Johnny Mash

Late to the party, but: It is the carbon petrol vapor trap to absorb any evap once the engine is shut off. It's full of bead-like pieces and is fixed in place, doesnt seem to be a replaceable part without changing the whole top of the plenum

The electric lumbar support motor in the drivers seat seems to have wound it out to a fully forward position and will not retract. When hitting the button to extend it further forward, it makes the typical noise and clunk of an outer thread unwinding and pushing against the very start of the inner thread where it 'hops down' after reaching the very tip of it. Attempting to wind it the other way (to pull it back in) results in maybe half a turn before it locks up, often accompanied by the overload tripping, meaning I'll be unable to use the motor for ~10 seconds. I've tried several times to get it to catch by just back and forward, but it never does. I've tried to be careful of them, but now believe that either the inner or outer threads - or both - could have been damaged and are now bent or stripped too fine to smoothly catch on again. Has anyone had this and been able to get the thread to catch again, or does anyone have experience in accessing the internals of the seat back and provide any information on how I could manually get in there to do it by hand?

I'd re-seated the boot 2 days ago and it jumped out again today! Again - that sound Adamsy describes well - a wildly hissing Singer sewing machine at full tilt. The boot worked it's way out after some light 'feeling around' behind the brake with my foot, all before the replacement hose clamp job I planned for the weekend. The tube the steering shaft goes through is all rubber, and just poking around near there can deform the neck and thus pop the boot out. I've jammed it back in and bound it there with cloth tape for now.

I don't know how it happened, and don't know if this steering shaft boot thing is mentioned much, but it seems so easy to dislodge. In the pics above, you can see where it eventually rode its way up and off the lower shaft and spun freely. If that's happened in the 2 months since I've had the car, perhaps it might be worth everyone giving it a look at one day.

Just came back from a short trip and wow what a difference. The engine is on the right side (outside) of the cabin now! lol The gap the steering int shaft passes through aims down at the road, picking up all that noise too. Boondy you're a champ! Thanks for the tip!

Well I'll be.... Looks like that cable tie is largely ineffective. Oh hello outside world! This popping out would lead to the suddenness of the noise appearing out of nowhere. I'm about to test how this goes!

I'll check it out Boondy, cos I think I (oops) had a foot up behind here on a long cruise. It does literally sound like the engine is on the wrong side of the bulkhead!

Its not much of a ticking as it is a 'taff'ing, but there is some noise that I wondered if it was a vac line. I've inspected them and all seem fine. It would be on the rear bank, and may be ejecting gas toward the cabin wall

Thanks DJKOR. I spoke to the dealership, they said get it checked locally (dealer is 300k's away), and is under 3 mth stat warranty still.

If it makes a difference, I used BP Ultimate for the first time , maybe used 1/4 tank of it. Actually the description of the sound it isnt too different to what is described here (but I just dont cant believe it is normal)

HI all, On Sunday I suddenly noticed some noise that seemed to come from behind the drivers footwell and its not nice :( . Its a very rattly clackety noise that is almost silent at idle, and obviously louder at high revs. Engine itself isnt running rough, oil seems fine, although may need a change soon anyway. I've heard the VVT noise online, and while I hope it could be that, I can't really decide what it may be. - Driven again tonight, sounds more like a truck in the vid than it actually does http://youtu.be/CAQ4TDBtJuk - no load, Park, revving http://youtu.be/3IJ_F1H6fEs I wasn't driving hard at the time or beforehand (as I was off to market, you see...lol), in fact I've been on a nanna mission and tried to economise to see how low the readout can get (9.0l/100 in busy suburbia is good) So guys ... I'd love to know what you think I'm looking at with this. SOLVED

yeah sometimes i hold the key aswell to get it going but usually on the 2nd crank it gets going straight away Same FONGSTA, '07 with 67,000km... lol we both must have the SSG(EG) model as well! The "Starts Second Go, Every Go!" kind... Well, it actually will start on the first crank from a long rest in maybe 1 of 4 or 5 times. When it doesn't the first 4-6 sec crank frequently will just about make it, with a successful pop or two of life, then it will lose that kick and begin sounding like it's trying all over again, and cranking for it a few seconds after that doesn't increase success.... But before that even happens, you've just gone for attempt No.2. coz it's easier. A third crank is never needed; the engine always catches on that second shot. cruiseh, damn, could be that too. Cheers, I'll try that as well and take note. I have left the ignition ON at least twice on purpose to test your reasoning - and no doubt I've probably done it many times unintentionally as well but I don't remember how long it rested at those times - but all I can say is that it's not something I recall as being successful in the past. As we'd all agree, that sort of thing would let us fulfil our need to drive an Aurion for just that little extra longer! lol e: tone was wrong

I did exactly this today and they're both quite simple mods to perform. The vac tube mod bypasses the electrical vac switch to now be 'always on'. Normally, this switch (and therefore the flap) is closed off at low speeds, preventing any vacuum reaching the actuator (the round part) that lifs this secondary inlet flap. Looping the tube back onto the switch is harmless. With the vac line directly on the actuator, it causes the flap to be open all the time, and you can test this at idle by removing the vacuum hose from the actuator and reconnecting it. You'll hear the flap opening. Lower resonator removal is very simple with a 10mm ratchet. Remove scoop bolt from above the radiator. Theres 3 vacuum hoses and maybe an electrical connector to disconnect, easy to remember - or label them. Disconnect - then + of battery, remove by loosening back nut enough to unhook the rod, remove battery & tray. Remove top intake duct, then the lower snorkel duct. The resonator will be exposed, and will come free after removing one bolt and finally levering out its plastic pushpin. Reverse to re-install, reconnect battery + then - . Your ECU will probably have reset. Mine did, and it idled high at startup for a minute, but normal from there on. I've covered over the gap in the snorkels resonator pipe with a tough foam rubber piece, shaped slightly larger than the hole, then duct taped and cable tied with a hard plastic backing on the foam to have it form a seal. The induction sound has come up to noticeable from feeling 'contained', previously but still nothing compared to having a pod filter.

woo change made - should have checked it out first!

Cheers guys. I suspected the profile lock might be a n00b limitation, although I reg'd when I had the Camry and could do it then. I'll just post more!