Sound Coming from Passenger Side

Wow, and I thought I was the only one with this annoying problem. I didn't post about it here because I thought everyone would think I was nuts. Anyway, one day I was so fed up with the "buzz" on the passenger side that I had a buddy of mine drive my truck around so I could try and pinpoint it. Mine turned out to be this black plastic protector rattling on one of the wiring harness directly under the glove box. I found that if I wrapped my hand around this plastic protector the noise went away. I took some zip ties and tightened them all down the plastic protector and the noise has gone away. I hope this helps someone, I was going nuts there for a while in my brand new 2009!

 

Thanks for the feedback on this, mine is doing it really bad now, never noticed it before reading this forum thread, seems worse before the truck gets warmed up on the inside - then kinda goes away. If I can get someone to drive me around, maybe I can isolate it like you did.

 

I'm pretty sure I've pinpointed the source (at least in mine) of "the 1500rpm buzz."

It's the 'sheath' that is wrapped around a fairly large bundle of wires directly underneath the glovebox. The sheath is made out of either plastic or something similar and is black. It holds a bundle of wires that is perhaps half a foot long and 1.5 or so (maybe 2 at parts) inches wide.

I know this is the source because if/when the buzz occurs, and I pull over and wrap my hand around the sheath/bundle and pull on it either left or right or whatever, then drive again, I cannot reproduce the buzz at all. This only lasts a day or so, until the 'bundle' has shifted enough such that my temporary stretching does not suffice and the buzz/vibration returns.

So, having isolated it (I'm certain!) I'm going to very carefully cut off the 'factory sheath' (being oh so careful not to cut any wiring!) and use duct and/or electrical tape to wrap up the wires and see if my own handiwork solves this annoyance once and for all. The 'sheath' is quite obviously a design flaw that, while keeping all those wires nice and tight under there, creates the low rpm buzz.

Will follow up after I make my changes, likely Saturday morning.

 

Actually, after reading the last few posts including bluecluee's, I'm not going to cut away the black plastic sheath just yet ---- will be far easier (not to mention less risky) to first cable tie the heck out of it and really 'put the squeeze' on it! Can see how that makes sense to eliminate vibration within, given that sucker is definitely the source as I confirmed above.

Bluecluee, how many cable ties did you use (i.e., how far apart did you space them as you worked your way along the sheath)?

 

I used really thick zip ties no more then 1/4 inch apart to wrap around that black sheath. Be sure to get all the way up the entire sheath, even to the areas that are not visible with your eye. Good luck! Let us know if this works for you

 

Thanks, will do!

 

yeah, i've got that irrating buzz on my 09 too. as said above, it is the wires behind the glove box which i'm tweaking how they are tied and wrapped.

 

Are all the affected trucks the same body style/trim level/production plant?

 

No, I don't think so, based on the locations of many of the folks posting in this forum (and their respective trims).

 

I haven't checked all the posts... but if they are double cabs odds are they all came from Baja Mexico.

 

Had the same problem here. I went under the hood and there's a flimsy bracket holding the group of wires just before they enter the cabin under the glove box. I bent that bracket by hand to put some tension on the wire grouping. Seemed to work! It's been a month without the sound.

Double cab California made here.

 

Mine was made in California.

 

there goes my theory... i figured since the baja ones are largely made by hand it would allow for enough variance to account for the harness buzzing on some trucks.

 

Just wanted to chime in with this buzzing noise. Just bought my 2009 Tacoma December 30th. Up until this week, I have been dealing with the buzzing noise as described at low rpms. Totally driving me crazy. Especially since it only has a couple of hundred miles on it. Took the truck to the dealer to have the bed extender and matt installed and also told them about the noise. Of course, they could not duplicate it and did nothing. I took my 13 year old son out with me and had him listen for the buzzing. I took the glove box out so he could get his ears down there. Well after about 10 minutes of driving around he appeared to locate it. He had his finger not on the wiring harness but on the wires going into one of the connectors. The wire was buzzing in the connector. I applied some foam to the connector making sure there was plenty of pressure on it. Have not heard the noise since.

 

I just put one tie wrap in the middle of them...and a few in other spots. Refer to this post for pictures

still hasnt come back...and ive done some bottoming out offroading too.

 

KJB and RoyB, that's exactly what I did and I haven't heard it since Nov 08. I cable tied the connector wires as well as the bundle beneath the box. It's one of them or both but it doesn't matter to me as it has dissappeared and was a mf'er to find by myself. See post #40

 

Well, it's FIXED. I used 8 or 9 cable ties and pulled them nice and snug/tight all along the length of that black sheath underneath the glove box and that killed the buzz. Now that's one 'buzz kill' I can say I'm happy about!

No need to take apart the glove box or any panels or anything... with mine, the buzz source was definitely that sheath-covered bundle of cables. Securing the bundle much more tightly than the sheath itself could has put the GAG ORDER on that buzz for good!

 

Glad it worked out for you! I know it bugged the hell out of me...

 

I noticed this exact noise after 1 week with the truck. It's driving me nuts!!! I have the glovebox out right now so whenever someone is riding with me they can put pressure on some wires. No luck finding it yet. Wish me luck!

Just to add to the pile, mine is at 1500-2000 rpm, only when on the accelerator. It sounds like a beetle trying to fly in a mason jar. A really small beetle.

 

One approach (which I took) was less about finding the exact source and more about zip tieing everything I could find that even "appeared" loose...