2016 ES350- Rattles anyone
01-04-16 | 07:37 AM
#16
The pursuit of F
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,296
Likes: 297
From: Toronto, Canada
Thanks corradoMR2. However the one thing that's not on your list may have been the major cause of my rattle. It turns out to be the unoccupied front passenger seat.
As I was driving down a bumpy road, the rattling began and I noticed the seat back was vibrating quite a bit. So I pulled over, moved the seat all the way forward and moved the seat back all the way forward. I then went around the block and drove down the same road. Noise was gone!
I then put the seat back to its original position, but this time stuffed a small hand towel in the seat crevice where the seat cushion meets the seat back. My intent was to stiffen the seat back. That too worked, but it was just a bit less effective than my first approach.
Either way it seemed to point the finger at the seat back itself. I can't begin to tell you how this strengthened my feeling for the car as I drove down bumpy roads and heard almost no noise.
So now I imagine I need to make an appointment with Lexus to have them tighten the seat back...if that's what they do.
As I was driving down a bumpy road, the rattling began and I noticed the seat back was vibrating quite a bit. So I pulled over, moved the seat all the way forward and moved the seat back all the way forward. I then went around the block and drove down the same road. Noise was gone!
I then put the seat back to its original position, but this time stuffed a small hand towel in the seat crevice where the seat cushion meets the seat back. My intent was to stiffen the seat back. That too worked, but it was just a bit less effective than my first approach.
Either way it seemed to point the finger at the seat back itself. I can't begin to tell you how this strengthened my feeling for the car as I drove down bumpy roads and heard almost no noise.
So now I imagine I need to make an appointment with Lexus to have them tighten the seat back...if that's what they do.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ct-...ml#post7764128
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ml#post8290102
01-04-16 | 08:35 AM
#17
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,172
Likes: 122
From: or
Thanks corradoMR2. However the one thing that's not on your list may have been the major cause of my rattle. It turns out to be the unoccupied front passenger seat.
As I was driving down a bumpy road, the rattling began and I noticed the seat back was vibrating quite a bit. So I pulled over, moved the seat all the way forward and moved the seat back all the way forward. I then went around the block and drove down the same road. Noise was gone!
I then put the seat back to its original position, but this time stuffed a small hand towel in the seat crevice where the seat cushion meets the seat back. My intent was to stiffen the seat back. That too worked, but it was just a bit less effective than my first approach.
Either way it seemed to point the finger at the seat back itself. I can't begin to tell you how this strengthened my feeling for the car as I drove down bumpy roads and heard almost no noise.
So now I imagine I need to make an appointment with Lexus to have them tighten the seat back...if that's what they do.
As I was driving down a bumpy road, the rattling began and I noticed the seat back was vibrating quite a bit. So I pulled over, moved the seat all the way forward and moved the seat back all the way forward. I then went around the block and drove down the same road. Noise was gone!
I then put the seat back to its original position, but this time stuffed a small hand towel in the seat crevice where the seat cushion meets the seat back. My intent was to stiffen the seat back. That too worked, but it was just a bit less effective than my first approach.
Either way it seemed to point the finger at the seat back itself. I can't begin to tell you how this strengthened my feeling for the car as I drove down bumpy roads and heard almost no noise.
So now I imagine I need to make an appointment with Lexus to have them tighten the seat back...if that's what they do.
01-04-16 | 08:42 AM
#18
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 119
Likes: 18
From: NY
I've had rattles/vibrations in the driver's door of a couple of my recent Lexus'. They are often associated with cold temps., and often go away by themselves. Unfortunately, as was pointed out, there is a poor success rate fixing them by the dealer.
BTW, all three of my Acuras, and my current Accord, developed multiple rattles after several months, or a year, and were more intrusive. In fact, of all car brands I've owned, Honda products were the most rattle-prone, and showed the most interior wear. Hopefully, their newer products (although not my Accord) are better.
BTW, all three of my Acuras, and my current Accord, developed multiple rattles after several months, or a year, and were more intrusive. In fact, of all car brands I've owned, Honda products were the most rattle-prone, and showed the most interior wear. Hopefully, their newer products (although not my Accord) are better.
01-04-16 | 09:24 AM
#19
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 11
From: Texas
I've had rattles/vibrations in the driver's door of a couple of my recent Lexus'. They are often associated with cold temps., and often go away by themselves. Unfortunately, as was pointed out, there is a poor success rate fixing them by the dealer.
BTW, all three of my Acuras, and my current Accord, developed multiple rattles after several months, or a year, and were more intrusive. In fact, of all car brands I've owned, Honda products were the most rattle-prone, and showed the most interior wear. Hopefully, their newer products (although not my Accord) are better.
BTW, all three of my Acuras, and my current Accord, developed multiple rattles after several months, or a year, and were more intrusive. In fact, of all car brands I've owned, Honda products were the most rattle-prone, and showed the most interior wear. Hopefully, their newer products (although not my Accord) are better.
01-04-16 | 04:44 PM
#20
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Overseas
I have got my car checked by the dealer three times over a rattle that is coming from the passenger side. The first time, they did nothing as they could not reproduce the problem during the test drive. The second time, they stuffed some foam inside the B-pillar. That did not resolve the problem. The third time, the mechanic sat in the rear passenger seat and hit one of the door panel with his palm. It created a vibration noise that lingered much longer than the other door panels. He then tightened that panel. The rattle did not completely disappear but at least it now only comes on when driving over a really rough surface. This suggest that there were multiple causes of the rattling noise.
