Passenger side dash, speaker cover, side lid rattle and vibration noise RESOLVED

Question OP. Where did you purchase your felt sticky backed tape?

 

I work in R&D for a large auto manufacturer, it's stuff we have sitting around.
I'm actually not sure where we get it, but I can ask. They come in large 12" diameter rolls that are 3' long.

 

get some 3m velcro soft side from a fabric place.

 

Yep, I'm from southern CA and starting to get the ticking noise when the temp was in the 50's in the same spot. But after a few minutes of drive with the heater on full blast, the ticking noise went away.

I'll try your fix, but noticed that the A-Pillar has the air bag behind it. What the safest way to remove this remove this, or should I not worry about it when removing the pillar.

 

To Post #1....thanks!!!! I live in a warm area but when the temp drops into the 50's (which is like being in Alaska in this area) the rattle starts. I am going to follow your procedure as outlined in your post. Again, thanks...TW members are awesome!

P.S. No rattle today...south Alabama...74 degrees....tornadoes all around us...may not have to worry about the rattle as much as hoping the truck doesn't get turned upside down!

 

IPA = life

 

Great write up...I have a little rattle from this I think, but nothing too bad yet. Add me to the list of people that can't stand rattles...I have been driving around paranoid worried about rattles starting.

 

It does have a curtain style air bag. It doesn't get disturbed when you remove it, but just be careful when reinstalling and be mindful of anything that may get pinched. It's a very easy area to reinstall as there are no clips, just guide holes and dowel-like alignment on the trim panel. If you're not comfortable doing it, don't attempt. I wouldn't want anyone getting hurt or accidentally damaging the air bag if they're not careful. I'm experienced enough to be able to do it and know what to avoid. Hopefully the pics are detailed enough for you to assess the amount of work that you may encounter. I don't want to be responsible for something someone attempts on their own should they foul up, I merely provided a somewhat detailed guide as most of us here try to do and help each other out. It's why we have these forums right?

The rattle and ticks didn't bother me too much, but that's probably the most common complaint I've heard that's likely an "easy" fix without a trip to the dealer if you can turn a wrench more than 30 ft. lb. by hand. Taking the truck on a couple of "off-road" trips has already made lots of new interior and exterior noises for me, but it's a truck....

That stuff doesn't conform well and the adhesive walks or creeps after awhile. It may work temporarily though to test and see if it cures the issues.

 

I have this, and it goes away once warm. However it is annoying the living hell out of me. It started once it got cold. I've popped out the speaker panel and popped back in, and it seem to be fine, then the next cold day bam once again. I will give this a try and let you guys know.

 

Yes, please. I would like to know, then someone can bring this up with Toyota. Maybe I'll do it myself since I literally work 2 miles away for the competition..

Perhaps others can try pulling the speaker panel off also, but mine didn't seem to stem from there when it was cold. It's a very unique "ticking" sound and it got loud at times, but did go away with the heater on.

Good luck to you guys who are gonna try this. Please report back in the thread. If it works, maybe it can be stickied as an easy remedy and we won't see so many threads on this. LOL

 

Sharing my post from the other thread, because I think I've got the noise pinpointed:

I'm currently using the same "wedge some crap in the seam" solution as @NoDak but will add another photo in case it helps anyone. My noise started after some rocky offroading recently. The trail was rough enough that the speaker portion rubbed a mark into the adjacent panel, which turned out to be helpful when I started trying to pinpoint the source of the sound.

FWIW, I'm at 8100 mi with pretty frequent offroading en route to backpacking/canyoneering trips, so I'm kind of surprised it took this long. It probably coincided with temps finally dropping here in AZ.

I thought about shaving it down, but may try putting a bead of black silicone between the panels where the scratch is first.

I'm pushing down on the speaker in the pic below to show the contact point:

 

Damn, she must of got a ring,

 

Let's not be silly.

 

Hahahaha, hey they love those ring pops it's pretty and gives them somthing to suck on

 

Let us know if the silicon fix helps.

 

If you look at the panel I pulled with the felt pieces, it's in the exact same spot you're talking about on the wear spot. I got that same exact wear at under 1500 miles. I did that early on and it took care of it, but this ticking sound isn't that. It comes from the cooler temps causing something to harden or stiffen up. Definitely not a plastic tapping or rubbing sound.

The toothpick method also pinpointed that portion, but it does reappear. It's from the opposite side of the panel. I'll be leaving work in a couple of hours and it will be cold out. I'm gonna see if nudging the panel makes that ticking sound that is similar to adhesive coming detached and attaching itself.
Silicone adhesives won't be very clean....

 

OP - how is the noise situation now after you added the felt strips to the A-pillar trim?

Thanks

 

Perfectly quiet this morning and last night!

The felt strips didn't do anything ( just additional insurance for other previous rattle/ sound), the underside of the panel makes ZERO ticking sounds now. I'm going to have to wait until I get a few 100 miles on the truck and report back. I'm going to glue the foam insulator strip to those support ribs if it does shift again.

I'm really believing it's that foam insulator with the adhesive film that was the issue. Doesn't make any sort of tacking and untacking sound anymore when I press on the A pillar base panel.
Since I was trying to be OCD while driving and listening for silly noises, I picked up on a lot of other stuff. LOL

My suggestion, if it doesn't squeak or tick like your original video, don't obsess over the other noises, it will drive the OCD types insane.

 

I had this rattling/ticking issue. I stuck some black felt between the a-pillar cover and speaker cover (the rubbing area that @chefboyarfeez pointed out) a couple weeks ago which solved the issue (though may end up being a temporary fix if the rattle comes back).

I still have a rattle in the headliner above the driver's head as well as behind the overhead map light area. Both are due to poor adhesive materials I believe... seems to be a common cause of rattles in this truck.

 

Glad it's good as of now. And I am starting to realize Tacomas are for those with OCD. Haha great trucks but always seem a little quirky.