Dash popping noise '13

So, after 2 years of "silent" ownership and nearly 35K miles, my Taco has developed it's first interior noise. It's a sporadic, come-and-go popping coming from the center of the dash. If it does do it, it seems like it's only when the temp is cold...and usually goes away once the truck's interior has completely warmed up.

I couldn't find much about it here on TW. But I did come across one thread that touched on it a little. ---> http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/348225-rattle.html So it seems like there may be a few of us that might have this small issue. In the thread some people said they've wedged things between the center dash and windshield with limited success. I wanted to look into it a bit more and find a more permanent solution.

Here's what I've found. Remove the headunit. It's easy, at least on the '13 Tacos. I recommend disconnecting in the HVAC controls and setting them out of the way. Also, place a towel in the area where the controls were so the bottom of the HU doesn't scratch the dash. This way you don't have to completely remove the HU's wiring...just let it gently hang there. Here's a YT video. ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v6gLpE68Rg

Once the HU is out you'll see some duct work. When I reached in and moved it, it made a very similar popping sound that I was hearing. But, so does pushing down some on the dash. But I really think the noise is coming from the duct more than the dash....though I can't say for 100% certain.

Here a pic of the duct. It's above the white box.



Clearly Toyota's engineers knew the duct could make some noise has it sits on a foam pad. But maybe in some vehicles it' not enough. Or, in my case, maybe it took 2 years for something to settle or shift. Here's a closer pic of the duct and pad it sits on.



My fix was to wedge a piece of rubber hose between the bottom of the duct and the foam pad. I cut off a 2 inch piece of heater hose, then cut it long ways. Here's a pic of that. Look at the red arrow.


After 2 days of driving on every bumpy road I could find in some very cold temps...the truck is dead silent. I can't say for certain if this solves the noise, but I will keep everyone posted on how it goes. I'll check back in a few days. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for this. Mine is doing it at well, about to hit 70k on the ODO and it's a 2012.

 

Is it like a poppy clicky noise? Mine has a little poppy/click right in that stereo area and sounds like it's more toward the windshield. I've noticed this same thing on cold mornings and I'm at 35k. Will try this out when I can get around to it.

 

Subd

 

I have a 2015 and have dash noises already...around 1100 miles,,they don't make them like they used to. Thanks for the video as the 2015 is the same as the 2013 disassembly.

 

That's it.

 

My 2012 did the same thing on cold mornings. I found that I could put pressure on the middle of the dash and the sound would go away.

I found some dense black open cell foam packing material and cut into about 1/2" x 3/4" x 8" long. I stuffed this material into the space between the dash pad and windshield (see photo). This solved the cold creaking / popping sound.

Note that the photo has been adjusted to show the foam, on my truck you can barely see the foam during the day.

 

My '14 does this on cold days. I'll have to try some of these ideas. Great thread.

 

Yep...this was going to be my next repair if adding some pressure to the duct did not work. One thing I may do differently though is to try something from under the dash, with the HU out, rather placing something between the dash and windshield.

 

i went through and TORE apart the center console, auto shift mechanisim, ENTIRE HVAC and radio faces etc and lubed any surface that touched another plastic surface directly with Silglyde (think silicone spray but in a gel form) and it got rid of all my dash rattles on my 2013 that drove me nuts.

But i will keep this in mind as well! thanks op!

 

I get a weird chirp noise once in a while from the radio / dash area. Sounds like a parakeet on the way out. It's random enough that I've learned to live with it.

 

OK...here's an update. Last night I met some friends at B-Dubs to watch the 2 playoff games. So the truck sat outside from about 4 in the afternoon till about 1am.....very cold outside all day and night. About half way home I noticed a very minor creak in the same area. Only did it once and faintly at that. In fact, had I not been working on the dash noise I probably wouldn't really have paid it much attention, given how cold it was.

But just to cover all of my bases I went a head and did the "wedge thing" that others have done at the top of the dash. Zero noises this morning during my test drive on bumpy roads....temp at about 15' F.

I used about a 2 inch piece of vacuum hose wedged tightly between the back of the dash and the very bottom of the windshield. The hose sits lower than the black-out section of the windshield. It was a struggle to get a good pic of it.

Hose



Pic from sitting normal in the seat. You can not see it at all unless you turn your head sideways and jam your face up there...LOL.


Hoping the UV rays from the sun don't eat it up. But it is behind the blackout, so hopefully I can get some time out of it before it needs to be replaced.

 

Subd

 

Mines doing the same thing, thanks for the info.

 

Don't mean to tread jack.

I have experienced dash noises as well in my 08. It was not coming from the OP's location, mine was from the AC controls. I took a piece of electrical tape and taped the outside edge of the frame.

For what it's worth.

 

SUBBED

 

Update: Case closed. After several days of single digit temps, sitting for 10-12 hours at a time, the truck is dead silent...even on the bumpiest roads. The only thing I wish I had done differently was to wait longer between the "duct fix" and the "dash fix". That way I would have had a better idea of which one was the best solution. My advice to anyone having this particular noise would be to do both, as it's only about 15 mins of your time. But you could start with the "dash fix" and go from there.

Hope this helps.

 

Just came on to say my 2015 Tacoma with 1.600 miles also has a vibration rattle behind the instrument panel. I only hear it when I'm driving. :-(

Update: I used my fingers and pushed down on the top of the dash in that area where the dash meets the windshield. The noise went away, and it has stayed away now for 50 miles.

Do try this at home.