Vitz Dashboard Rattling Noise

[Mikee]

I have a 2009 toyota vitz and dashboard rattles on rough road (even when run over a cat's eye on the road). This rattling noise is not heard on the smooth roads. Problem seems worse after the dashboard heated under sunlight. i guess the noise mainly comes near steering column. Its a plastic sound. Do you experience same with vitz? is it somewhat common problem to vitz? Is it a sign of loosening some joints or some fixation? (Car has done only 20000 km and otherwise in good condition) Guys pls share your experience.

thanks in advance..

[Clark's son]

I have seen completely similar signs in VW Beetles that disintigrade in heat.

This may not be the case here

If the car has a DVD player(even tough the seller may have called it original) it must be fitted after market which requires the removal of the dash.

ODO resting also requires the removal of the dash so if it is not something you imported this might be the case.

Any garage will tighten the screws for you.

[Mikee]

  On 7/14/2012 at 5:44 PM, Clark said:

I have seen completely similar signs in VW Beetles that disintigrade in heat.

This may not be the case here

If the car has a DVD player(even tough the seller may have called it original) it must be fitted after market which requires the removal of the dash.

ODO resting also requires the removal of the dash so if it is not something you imported this might be the case.

Any garage will tighten the screws for you.

Yes,I purchased this from a sale. The audio was not the original one and seems fitted after market. Also there are some unplugged wires of a sub woofer system and i guess there was a DVD or expensive player at some point. when fitting those DVD or audio players is it necessarily to remove most of the parts of dash or its only middle instrument panel of the vitz? (i got fitted an audio later and the fellow just removed some of plastic rims at the middle instrumental panel only).

[Scooter]

http://vimeo.com/22225592

[Mikee]

  On 7/15/2012 at 12:35 AM, Scooter said:

Ya mate..i can understand his frustration......... Anyway the rattle i'm referring is more generalized than to occur from two bolts nuts

[Mikee]

.

Edited July 22, 2012 by Mikee

[Mikee]

Any body here to share similar experience..???

[Davy]

  On 7/15/2012 at 1:29 AM, Mikee said:

Ya mate..i can understand his frustration......... Anyway the rattle i'm referring is more generalized than to occur from two bolts nuts

They were earrings.

  On 7/22/2012 at 3:38 AM, Mikee said:

Any body here to share similar experience..???

The reason why no one has replied to this thread claiming to have a similar experience on a Vitz should give you a hint.

Dashboard rattles are very specific to an individual car in most cases. I highly doubt the Vitz has a manufacturer's defect where a dash panel near the steering begins to rattle after 20,000km. So my guess is that it started when the dasboard panels were removed for stereo installation, AC repair or something of that sort.

Since you know where the rattle is originated from, check the screws/clips and tighten/fasten as necessary. If there are missing clips, you'll have to buy them and install the panel(s) correctly.

Hope this helps.

[Mikee]

  On 7/22/2012 at 6:20 AM, Davy said:

They were earrings.

The reason why no one has replied to this thread claiming to have a similar experience on a Vitz should give you a hint.

Dashboard rattles are very specific to an individual car in most cases. I highly doubt the Vitz has a manufacturer's defect where a dash panel near the steering begins to rattle after 20,000km. So my guess is that it started when the dasboard panels were removed for stereo installation, AC repair or something of that sort.

Since you know where the rattle is originated from, check the screws/clips and tighten/fasten as necessary. If there are missing clips, you'll have to buy them and install the panel(s) correctly.

Hope this helps.

Thanks mate!

[Mikee]

  On 7/22/2012 at 6:20 AM, Davy said:

The reason why no one has replied to this thread claiming to have a similar experience on a Vitz should give you a hint.

Ok, i know what you are trying to say, but vitz is a widely used car in sri lanka and i don't think that its rare to see a stereo installed after market. Most recondition cars have stereos which replace the originals by sales agents or users (most originals are just Japanese frequency radios). So if that noise is due to that, there may be lot more other vitz users with similar problem. If nobody experience similar thing, then can this noise is due to that or some other reason?????

[Davy]

  On 7/22/2012 at 10:01 AM, Mikee said:

Ok, i know what you are trying to say, but vitz is a widely used car in sri lanka and i don't think that its rare to see a stereo installed after market. Most recondition cars have stereos which replace the originals by sales agents or users (most originals are just Japanese frequency radios). So if that noise is due to that, there may be lot more other vitz users with similar problem. If nobody experience similar thing, then can this noise is due to that or some other reason?????

Seriously? You think all the Vitzs with an aftermarket stereo should have an inherent dashboard rattle?

Of course there could be other reasons. It may be due to bad tyres, bad suspension, worn out engine mounts or simply because of your bad driving habits. But before jumping into any bizarre conclusions, the simplest thing to do is to try and figure out if it’s because of a component which is not fixed properly.

[terrabytetango]

The lack of basic deductive skills seems to be common among Vitz owners, that much is evident.

[Mikee]

  On 7/23/2012 at 5:17 AM, Davy said:

Seriously? You think all the Vitzs with an aftermarket stereo should have an inherent dashboard rattle?

Of course there could be other reasons. It may be due to bad tyres, bad suspension, worn out engine mounts or simply because of your bad driving habits. But before jumping into any bizarre conclusions, the simplest thing to do is to try and figure out if it’s because of a component which is not fixed properly.

Ya, thats my point. I also dont think that the reason is not the stereo installation. Anyway thanks for the useful information mate.

[Mikee]

  On 7/23/2012 at 5:46 AM, terrabytetango said:

The lack of basic deductive skills seems to be common among Vitz owners, that much is evident.

what about Vios users??

[terrabytetango]

Haven't seen much of the way in Vios users complaining about rattles and lack of wind their tires and such. Hell my car rattles on any uneven surface, I just ignore it.

[tiv]

  On 7/15/2012 at 12:35 AM, Scooter said:

Went through this once after dropping a USB drive into a aircon vent, took two damn days to get it back together..

btw while you are at it keep an eye for a loose wire harness, during the procedure they may have cut into one and forgotten to clip it back in (fasten to some body part/pillar etc).. making the rattle..

Edited July 24, 2012 by tiv

[Mikee]

  On 7/14/2012 at 4:49 PM, Mikee said:

. Problem seems worse after the dashboard heated under sunlight.

Thanks mate your openions.. but how could you explain this? If its due to some unfixed clips/tyre pressure/or earrings /etc, can it get worsen when its heated under sunlight? I looked for any of unfixed or un tightened joint at the dashboard, but everything seems ok..