Squeaky dash

Passengers door rattle...
I am going to Dynamat the whole front cab! LMAO
My work trucks rattle enough. The 4runner was my floating cloud! That now needs more "insulation"! Lol

 

I have a squeak, on occasion. A bird chirp kind of squeak that will constantly chirp for a few minutes and then stop completely for days. Can't figure out when it likes to squeak, but I just figured out where it was happening.

Left of the steering wheel, if I press down on the ledge just above the side mirror adjusters, I can get the squeak to stop. I noticed it started happening after I added an aftermarket light switch just below that area. I'll have to go back in there and reinforce with some foam tape or something of the sort. I probably loosened something up prying that dash area apart.

Anyways, just thought I'd share.

 

Sorry so long. I’ve been there with those little corner trim pieces. If it helps, here’s what I learned. I popped the passenger side piece out once. When I reassembled, I had created a new rattle. It sounded just as you describe. You can very easily isolate and ID if that corner piece is rattling by removing it and driving around. You may be able to push on it, also, and reproduce your sound. I found that these corner pieces can be bent and formed easily, so you may try that to make it fit better. If you look at other 4Runners, you’ll likely see these trim pieces in all manner of shapes and conditions. I decided to order a new trim piece because it was pretty inexpensive and that shut my rattle up. But, here’s what I learned. The two little tabs on the bottom must fully snap into the holes in the larger base cowling piece. Mine did not snap in well. I actually shaved a tiny bit off one tab to get it to snap in entirely. You can bend and manipulate those tabs also. Second, when reinstalling, I found I needed to slide the long, skinny tail up the windshield/pillar groove first and then snap the base tabs into the cowling holes. It is possible to snap the tabs in first and then “snap” the skinny tail into the pillar groove but it’ll rattle if you do it that way. Finally, and this is a bummer, after pulling those corner pieces multiple times, I noticed that the openings/holes where the two tabs snap into (on the large cowling piece) are very thin and will wear away. Those holes will grow and change shape slightly every time you pull and snap the tabs into them. If your trim pieces are too easily removed it might be that the holes for the tabs have been rounded off. The plastic is super thin there. A new base cowling piece will be more expensive to replace. I wish the plastic around the holes where the corner piece tabs snap into was more robust and durable, especially with the likelihood of 4Runners needing new windshields. Sorry so long. Hopefully helpful.

 

"I actuallyshaved a tiny bit off one tab to get it to snap in entirely. You can bend and manipulate those tabs also."

Do not shave it off. USE LUBE to get em to slide better easier. That way it stays tighter. Use armor all or maxima SC1 high gloss spray can to lube up tabs to get em to slide/snap in.

U always insert dry male parts to female parts?

 

Good suggestions. The reason I shaved a tiny bit off the tab was because I couldn't push the corner trim piece far enough down to get the tab to snap completely. All seems good now. Perhaps lube would have worked, also.

 

Had to chime in here as my 2019 4Runner has developed a rattle/squeak on the passenger side near the top of the dash. I have to turn the radio off to notice it, but it is constant at 25mph on up when going over any imperfections in the road.

Having never replaced the windshield or messed with anything on that side of the vehicle, I'm probably going to take it to the dealer for resolution.

 

Mine has this on the drivers side. It comes and goes. And sometimes it’s quiet and sometimes is almost constant and loud. But yes, definitely more when going over road imperfections.

I’ve wondered if it’s the slotted plastic that covers the space between the hood and the windshield. And maybe it gets a little loose depending on temperature?

 

Assuming you’re referring to the windshield cowling that keeps debris out around your wipers. Long plastic piece. Mine did loosen up. I just replaced the two push pins and that tightened it back up. One clip on each side. I bought a 10-pack or something from my dealer and I figure I’ll just replace as needed. If ever needed again. 10 second job. I also found a squeak coming from the little corner trim piece at the bottom corner of the windshield. Passenger side for me but there are separate pieces on each side. You might make sure those pieces are snapped down tightly into the long cowling piece. And, if you have not already done so, check the wheel well splash guards. Those clips loosen up too and make a lot of noise that sounds like it’s coming from the dash.

The rattle I am now fighting is my head unit moving around over bumps. Not moving much but enough to flex the plastic around there and make more noise than I’d like. I know it’s heavy. I have a charmed life when that’s my problem.

 

Thanks. I’ll check all those areas. The weird thing is how loud it can be for a couple hours and then I might not hear it for three weeks.

 

Is the noise from the fender well area a potential problem on both passenger and driver sides?

