #3 for those counting) and they finally cleared that rattle TSB up...not going to vent my frustration about what happened when picking it up, or the fact that its going back for at least one more time for stuff they STILL have not fixed.... anyway, if you are still having problems getting your Stealership to comply with the TSB, tell them its a RECALL, and if they still refuse, tell them to call their regional rep and ask about it specifically... UGH

[bgxu33]

I get shoved out of the stealership everytime too about the dash rattle and they say "we can't hear anything" or "it's so faint we don't know where to start" Can you provide me with the EXACT piece of paper/information that you showed them so i can have mine fixed too?? you can email me at bgxu33@yahoo.com and send as an attachment if needed.
Thanks!!

[ToyotaTech]

OK GUYS Hears your fix so read this very good! most of the noise u have is going to be in the right front area of your dash if u want to fix it hear is what u need to do.
1. remove your glove box.
2. look at the very back of the dash near the top near the windshield there are the clips that the dash snaps into the body ( these clips are blue in color)
3. Take a prybar and pry the body on to the clips a little more (Or take the dash off and pry the body clips where the dash clips in.) I always try the prybar first and this works 100% of the time.
4. Oh and Have fun!!!

[thun]

I must be the only Tacoma owner who doesn't have this problem.

Or maybe I just always have the radio on...

[coloradotaco]

My 2000 Tacoma had a rattle in the passenger seat. When someone sat in the seat, it didn't make any noise. When itthe seat was empty, it almost sounded like the seat belt buckle was rattling.
I investigated and found that the headrest latch was the cause. It doesn't latch the head rest any more so something in there is loose and rattles. I took some plummers putty and forced it around the button. The color is almost the same as the button.
NO MORE RATTLE!

[Tmack0]

Originally Posted by bgxu33

I get shoved out of the stealership everytime too about the dash rattle and they say "we can't hear anything" or "it's so faint we don't know where to start" Can you provide me with the EXACT piece of paper/information that you showed them so i can have mine fixed too?? you can email me at bgxu33@yahoo.com and send as an attachment if needed.
Thanks!!

The paper I took in was a copy of the TSB itself, as provided from another forum in the link above:
http://customtacos.com/tech/index.ph..._v2&id=134&c=6

the TSB is: http://customtacos.com/tech/files/dash_rattle_tsb.pdf

If your truck is under warantee, this is covered, and explicitly states so in the TSB itself. It amazed me the service guy still denied it after I even pointed to that section and told him "It even says right here that this is covered under warantee!". Im still not happy, they completed that service, but in doing so left something loose inside the dash, causing two new rattles near the ends of the dash. This ones not as loud, and wedging a peice of rubber between the dash and A-pillars (both ends of the dash, and not visible unless you look for them) have silenced it for now. The clutch squeak they "fixed" by greasing the clutch assembly still comes around occasionaly, sounding like a rusty screen door spring, but goes away shortly after and is never there when I take it in. Any time I mention the mess the greasing left, they tell me "thats sloppy work" and do nothing about it, just like they do nothing about the squeaky seat. It will get at least one more trip in for this before my warantee runs out, and if its not fixed, the BBB might get a report.

[Tmack0]

*bump*

Originally Posted by Tmack0

It will get at least one more trip in for this before my warantee runs out, and if its not fixed, the BBB might get a report.

Go figure, its going in again. For anyone counting, this will be trip #6. My warantee expired, but before it did I called into the National Toyota service center in California. Their 800 number is in the "Owner's Warantee Rights" (or something like that) booklet. What they told me is I can continue taking it in for the problems diagnosed before the warantee expired until they are resolved, they can refer me to another dealership if necessary, and if all else fails start the arbitration process, and they gave me a case # to reference on all future services for these issues. Yes, the dash still rattles at the ends even though the dealership denys it exists, and over the weekend the rattle in the middle started up again. The clutch I think they finally fixed on the last trip in, the cause: missing bushings . The tech told me he installed some rubber bushings that were missing from the clutch pedal assembly. Whatever it was, it feels better and the squeak is gone. They also finally wiped down the mess they made, but left nice black shoe scuff marks on the door panel. And the seat squeak still "does not exist" even though it has been getting louder and louder each week.
I love my truck, but if this is the kind of service to expect from Toyota, I think I will look elsewhere for my next vehicle.

[coloradotaco]

Sounds like a nasty experience, you'd think you had bought a Chevy.
Does the seat rattle if someone is sitting in it? Mine didn't. When it was unoccupied it almost sounded like a seat belt buckle rattling. Since I stuffed the head rest retainer button with putty it hasn't rattled at all.
One of the things that impressed me about Tacos was the solidness of the ride. Unlike other pickups I've been in.
Rattles drive me crazy, luckily my dash does not rattle. I would find a different dealer.
Good Luck

[westly]

I have a 2002 tacoma and had the dash rattle too. Took it into the dealer and they fixed it for free. Hasn't rattled since.