I have done a few other DIY solutions suggested in this and other forums. It did not conclusively remove the rattles all the time. I guess I will just learn to ignore it or bump up my stereo volume. Puzzling, my other family members do not hear the rattles. I have installed sound insulation mat on all my four wheel wells to suppress some road noise, that inevitably created a heightened awareness of all other sources of noise.
Prior to owning my current 2014 ES, I was driving a 2011 RX. Not a squeak from my RX other than the occasional shaking empty front passenger seat.
I have done a few other DIY solutions suggested in this and other forums. It did not conclusively remove the rattles all the time. I guess I will just learn to ignore it or bump up my stereo volume. Puzzling, my other family members do not hear the rattles. I have installed sound insulation mat on all my four wheel wells to suppress some road noise, that inevitably created a heightened awareness of all other sources of noise.
Prior to owning my current 2014 ES, I was driving a 2011 RX. Not a squeak from my RX other than the occasional shaking empty front passenger seat.
Last edited by biglexfan; 01-04-16 at 09:53 PM.
01-04-16 | 09:35 PM
#22
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Overseas
A layer of Luxury Liner pro from Second Skin in between the metal and the wheel well plastic layer. It was a package offered by a local audio shop. I did the same on my previous RX because the Bridgestone tire was rather audible.
It helped suppress road noise a little but the effect is most obvious only in the first few hours after it was installed. After a while, the new “silence” becomes the norm and you begin to hear from other sources of noise that was not detected previously.
Last edited by biglexfan; 01-04-16 at 09:53 PM.
01-05-16 | 06:47 AM
#23
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 119
Likes: 18
From: NY
Well unfortunately my noise is back. I was convinced it was the unoccupied front passenger seat, but now I'm not sure. I'd still bet it's playing a role in the noise and the fact that we've had our first cold outbreak, 12 degrees, may be exacerbating the issue. Yesterday, with my wife in the car, I heard no noise.
I plan on getting my Pirellis tomorrow, so I'm hoping that cuts some of the road noise and softens the ride a bit. It won't take care of the noise I'm hearing, but it should help other issues.
I plan on getting my Pirellis tomorrow, so I'm hoping that cuts some of the road noise and softens the ride a bit. It won't take care of the noise I'm hearing, but it should help other issues.
01-06-16 | 03:22 AM
#24
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,397
Likes: 49
From: CN
My 2014 ES300h has rattling grab handles in the front, especially when driving on rough roads on cold days. I haven't gotten around to putting tape around the plastic caps, wiggling them around usually stops the rattling temporarily.
01-06-16 | 07:05 AM
#25
Lead Lap
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,279
Likes: 1,019
From: Illinois
Well unfortunately my noise is back. I was convinced it was the unoccupied front passenger seat, but now I'm not sure. I'd still bet it's playing a role in the noise and the fact that we've had our first cold outbreak, 12 degrees, may be exacerbating the issue. Yesterday, with my wife in the car, I heard no noise.
.
.
01-06-16 | 12:48 PM
#26
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 119
Likes: 18
From: NY
Lesz, so the weird thing is whenever my wife sits in the seat, the noise is gone. I've tried tapping, hitting and pounding the headrest and seat back, yet I can't reproduce the noise I hear when she's not there. It's just bizarre. I know the headrest is in the clicked position and not in-between 2 positions. I did find a little plastic cover thingy under the seat that makes a bit of a noise when I tap it, so I stuffed something there. But I doubt that's what it is.
On a brighter note I got my new Pirelli P7 AW+ tires today. They do make a difference. The ride is quieter on many roads and hitting certain road irregularities is not as jarring as with the Bridgestones.
On a brighter note I got my new Pirelli P7 AW+ tires today. They do make a difference. The ride is quieter on many roads and hitting certain road irregularities is not as jarring as with the Bridgestones.
01-19-16 | 05:11 AM
#27
Driver School Candidate
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Montreal
And yes my wife too doesn't hear these noises.
01-19-16 | 10:01 AM
#28
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 119
Likes: 18
From: NY
Neil, I do hear much less of the noise now that I switched to Pirellis. The remaining noise (after stuffing a small hand towel in the crack of the seat) is still coming from the passenger side, but it's tolerable and not nearly as common. I still think it's the seat.
My friend bought the same car within a week of mine and has exactly the same noises, but he hasn't switched tires. He said it's easy to see the seat back vibrating over rough roads when nobody is sitting there. I think that seat is a real issue.
My friend bought the same car within a week of mine and has exactly the same noises, but he hasn't switched tires. He said it's easy to see the seat back vibrating over rough roads when nobody is sitting there. I think that seat is a real issue.
01-19-16 | 10:10 AM
#29
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,931
Likes: 1,306
From: SE PA
I've had the seat vibration noise in several cars, an '06 Avalon and a '13 ES 350 being the latest. When someone is sitting in the seat there is no vibration due to the weight holding it in place. Other than a Rube Goldberg attempt to eliminate it with towels and other things, I don't think that there's a solution. It does occur more on rough roads.
01-19-16 | 04:30 PM
#30
Driver School Candidate
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Montreal
Neil, I do hear much less of the noise now that I switched to Pirellis. The remaining noise (after stuffing a small hand towel in the crack of the seat) is still coming from the passenger side, but it's tolerable and not nearly as common. I still think it's the seat.
My friend bought the same car within a week of mine and has exactly the same noises, but he hasn't switched tires. He said it's easy to see the seat back vibrating over rough roads when nobody is sitting there. I think that seat is a real issue.
My friend bought the same car within a week of mine and has exactly the same noises, but he hasn't switched tires. He said it's easy to see the seat back vibrating over rough roads when nobody is sitting there. I think that seat is a real issue.