 

I am sorry I have been absent. It is my busiest time of year.
In our truck; I have yet to reproduce the squeak. I have been reading all posts in this thread and will continue to see what I find.
I initially noticed it on the drivers side right around the dash speaker. No matter what I do I cannot reproduce it.
Bought March 7th & only 5,600 miles though.
It takes a community to find a problem sometimes! Good hunting.

 

Yep. Same clips holding the splash guards on either side. I only experienced the sound on my passenger side, maybe due to dirt or whatever getting in there. I haven't replaced the liner clips yet or tried the double-sided tape fix because my gorilla tape is still holding strong. You should be able to wiggle those rubber splash guards to reproduce the sound, or grab some gorilla tape and secure the guards/clips to verify. You're more likely to hear the splash guard rattle with increased wind/speed.

 

Well, you nailed it. Just checked my splash guards and the top drivers side clip is super loose. I can jiggle it and reproduce the sound. I’m about 99% sure that’s the source of the dash rattle. Thanks so much.

 

Sweet! Hope that’s it.

 

Just checked everything on the passenger side and nothing was loose. Just pulled the fender liner to install new driving light bulbs and probably created a new noise, lol. I was amazed that Toyota actually used two different fastener sizes on that.

 

4Runner fun, Did you ever fix the squeak you were talking about? I have a 2019 TRD Premium with almost 3000 miles on it (just bought it in December). Last night, my wife and I were driving and this squeak started in the top left side of the dash. It sounds like two pieces of styrofoam are quietly--but annoyingly!!--rubbing together. I only hear it when the radio is off. It stops when the car stops moving; I think it is the vibration from the road. I looked under the hood, along the outside seal of the windshield and under the front left fender. Nothing. Thoughts?

 

Try spraying some WD40 on the engine splash guard connectors to see if the squeak goes away. Sounds a bit far fetched, I know, but I get a squeak there every once in a while that sounds like a dash squeak. It's easy and would be my first place to start.

 

Nope, the very odd part is that I only heard it that once! I am very neurotic about sounds my vehicles make & I drive with the radio off & windows down sometimes to listen for suspension noises.
I never did rip the dash apart as it only happened once. Because of this I haven't continued to post in this thread. I haven't closed it because ours is 10 months old & may return in the spring.
Not sure what the cause is. If you find it; please keep us informed so that we can all fix it!
Thanks,
Ryan

 

Been reading through this thread. Glad y’all are finding solutions to the squeaks. A couple of things that seem to be constant throughout the thread is the relatively low mileage on the vehicles when the squeaks start, and the fact that small road irregularities trigger the noise. When we bought our 2019 ORP, the tires were inflated to 45 psi from dealer (not sure if the factory fills them this full, or the dealer, but the Toyota door post says they should be 32 psi). The resulting harder tires will naturally transmit smaller vibrations through the suspension and into the body and accelerate the wear on the clips and tabs. Also, the tires will wear out quicker in the center. Make sure your tire pressure matches what is on the door post (check the spare too). A softer tire will give you a cushier ride (less vibration), better traction, and better tire wear. Something to consider from a preventative maintenance perspective.

 

Even after 4 years me 4 has no squeaks from the dash that I know of. I do get noise from the Rago molle panels in the back but most of that is from the crap I have hanging off of them. Just turn up the radio, problem solved.

 

I am having same issue with a 12k miles 4runner.
Its getting louder and louder and happens on the exactly same location and its mainly on local driving vs freeway.

 

I had a creak/rattle in my dash and found it was the passenger ac vent closest to the A pillar. Shot a little WD40 in the cracks around the vent and it never came back.

 

Found and fix the issue.
It comes from the plastic trim in the bottom of the windshield where the wipers are located.....that piece was a bit loose (very little) causing a movement that will send the squeak noise into the cabin.

My annoying noise was very similar to what OP mentioned on this thread.....driver side coming from speaker area.

I took both plastic trims (same as the images posted here) and fill the gaps with a foam in order to stop the movement and noise is now gone.
Pretty easy/fast fix.
I hope this helps.

 

I have a noise, ‘20 with not even 6000 miles.
Sounds like top side of the windshield, left corner. Seems to come and go and temperature related. Didn’t really hear it in warmer weather.

 

Ours appears in certain temps & humidity levels. I have yet to have the time to find it when it is happening.
The more it is happening on here means I need to fix it before it becomes constant.
Thanks to all for the information.
Ryan.

 

Mine too.....cold weather = worse and specially after car wash.

 

I wish I hadn't read this thread - no doubt now on my next trip out the driveway, thanks to you all, I'll hear a dang noise in my normally quiet 4runner! Why did I read this?