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Noise in Dash...Arrghh!!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by texassalsa04, Sep 13, 2004.

  1. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    I now have 4651 miles on my Salsa and I have chased down almost every single rattle in my Salsa since I took delivery. Just a few days ago, I started to get this anoying rattling coming from somewhere, I think, inside the dash in front of the steering wheel. It sounds like something has pop loose and it sounds like plastic hitting plastic. Thank goodness it does not make squeeking noises. Has anyone chased down or have a similar plastic rattling noise coming from inside their dash in front of the steering wheel?? I would love to chase this sucker down and kill it!! Only problem is, I am afraid of taking the dash apart to find the offending problem.
     
  2. wb9tyj

    wb9tyj 2017 Prius Prime Advanced

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    had the "blower vents" rattling...the vents push on the outer contoured piece(on the inside)...to get to it...you can "grab" the top of the vents on the pasenger side and pull toward you from the top...the vents snap off...then the vents on either side of the Display snap off the same way, as well as the driver one by the left door...the piece across the drivers side snaps off by pulling up...just be careful when you resnap everything back...go right to left in sequence ...seems like it snaps back easier when working right to left...dont know if that would be your rattle, but i know it was mine...now its quiet as a mouse.....
     
  3. jimofdg

    jimofdg New Member

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    You have 4300 more miles than I do! I will post my coming home story.

    My suggestion for a dash noise is the center speaker on top of the nav screen. My suggestion for a noise that fools you into thinking it's the dash, is that loose shelf inside the center armrest.

    And then the dealer's supposed to be helpful in this situation, if you have the time. Good luck!
     
  4. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    Thanks guys for the info. I will try all suggestions...

    By the way...jimofdg...I like your Avatar! :p
     
  5. FredWB

    FredWB New Member

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    Try putting your hand on the small panel right under that small window on the dash to your left. That's what where my ratttle was. It happened when I tried 42/40 psig in my new Hydroedge tires. Now if I could just find that dash squeak. Probably the speaker but it's not the center speaker grilll for sure.

    Fred
     
  6. jimofdg

    jimofdg New Member

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    Re: That Red Avatar

    The real one looks so much like that avatar (and yours) that there's no point in changing it, at least until I get permanent (and wittier) plates.
     
  7. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Yes, I had that rattle... and by amazing coincidence, just yesterday I fixed it.

    Details to follow.

    Stay tuned.
     
  8. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    FredWB...I tried that one...thanks though...since I do not have the JBL sound option, I don't think I have a center speaker...maybe the grill is still there...have to look...

    John...the Suspense is killing me!!! Please hurry... :p
     
  9. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Here's the personal log entry I just typed up for this:

    Dashboard Rattle Fix.

    A couple of weeks ago, a noise appeared. It was too subtle and didn't happen often enough for me to locate the source though... until I started poking at the dashboard and made it worse. It was the reflector that displays the projection of the speedometer/odometer cluster. (By the way, did you know that was just a reflection? The actual illumination equipment is located deep within the dashboard. That's why what you see appears to be within a deep, dark tunnel.)

    Anywho, I decided investigate. Pulling up on the dashboard (it's secured by clamps that just push tight) above the reflector revealed the problem. There was a teeny, tiny bit of space above the reflector allowing it to jump up when the car hits a bump... which caused the rattle I was hearing.

    So, it was obvious that I needed something to set on top to hold it in place. That object would have to be black, since it would need to cross through the visible vent opening for the defroster to the closest & most secure part of the dashboard. It would have to be flexible enough to endure the routine bouncing of the dashboard. And it would have to be tough enough to take both the extreme heat & cold the car would be exposed to over the years. The length needed to be about 6 inches, the width about 1 inch, and the height about 1/8th inch. Well, by dumb luck (or fate?) I had just purchased that exact object, a man's comb. Sure enough, it worked perfect too. The plastic was made for conditions like that. The spine was ideal for strength. The teeth work great for gripping, and allow air to flow through that small affected section of vent. The length was sweet. And of course, the black color conceals it well.

    I was shocked to discover how well the dashboard secured down on top of it. But with the nearly invisible fit and the dead silence it now provides, what the heck! That fixed it. And it was a quick, easy, and cheap too.

    Now I'm curious as heck what other will think of my bizarre ingenuity and if they will actually try it themselves, should the need arise.
     
