1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

The Dreaded Shock Rattle

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by priusgto, Nov 1, 2017.

  1. priusgto

    priusgto Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2010
    193
    227
    0
    Location:
    Northern Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Last week I started hearing a rattle/knock from the left rear. At first I thought it was something with the jack I didn't put back correctly when I changed the blowout from the previous week but it turned out to be the loose shock nut from the TSB.

    I contemplated bringing it to the dealer but decided to just go ahead and tighten it up myself. I had to make a special socket to tighten the nut while allowing a hex wrench to slip through the center and hold the shock shaft. Total time, including making the tool, was about 90 minutes.

    wrench.jpg
     
    Mambo Dave, RCO and Mendel Leisk like this.
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Is that all the dealership does, or is there some part replacement? (n)
     
    RCO likes this.
  3. priusgto

    priusgto Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2010
    193
    227
    0
    Location:
    Northern Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    There is a replacement part number for the nut but I won't replace it unless it gets loose again. I believe the TSB requires the use of the new nuts. I used blue loc-tite on the threads and don't expect it to move again.
     
    pilotgrrl, RCO, krmcg and 1 other person like this.
  4. CooCooCaChoo

    CooCooCaChoo Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2015
    886
    493
    0
    Location:
    Cow-lee-fornia
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    Yeah, that's why you should allow the dealer to do the work. If something goes disastrously wrong, like your shocks working their way loose while you are on the highway, the first thing they are gonna do is look at who did the work and hand off liability to them.
     
    RCO likes this.
  5. priusgto

    priusgto Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2010
    193
    227
    0
    Location:
    Northern Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It's a shock, not something I'm overly concerned about. It could fall totally out and I wouldn't consider it disastrous.
     
    kc5dlo and RCO like this.
  6. randomwalk101

    randomwalk101 DYI'er

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2012
    532
    268
    0
    Location:
    texas
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    @priusgto

    What do you have to do to get to that nut?
     
  7. priusgto

    priusgto Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2010
    193
    227
    0
    Location:
    Northern Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two

    Jack the car up allowing the suspension/shock to fully extend, then remove the wheel.
    Next remove the two bolts from the top shock mount (red arrows), then compress the shock and pull it out from under that flimsy fender liner. Now pop off the black plastic cover (yellow arrow) with a flat screw driver or putty knife and the nut is right there. The bottom of the shock doesn't need to be loosened at all to do this as the grommet is flexible enough to allow the shock to move.
    shock.jpg
     
    #7 priusgto, Nov 5, 2017
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2017
    Pratik, mark27lim and randomwalk101 like this.
  8. mark27lim

    mark27lim Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2016
    108
    103
    0
    Location:
    singapore
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    can that nut also be reached from the inside of the trunk? i know for gen2 it's possible. tks
     
  9. tucatz

    tucatz Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    499
    412
    0
    Location:
    Manzanita, Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    I had this problem on my 2016 four touring. Brought my car into local Toyota dealership - downtown Oakland Toyota Subaru. I explained the problem and showed them the TSB. They wanted to replace the rear struts, on a brand new car! They gave me rental car, and did nothing. Then nothing and nothing and nothing. After 8 days I demanded my car back. I took a wrench to the strut assembly and also the rear hatch. Problem solved, no more rattle. Lame lame Toyota dealer.
     
    Mambo Dave, Pratik, pilotgrrl and 4 others like this.
  10. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I hope you had a free ToyotaCare rental for that time.
     
    kc5dlo likes this.
  11. priusgto

    priusgto Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2010
    193
    227
    0
    Location:
    Northern Arizona
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Good question. I never checked but, I will now that you've peaked my curiosity. I did check to see if it could be done without removing the tire and it actually can. I'd just throw a towel over the tire to keep my arms clean. Knowing this, I could probably tighten the nut in under 15 minutes.
     
    RCO likes this.
  12. mark27lim

    mark27lim Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2016
    108
    103
    0
    Location:
    singapore
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    ok tks. i suspect it might be accessible but perhaps the access hole is smaller than the diameter of the black plastic cover and therefore blocking the nut? in the gen2 there is no black plastic cover so the access hole lets you directly reach the nut
     
    RCO likes this.
  13. narf

    narf Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2005
    611
    44
    4
    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    I may try this repair myself, any idea of the tightening torques for the screws holding the shock tower to the body?
     
  14. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    @Elektroingenieur should be able to help here.
     
  15. Elektroingenieur

    Elektroingenieur Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2017
    2,515
    3,253
    9
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three Touring
    I’m grateful for your confidence, but for something like this, I’m hesitant to give only a torque value, without the rest of the procedure from Toyota’s Repair Manual, which has other important information like the correct tightening order for the two bolts involved—and as much as I’d like to, I can’t reproduce the whole thing here.※

    I encourage anyone considering a safety-critical repair like this to consult the Repair Manual, which is available by subscription to techinfo.toyota.com, or perhaps for free from a local public library that sponsors free access to the ChiltonLibrary service for its patrons.

    ※ Perhaps @Danny could take a license from Toyota for all the Prius repair content and make it a benefit of the coming-soon-for-years paid subscription to PriusChat, but unless that happens, my hands are tied.
     
    Mendel Leisk, RCO and Prodigyplace like this.
  16. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thank you. I assumed it was a single value for a single bolt or nut.
     
  17. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That's been up there for quite a while now. Perhaps the dream has died already.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  18. narf

    narf Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2005
    611
    44
    4
    Location:
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    So, I went ahead and got a 2 day account on techinfo.toyota, was planning to try to download the whole manual but that is clearly not going to happen. I did download the relevant rear suspension info and the TSB. According to the TSB it only applies to very early cars below either VIN JTDKBRFU#G3006967 or VIN JTDKARFU#G3007491. Even though I took delivery my car in April of 2016 the VIN is much higher than the numbers listed. So, I guess I will continue on with hunting the rattle/click. Any ideas?
     
    tucatz likes this.
  19. mark27lim

    mark27lim Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2016
    108
    103
    0
    Location:
    singapore
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    just to update that my rattle is fixed. 3rd party dealer here in singapore wanted me to bring it in for a few hours job. prob would have charged me higher. managed instruct the tyre rotation shop guy how to do it instead for 30bucks n a 30min job since the wheels were already off anyway. as a matter of good procedure he also checked the other side rear nut and said it felt tighter than the one that was giving the rattle. he screwed both back by feeling. no torque setting.

    kudos to this forum. one of the factors for choosing this car. thumbs up.
     
    pilotgrrl, RCO and Prodigyplace like this.
  20. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Great news, Mark! Glad you got it sorted in the end.
     
    mark27lim likes this.