Minor knocking sound towards rear

Just a possibility, but my license plate made quite a racket (rear worse than front) with bumps and closing the hatch. I got some weather stripping with adhesive and stuck it on the back of the plate, it's now much quieter.

 

Dan,
I made an accidental discovery today while installing my solar charger. When you lift out the black tray, as you look down in the well area next to the spare, just to the right you'll see a pad of sound insulating material. When I tapped that area I could hear a distict abnormal rattle/buzz from beneath that area.

I looked underneath, and what you see is the muffler, and a thin aluminum sheet of metal just above that. I shoved a piece of cloth b/w the bottom of the trunk/body and that sheet of aluminum...buzz gone. It took a couple of tries to get it placed correctly, and I don't know if it will stay there. I want to buy some of that expanding foam that turns hard that comes in a spray can and shoot some of that up there for a more permanant solution.

I'll bet that this is part of your rattle too, if it isn't something else loose under there.

 

I'ts not that cool. It's just for the 12v battery. The little solar charger I have has some alligator clips. I finally got around to clipping those onto the 12v today. The cord on the charger itself has a plug so you can use the alligator clips or the cigarette adapter. I decided to just use the alligator clips, leave the battery side of the plug accessible through one of the existing panels near the 12v and then I can plug in the solar panel charger when I need it (usually when leaving the car parked at the airport for long times while away on trips). I might also be able to get enough juice into the battery, if it dies on a sunny day, to get the Prius started in an emergency.

This is the one I bought:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...943333&tc=photo

 

You know, I hadn't, electronics stuff isn't may bad of tricks, but I do have a voltmeter and that's a darn good idea....I'll try that out tomorrow and see how it does.

Does nobody care about my rattle discovery/cure?

 

Coastal Dave documented in another thread how to make a jumper that will make the cigarette adapter on the dash 'active'--if you perform that modification then the cigarette adapter for the solar panel would work fine. But, currently, when the Prius is turned off the cigarette lighter/power points are not 'live' and the charger wouldn't work.

Frank,
RE: the insulation conducting. I'm sure you're right that it does conduct a bit, but realize that there is at least 1/4" space b/w the muffler and the little aluminium shield and almost zero space (and thus the rattle) b/w the shield and body. Also, there is nothing but a sound dappening pad and metal above that area. Even if a small amount of heat is transfered I don't think it could harm anything. And, as you say, I can't imagine that that foam stuff can conduct much heat.

FWIW, even after I fixed that 'buzz', I've still got one by the passenger door....if I could get rid of that one I'd be a happy man.
--evan