Rattling noise in the cabin

[reignrider]

After a week of driving my prius, I began to notice rattling noises from the front passenger side and rear passenger side. Is anybody else having this problem? I love the car but starting to think my interior build quality is not poor but less than good.

[a priori]

Originally Posted by reignrider

After a week of driving my prius, I began to notice rattling noises from the front passenger side and rear passenger side. Is anybody else having this problem? I love the car but starting to think my interior build quality is not poor but less than good.

I noticed a rattling sound in the back seat the first day I had the car. I had my son drop and then re-latch the back seats, and this seemed to solve it.

Later, however, I did notice another, much milder, sound. It seemed a bit like a rattle coming from the back. I have not been able to find it, and it doesn't regularly appear. One of the Toyota techs took the car for a drive, even sat in the back seat while someone else drove, and he couldn't hear a sound. I've not been able to replicate it, and the sound hasn't returned of late, so I'm left wondering what it could have been (I had nothing in the cargo area at the time).

The only persistent noise I've had is the rattling of the driver's side window. My dealer tried one "quick fix" that lasted all of two days. I'll have it taken car of later next week when I go in for a 5,000 mile oil change and tire rotation.

[DeanFL]

Originally Posted by reignrider

After a week of driving my prius, I began to notice rattling noises from the front passenger side and rear passenger side. Is anybody else having this problem? I love the car but starting to think my interior build quality is not poor but less than good.

Whenever rattles begin for me, I always 'think simple':

1. Did I recently place something in that area that may be the cause?

2. Remove everything from the area suspected - ie dash rattle - take everything out of the gloveboxes - even the console and door storage if continues.

3. For the rear - the storage compartment stuff under the rear floor.

4. If that doesn't solve it, I try to re-latch everything in the area. ie in the rear - remove and reinstall the cargo tonneau cover, relatch the fold down seats Even pull out the rear shoulder belts. Anything that moves and simply needs repositioning.

5. Try to locate the rattle area best you can - even with another person listening around the car while driving. If you need to bring it in for warranty service, pinpointing the specific location would be a great help for the tech.

[jim256]

Originally Posted by DeanFL

Whenever rattles begin for me, I always 'think simple':

1. Did I recently place something in that area that may be the cause?

2. Remove everything from the area suspected - ie dash rattle - take everything out of the gloveboxes - even the console and door storage if continues.

3. For the rear - the storage compartment stuff under the rear floor.

4. If that doesn't solve it, I try to re-latch everything in the area. ie in the rear - remove and reinstall the cargo tonneau cover, relatch the fold down seats Even pull out the rear shoulder belts. Anything that moves and simply needs repositioning.

5. Try to locate the rattle area best you can - even with another person listening around the car while driving. If you need to bring it in for warranty service, pinpointing the specific location would be a great help for the tech.

All excellent, and I'd add one: Is the right front seat belt twisted where it retracted, and hitting against the B pillar when the right front seat is unoccupied?

[tluv]

I'm having the same issue. Took it into the dealership to get it fixed. They told me that they added foam to the front driver's side dash area. I took it home and in 2 days, it started rattling again. Does anyone have any suggestions to what I should do now?

[qbee42]

Perhaps you have a Trunk Monkey:

YouTube - Suburban Auto Group Trunk Monkey #4 - Thrown off a Bridge

YouTube - Suburban Auto Group Trunk Monkey #4 - Thrown off a Bridge

Tom

[accordingly]

Same thing here. Took about 1000 miles, then I got a slight rattle from the front passenger side. It's not too bad though and it's only really noticeable when the radio is low. I have nothing in the glovebox or anywhere else in the passenger compartment.

[jay_man2]

I'm getting a rattle from the front passenger side, but only on one stretch of rough road during my morning commute, and another stretch of rough road during my evening commute.

During a 6 hour, almost 400 mile day trip Saturday there were no rattles whatever. Eventually it'll get figured out, Toyota will issue a TSB, and I'll get my dealer to fix it.

[tluv]

Do you guys know who we can complain to? Dealership/Toyota?

[theowl]

Originally Posted by qbee42

Perhaps you have a Trunk Monkey

I love it, but hmmmmmmm. The Trunk Monkey is not showing up on Toyota's list of accessories for the Prius. Do you have a Part #?