Screw it I'll try posting about this: Tapping/creaking cabin noise [FIXED]

The kid kicking it from the car seat ?

 

My rear passenger seat doesn't lock, and makes noises sometimes. Only found this out by slamming on the brakes one day and the backrest falling forward

 

Well, my fix didn't do it. So I'm here at the dealership... rode with the tech and he heard it. Thinks it's coming from inside and not suspension related. I'm at the largest dealership in the country and they have no time to figure that out today - as he can't figure out where it's coming from either. So gonna try again once I pin point it. At least he's fixing my headliner rattle for me (since we know where it's coming from).

Seriously, ugh. It's gotta be something behind a wall... a loose something. I'll get it eventually.

 

Okay, well hell. The headliner buzz is gone (wasn't ever that bad anyway), so that was worth the trip to the dealer. The service tech heard the tapping/creaking and agreed with me that it is interior... so I took a video of it on the way home. Maybe someone here can recognize it and help me.

Things that it's not:

Suspension (according to tech and me)
Exhaust heat shield
Spare tire - any parts
Seat - top or bottom
Seatbelt - any component
Toolkit
Compartment under seat
Anything in the door

Here's the video (you'll hear it start up a lot at 0.13 and sorry about my keys jangling):



Thanks!

 

Somebody must have heard this in their truck by now... Mario, is this what you're hearing?

 

Check the cab mounting Bolts. My passenger rear came loose or wasn't torqued correctly. It would knock and pop under acceleration, Deceleration and bumps. I checked everywhere inside. It drove me crazy for a couple weeks.

 

Thanks Silvertaco... did it sound like my video? And I'm assuming I need a torque wrench for this?

 

Bit was really loose on mine. I could turn it by hand. I took it back to the dealer so that I could get it documented. Just crawl under it and see if you can turn them by hand.

 

Yea, I was thinking cab mounts but they should be tight. Although I seen a thread of atleast 1 member having one hat was loose. And I think a few reported that their cabs were actually misaligned or moving. This would be an indication of lose body mount bolts as well. Also some people had some issues with the tray in there glovebox rattling. Your sound seems to be more generalized to the rest area though correct?

I can tell you that's not a harness clip hitting the frame lol

 

Thanks I'll check the body mounting bolts by hand...

One other thing I noticed. The wires running across the frame - the ones held down by the clips - run right under the exhaust heat shield. At one point - right under where it could be coming from - the wrapped wires (in foil) are right under to the exhaust heat shield. Like a cm away. If I tap them - they tap/rattle/smack against the heat shield. When I'm moving or hitting bumps I could see it knocking against the Heat shield. Foil wrapped wires on heat shield. That a possibility? I can't test it as I'm gonna need heat resistant tape to secure them away from the Heat shield there. I only have zip ties and electrical tape and those are bad ideas right next to the muffler....

My wife thinks I'm nuts at this point

 

A ziptie should be ok. It's a possibility that's hitting a heat shield but I doubt it would be that loud in the cab

 

Okay, now I'm wondering if something came loose in the cat or exhaust. It does seem to get worse after being warmed up/driving for a while (which is gonna make it a nightmare to get a tech to diagnose it). Almost as if it settles after sitting for a while then slowly comes back. Anyone had any issues with anything breaking loose or free in cat or exhaust or bracket? Not sure where and how to start with figuring that out....

 

That reminds me. Check the exhaust hangers. One member here had a lose hanger and his exhaust was banging around. There is a thread with pics here somewhere

 

Anything in the bed storage boxes? My ratchet straps and bungies will rattle here and there.

 

Nah, I haven't gotten around to putting anything in there yet. I'm pretty much just over it at this point to be honest. I've heard noisier tacomas and it's time to enjoy this damn thing. I love everything else about it - and a cockpit tapping noise is definitely a first world problem

 

Actually that shit is pretty bad man. Lol

 

Ugh, then help me figure out what it is! lol. I've been under the truck every day and been through everything that's not bolted behind a plastic wall in the cab.....

 

Guys.

I'm going mad. I need help.

I LOVE this truck. I find myself grinning ear to ear as I'm driving it around. I love staring at the damn thing even.

But this creak/tapping is driving me mad.

I thought, finally, it was the seatbelt assembly. I plugged all of the belts in and it seemed to go away... it seemed to then come back but lighter... then it came back. I tried driving with one hand pulling the back seat belts. No effect.

I've been under - taping things up that might tap from the bottom.

The other day there was NO MORE tapping! I was SO happy. Then it came back. And I was so sad.

Dealer really wants me to locate it myself before bringing it back so they don't spend days tearing it apart for nothing (nobody wants that). It's supernatural. I cannot do it.

I believe now that it is perhaps in that plastic vent thing that let's air in the cab - in between the bed and cab. But how do I access that? Has anyone done it?

NOTHING replicates the sound with the truck stopped... nothing I bang, or touch, or rock... and it only pops up for a while. Gets way worse, gets better, goes away, gets terrible, disappears etc. ZERO anything I do modifies it so far.

I. Need. Help.

Once this infernal racket is gone I will finally be able to let go, stop visiting here and concentrate on my pregnant wife, work and more important things.

But for now... tap, tap... tap tap, tap.

 

If that was their response then bring it in and tell them you won't take it back until it's resolved. Demand a comparable loaner until it's fixed.

 

Hey OP... Here's a pic of the rear vent behind the seats... They do fit real sloppy but mine did not rattle around or, just a real sloppy fit.... They have soft foam flaps on them and they are not noisy... the whole unit fits poorly, so when I was "sound proofing" my rear cab, I sprayed real tight all around them... they no longer move around.

I doubt this is the noise you are looking for as I believe yours was "metal" sounding.... But here's a pic of the vent, before I did the spraying of the whole rear wall.....That black vent has about 1/8 to 1/4 inch play in it.
s on

To rule out these 2 vents in your case, I would not tear into the rear wall of the cab... How about just taking a piece of soft foam material (pool noodle?) about 3" thick and stuff it down from the outside with a yard stick or something so that it is putting enough pressure on the vents(2) to keep them from moving while you test drive it....

Like I say, I doubt that they are the culprits but you can rule them out this way. If rattling still there, just push the foam out the bottom and move on trying to find it...

Good luck man...!!