Rattle / squeak in dash board – 2013 Corolla Ascent Sport

[JOConnor]

Hi all,

I am hoping to learn if any other members are experiencing similar issues - and have any good remedy ideas?

In Feb I purchased a (new) 2013 Corolla Ascent Sport from Melbourne City Toyota.

A rattle began to develop around the dashboard area. At first, it sounded like a rattle on the left side of the dash near the aircon vent. It took two visits to the dealership service center to repair the rattle.

Within a week of the second visit, the rattle came back - this time in two places, and much worse. The second rattle noise appears to be coming from behind the wheel. Hard to describe the sound, it's more like a high pitched squeaking rather than a dull rattle.

To date I have had wires/brackets either replaced and/or tightened, and also foam applied in numerous places. Still, the rattle persists.

Has anyone experienced this with the new Corolla?

I have an appointment next week with a "diagnostic specialist" to conduct (another!) test drive. If it cannot be fixed after this fourth appointment, I will have to try and resolve the issue via Toyota Corporate as a dispute. Surely after four visits it would be deemed irreparable?

Cheers,

Jas

[dawa]

My car was bought in May 2013 and I started noticing rattles around the steering column and dashboard immediately. Have been to the dealer three times so far but the problem remains.

I believe there are several rattles and this must be common in this model (Accent Sport ZRE182R).

That is, factory defect or design issue.

And I will be going to the dealer again as this is not acceptable even in an old car.

[JOConnor]

Hi Amila,

Thanks for letting me know. It is the same model. It's such a shame because it's a good car otherwise. Did your dealer service center apply foam in places under the dashboard too? Mine have done that, but the rattle seems worse now.

I am off to the dealer service center on Tuesday 11/6 (the fourth time) to test drive with a diagnostics specialist. I will let you know how I get on and if the dealer finds a technical solution to the problem.

I agree - if may be a design issue or factory defect, but it needs to be resolved. I expect I will need to escalate the matter to Toyota Corporate soon! It's a real hassle and disappointment having these rattles in a brand new car. If they can't repair it (I am prepared to give them some more opportunities though) I am going to push hard for either a replacement or refund.

Would be great to hear if anyone else has similar problems. Probably helps build some evidence!

Jason

[182LevinZR]

Hi Jason,

I have a 2013 Levin ZR which I got just after the new Corolla was released and yes I have rattle after rattle in this car, I am now up to 11,000 kms and they are just getting worse and have basically given up on trying to get the problem fixed. The solution I have come up with is not buying another Toyota, very dissapointed with the build quality. I have been a Corolla driver/enthusiast for the last 5 years but think the next car will be something different. I have used foam tape/sponge material in between panel gaps which provides a temporary fix but just comes back after about 5 days of driving. Toyota do not acknowledge the problem.

The celing, both front door panels, dash board, steering column, panels below the steering wheel and passenger seat all rattle and groan and creak constantly. Sounds terrible and all my passengers comment which is embarrasing. Every time I drive the car, it just gets worse and for what I paid for the car, I am incredibly dissapointed as I am very particular in looking after my car and it feels like a very low quality car - interior wise. otherwise I love the car, looks great, zippy (although would like more power) and mechanically reliable.

Hope you can get yours sorted, but from talking with other drivers mine seems to be the worst and may just be a one off case where I got a dodgy Rolla.

Regards,

CJLevinZR (Chris)

[JOConnor]

Hey Chris,

Sorry to hear that your car is rattly - perhaps more rattly then mine. And a Levin ZR too!

Are you aware of any other owners of the new Corolla models experiencing similar issues? It sounds like it might be a known issue.

If the rattle is not resolved this week I am going to lodge a complaint with Toyota corporate. Hopefully they can assist. I would recommend that you do the same. I will let you know how I get on!

[182LevinZR]

Yeah, the ZR has lost its "premium" sort of feeling with all the rattles haha. I know a couple of people with the current gen Corolla and they have had no problems to report on the rattle front (which is good.) I thought mine was just a one off dodgy car, being one of the first ZRs in Australia, but possibly not...

Hopefully the one or two rattles you have at the moment will get fixed, and will not get any worse. Keep me posted. Unfortunately for me, I have surpassed the 10,000 km rattle warranty so there won't be much I can do but turn up the music to drown the rattles out while I'm driving haha.

Regards,

CJLevinZR

[JOConnor]

Did you raise the issue with Toyota before you hit the 10,000 mark?

If so, I think they should still commit to resolving the issue given it was made known under the relevant warranty period and they failed to remedy it. Maybe you could talk to Consumer Affairs and get some advice?