  10. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    John...thanks for the info...I will certainly investigate...my noise sounds like it is coming from that direction or by the windshield defroster. I was hoping that it was the defrosters that was loose and all I had to do was press down on it. Unfortunately that did not work.

    you wrote "Pulling up on the dashboard (it's secured by clamps that just push tight) above the reflector revealed the problem. There was a teeny, tiny bit of space above the reflector allowing it to jump up when the car hits a bump... which caused the rattle I was hearing."

    are you talking about the whole top dash piece (see picture)? this "upper dash" is very large and covers the entire width of the dash board. How many clamps were there under this piece and how can I take it apart without damaging the clamps or the dash itself? You did not take the dash board completely out did you?

    Thanks again,
    Tony.
     
  11. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    wb9tyj...are you talking about the main vents (see picture)?

    If yes, then what was loose/rattling?
     
  12. wb9tyj

    wb9tyj 2017 Prius Prime Advanced

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    yep, those are the ones...when you pull them off the dash, in behind, the "vents" themselves fall away from the opening...they "click" into place on the back side, mine wasnt "clicked" into place...all of them were that way...when we "re-clicked them" back into place, they lined up perfectly and the rattle quit...
     
  13. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    Thanks wb9tyj...I will check it out, however, I think my noise is farther toward the front of the dashboard by the windshield...maybe the same problem John has...
     
  14. jimofdg

    jimofdg New Member

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    So in the 2005 model the comb should be made standard. Put it in the first aid kit.
     
  15. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    That small, thin section of dash above the speedometer reflection was all I needed to lift. Doing that revealed 3 clamps and around 8 to 10 inches of length, that's it.

    By the way, the section of dashboard around the speedometer in the Classic was easily removable too. In fact, I showed that aspect off to a reporter once. Before he could even finish asking about the accessibility, I already had the piece in my hand. So I suspected Toyota would do something similar with the new one. That's why I took the chance and gave the 2004 a test pull. It worked.

    Anyone here ever try that with the entire dashboard?
     
  16. BobA

    BobA New Member

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    When I was a kid I hung out at a garage… a customer brought in a car (station wagon) with a rattle in the back… we looked at everything… removed everything… the rattle stayed… removed the upholstery.. still rattled… sounded like a can with marbles… test drove it… had it on the hoist… still rattled… one guy sitting around looking at it, at lunch went and got a torch and cut a hole in the frame…. Jacked the front of the car up until the back was dragging on the ground…rattle, rattle, clunk…a beer can rolled out of the hole…in the can, rocks and a note: “wonder how long it took you to find this? “
    American auto makers… hope the Japanese don’t have the same sense of humor…

    Bob
     
  17. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    Thanks John...

    About the beer can...well, in the Prius, maybe a pair of chopsticks?? :p
     
  18. Saruman

    Saruman New Member

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    I get a very quiet ticking sound when I first get in the car after its been in the sun all day and become a furnace. The sound goes away after the ac cools things down. It is irregular and intermittent, so i attribute it to contraction of components in the dash that have expanded due to heat.

    Can't even hear it if the radio is on.

    I
     
  19. texassalsa04

    texassalsa04 New Member

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    My noise occurs when I am driving on rough concrete surfaces. Even parking lots and residential streets here are all paved concrete (as you can see from my avatar). Where I live there are very little asphalt.

    The noise is a constant clicking, plastic on plastic, noise that is more pronounced when I hit a bump or series of bumps.

    I am going to check on John's suggestions to see if that is it. I've check all my vents including the defroster vents near the windshield. I was hoping the Prius will be quieter than my previous cars when I purchased it, unfortunately, I found the Prius to have lots of rattling and noises. Come to think of it, least rattling car I had own previously was an MR2. I still love the Prius, but it seams like quality interior fittings are a problem.
     
  20. jamarimutt

    jamarimutt New Member

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    Rattles are the only thing that I dislike about the Prius. Turn off the radio, drive over uneven pavement, and you'll likely hear various rattles and other noises coming from several places. And this is with just a few thousand miles on the odometer; I wonder how bad this will get at 23, 30, 40 thousand miles and beyond.

    I wonder to what extent the many suggestions to inflate the tires 7 pounds over the factory recommendation contribute to the rattles. I'm going bactk to 35/33 to see if it helps.