Right fender area RPM rattle/buzz - FIXED

My Gen 3 developed this same rattle after a routine service a couple weeks ago. I assumed it was something in the cabin so I spent a while trying unsuccessfully to diagnose the rattle, but eventually I resigned myself to assuming it was either related to the cold weather or I had cracked the inside of the fender somehow. After coming across this thread, I popped the hood and found the same loose latch, and immediately zip-tied it up. Thanks for this tip!

 

Thank you for this post! You just saved my sanity. It's been 2 years with this rattle. I cannot say thank you enough. Seriously one of the most annoying sounds. I almost sold my car bc of it. I looked around the fender area yesterday and was pushing things, seeing what was loose. A rock fell from behind a plastic protector on inside pass fender. I was thinking...no way could that be it. I saved your post so I could check the clip. It was loose and had a lot of play in it. I zip tied it and no noise!! This really saved me. I could not deal with it anymore. My Prius has been misdiagnosed at numerous dealers over the last few years for this. No one could ever find it. Thanks again!

 

Awesome...
New 2016 v and this clip was loose on ours too.
First rattle...fixed (although I did not hear it).

Shaking the clip there was a clear rattle.
What I did was remove the clip and apply some thin strips of electrical tap on the top and side of the metal bracket then reinstalled the clip.
That clip is now solid with no rattle.
Thank you OP!

 

Long Time lurker but Register today to say Thank you. This have been a nightmare since it started 2 month ago. It started small then it become a loud rattle. It was embarrassing driving friend around town turning up the volume hoping they don't notice. I Poked all over the dashboard, Glove Box and Pillar and could not recreated the sound when it was parked. Who Would have thought the noise came from a small clip near the headlight.

 

I have a 2010 gen 3 and have been living with this noise for 3 plus years. Finally took some time while on paternity leave to pull off the entire dash only to find by process of elimination that it was actually emanating from outside the cabin. My wife and I swore the noise was coming from inside ! We’ll just tried this zip-tie trick and it seems to have reduced the rattling by 90% I’ll know for sure after I put the dash back together and do some more driving. Thanks lindguini ! And the lone poster who had originally posted the fix !

 

Thank you to all posters for the info in this thread. I quieted both rattles using the procedures described and my 2010 now drives like new again with $190k miles!