I suppose it depends on how hard you want to push! I am prepared to push pretty hard. As you said, brand new cars (of this value too!) should not rattle..

Going to take the dealership service center guy out for a test drive this afternoon. Maybe he will do a better job of pinpointing the issue. Will keep you posted!

[182LevinZR]

I did bring up the issue at about 6000kms but don't have the opportunity to take the car back to the dealership in between service intervals.

Will be interesting to see how you get on. Keep us posted.

Regards,

Chris

[JOConnor]

That's a pain! Damn.

Picked up the car last night - they reckon that a bracket inside the center console is deformed, and therefore the whole dash is not connected properly as one piece and therefore the top part is rattling.

They have ordered a replacement bracket, should arrive in a few days and they will put that in. Hopefully that will resolve it, I will let you know how I get on.

In the meantime, I found out my tyers had been at 35PSI (recommended 32PSI). I lowered then to 33, seems to have helped a little too (though stickier in cornering now)

[JOConnor]

PS you can tell I have to technical understanding of how cars work :S

[jeromesan]

have u checked the handbrake cover?? try lifting it out a few times then check for noise as u drive.

[182LevinZR]

Yeah have poked, prodded and put pressure on most of the interior panels and have had no luck stopping it. I am somewhat used to it now anyway, just do my best to ignore it.

Jason, how did you go with getting the rattle fixed? Good news I hope.

CJLevinZR

[JOConnor]

Hey there,

Still no luck. Took the car back for another test drive with a diagnostics specialist. Had a new cluster guard fitted (the instrument cluster was wiggly apparently). Got the car back - and it's worse!

It seems to be worse on longer trips or in hotter weather. Maybe it's just where a longer trip has the car loosen up a bit.

Taking it back again for a longer / comprehensive test drive next week. Will see what happens. I will give it one more try!

Also I spoke to Toyota Corporate. They didn't seem interested in helping - said if the dealer can't resolve it I should seek "independent advice" as the rattle does not interfere with the vehicles operation. So zero accountability from their corporate too.

The dealer doesn't seem interested in helping at all. Feel like "a number" to them. I think they are more interested in pumping cars in and out, rather than being thorough. I don't trust in their capability any longer, given they have failed to correct the problem after 5 visits.

So, one more try! If this doesn't work I will sell the car, cut my losses and move on. I test drove the new Mazda 3 - it doesn't rattle one bit!

Will let you know how it goes.

Jas

[182LevinZR]

Hey Jason,

Shame you have had no luck with getting the rattles fixed. We have a 2 year old Mazda in the family and it has not had one single rattle since it was purchased new. I love the ZR but the rattles are very frustrating and only took about 1 or 2 months to start rattling. Has the dealership or Toyota Corporate said anything about any other people complaining of rattles with this gen Corolla? I would be interested in seeing if it is a widespread problem...

Let us know. Good luck.

CJLevinZR

[endorphin6]

Hi Jason,

I have a 2 month old Toyota Corolla Levin SX and I am experiencing a rattle/squeak/buzzing
noise in the driver side dash also. I have booked it in next Wednesday to get checked
out so hopefully they may find the issue. It seems to happen intermittently also while driving.

Sorry I should have read the posts before I raise one separately. Sorry
about that.

If you find an answer before I take mine, please let me know.

Thanks.

[Kelvincoffey]

the silver trim around teh radio rattles. I pulled it off, added some double sided tape and that issue is solved.

Cant wait to get some of the rattles you guys are describing.

[YLRLevinZR]

Hi Jason,

I just googled "corolla levin rattle" silently hoping that I'm not the only one having a dodgy Corolla. I was wondering if there are other people out there that's also experiencing the frustration of a rattling brand new Toyota Corolla and whoalla.....discovered your post!!! I bought the new Corolla Levin ZR just after it was released last year (the first one in Central Queensland) and it started rattling on the same day that I drove it home for the first time. At first it wasn't too loud and I initially thought it was because it's new and the dash and all the other plastic bits just had to settle in. BUT to my dissappointment the rattles got more and even louder! I took it back to the dealership who insulated a lot of the clips and thought it would be ok after that.

