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rattle trap

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by grharman, Jan 1, 2014.

  1. grharman

    grharman Junior Member

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    My '13 Three is becoming a rattle trap:( . It has 9K on the clock, and both doors rattle, the flying bridge rattles, the dash, and the passenger side of the hatch. I guess its the hard plastics there are using. I have not taken it to the dealer yet, the rattles are not constant, but terrain/temperature dependent. The price we pay for MPG. :cautious:
     
  2. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    Cold weather really make the plastic part sound off. I just try to ignore it after futilely beating the crap out of my dash.
     
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there are threads on different techniques people have used successfully. and some have even gotten the dealer to pull everything apart and do a pretty good repair job. strangely, not everyone has this issue, no idea why.:confused:
     
  4. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    That's just the seasons reminder, as Winter nears, the car starts rattling to let you know and the rattles disappear when Summer approaches.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    your own personal meteorologist.;)
     
  6. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    Toyota just wanted to be mega green with eco plastics everywhere. I'm not a huge fan of the Star Trek type interior, but I'll bet these two would be drooling over it - revenge-of-the-nerds.jpg
     
  7. Bgmacon

    Bgmacon Junior Member

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    I have wedged rubber hose washers in every place I could get them in the dash and console area... It helps
     
  8. Hapa DC5

    Hapa DC5 New Member

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    I've noticed the same thing. Doesn't really annoy me since every car I've owned sans my old Integra and RSX rattled and I only drive it a couple of times a week.
     
  9. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

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    I have a 2011 Prius with 42000 miles on it. My doors do not rattle but the hard plastics in the flying bridge and the dash rattles. Like yours, my rattles are not constant. It seems they are related to temperature changes, cold being the worst. I tried stuffing small pieces of foam rubber in the cracks of the hard plastic but I gave up on it as a lost cause. I think we will just have to tolerate the rattles. I sure do not like it.
     
  10. Gouda Cheez

    Gouda Cheez Junior Member

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    Bumping a little bit of an old thread but my P2 is starting to rattle ALOT with only 6k miles on it. It's a little bit disappointing but I guess that's the price we pay for MPG.
     
  11. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    As far as Gen 3 Prius with the flying bridge...I think everyone does have this issue to some extent. Just some people have different personal expectations and standards.

    My guess is a lot of owners have squeaks and rattles but a lot of them simply accept it as the nature of the beast.

    With all the plastic in a Prius coupled with the flying buttress...I'd be surprised if anyone's Prius was always completely squeak and rattle free.

    Also a percentage of owners might be seniors or people with impaired hearing...who simply aren't hearing the rattles or squeaks.
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't have any, but maybe it's my hearing. what?:p
     
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  13. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    If you profess to not have ANY squeaks or rattles in your Prius. -Then I'd say go have your hearing checked.

    With a full hard plastic dash and the plastic flying buttress...I doubt ANY Gen 3 Prius is always completely rattle and squeak free.
     
  14. jdk2

    jdk2 Active Member

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    Exactly. Mine was rattling from the dealers lot and continues to do so. The 2010 Prius III I had did the same. Rattle trap is the best way to describe it. It does, however, have many more redeeming qualities that trump the racket coming from the plastics.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    well, i have never heard a rattle or squeak out of any of my 3 pri, so as i said, what? (but i hear you guys just fine:) )
     
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  16. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    Cold weather exacerbates the problem 10x.
     
  17. Gouda Cheez

    Gouda Cheez Junior Member

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    I wish I could blame the cold weather, but I don't think it's been below 60 since I bought my car.
     
  18. retired4999

    retired4999 Prius driver since 2005

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    Let me go out and turn my radio volume down and test drive and I will let you know! :D
     
  19. pfour2131

    pfour2131 New Member

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    id recommend a few things to help in some of the rattle areas and they arent the best sorry! turn the music up loud until you cant hear it anymore (according to my son). take old cloths that you are throwing out and stuff them behind the plastics that you can.
     
  20. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I don't mean to insult anyone with the suggestion that hearing loss might make the Prius seem quieter than it is...

    But it is just a reality of life...and sometimes age. Hey, I like to spin it as an advantage.

    Recently, a few months ago, I was in the market for a new Television. I went to one place where the salesman was trying to up sell me on a more expensive HD model with all this greater sharpness and clarity.

    I looked at the one that was supposedly better....I looked at the one on sale...my eye's are no longer good enough to see the difference....RESULT: More Savings for Me!