After just 2 days the rattles were back with a vengeance. Much worse and they multiplied!! It was so loud that I couldn't take a phone call in my car because I couldn't hear the person talk and vice versa. The overhead centre console (for you sunglasses) rattled so loud that I had to drive with my hand over it, just to silence it a bit. Everything in my car rattles!! The dash, the odometre display, steering wheel, the safety belt side panels (passenger and driver side). I took my car back again and once again the dealership insulated a lot of clips etc. And guess what, not 2 days after I picked it up, the rattles were back AGAIN and multiplying every day. I noticed that it's worse in warmer climate. And then just the last week a new sound appeared in the back....a loud wind noise!!! Very irritating!! As I'm typing to you, my car is back at the dealers for the week. They're going to rip the entire dash out, strip everything apart, take all the clips out, put new clips in and re-assemble the dash again. What a waste that a brand new car have to go through this kind of abuse hey.

They recon that I'm the ONLY one complaining about this and that they haven't heard about it before. Obviously I can now see that this is not true.

I can not express how dissappointed I am in Toyota. I paid a lot of money for my car and what a shame to know that a brand new car rattles like that. My car is extremely bad. I'm heart broken!!!

Will let you know how I go after this "fixing".

YLR

Edited August 6, 2013 by YLRLevinZR

[YLRLevinZR]

:-(

Edited August 6, 2013 by YLRLevinZR

[182LevinZR]

I have the ZR as well (without the glass roof) and I have all the same rattles you have described YLRLevinZR. I'm disappointed with my car as well. I have too many rattles for them to be fixed I reckon, they'd need to pull the whole interior apart and it will probably make it worse. I notice that if the car gets hot from being parked in the sun the sunglass compartment and left side of ceiling rattles much worse. Let me know how you go getting yours fixed. If you don't mind me asking, how many kms does your ZR have now?

Cheers

CJLevinZR - Chris

[YLRLevinZR]

Hi Chris,

Hmmm sounds like we're describing the rattles in each others cars! My Levin's got the glass roof, crystal pearl colour (which you pay extra for :( ) and I had x-pack applied to the exterior and interior. Now I think....what a waste of money it was, I shoul've gotten the entry level Corolla and then I might not have felt so devastated having all the rattles.

I also reckon that the rattles in my car is too many to be fixed but Toyota dealership just gives me this sob story that they CAN fix it. Funny..you should see the 2 reports on all the rattles that they already "fixed" and it just came back. I have a feeling that after they've stripped my interior out now it might be worse. Let's see!

O yes, and defintitely also worse when it was standing in the sun for a bit or when I turn the heater on in the morning.

They gave me a brand new Rav4 to drive with for the week while they have my car....surprise, surprise, I can hear faint rattles in that starting too!

My car's got 8000km on the clock now. Yours?

Cheers - Y

Edited August 7, 2013 by YLRLevinZR

[JOConnor]

Hi all - sorry to hear about your rattles. Sounds a lot worse than mine!

Mine is really confined to the left side of the dash - and behind the steering wheel.

I called Toyota corporate - they advised me to "shop around" the dealers, as warranty repairs can be undertaken anywhere..

I am arranging one more visit to Melb City Toyota (the 5th!) will see how it goes. I will pass on the info that the dash may need to be stripped and re-fitted / built.

I saw an article in the Herald Sun recently (in the car column)... about ANOTHER rattly Corolla..

Will let you know how I get on!

Jason

[182LevinZR]

Hey guys,

How's everyone going with the rattles? Any fixes as yet?

Cheers.

Chris.

[YLRLevinZR]

Hey Chris

I've got no news as yet. My car is still at Toyota. Almost a whole month now. I might get it back by the end of the week. I'm devastated as I don't know what to think and expect.

Toyota advised me that they ordered a lot of new parts which they replaced in the dash etc, so will check on the work sheet what exactly was done to my car when I get it back and will let you know.

Cheers Y

[182LevinZR]

Hey,

Well I hope it is all fixed it once you get it back. I have nearly 20,000kms on mine now and, believe it or not, the rattles continue to get worse. Some days worse than others, depending on the weather and stuff. Will bring it up again at the next service but I highly doubt anything will be able to be done without me having to fork out money to pay for it (apparent rattle warranty only covers 10,000kms.)

All the best. Let us know.

Chris

[JOConnor]

Hey all - my rattles are still there.

Like some of you, it tends to be worse with different temperature. It seems to be worse when it is cold or really hot.

It's going back in next week for a FOURTH test drive. I am going to take this thread in and ask that they take it back until it is fully fixed. Fortunately my rattle is just on the left of the dash - and a bit behind the wheel (not the whole car like some of you!)

I wonder if we band together and write a formal complaint to VCAT / Consumer Affairs / Toyota Corporate? Will that assist to escalate this? There must be some broader manufacture issue!

Jason