Fixing the 1500rpm drone, vibration and rattles

[North Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close North]

Hi guys

I have just bought a 2008 D4D and I have the identical noise to what everyone is discussing. However, everyone seems to be referring to 150 series Prado's. Does anyone know if this is the same for 120 series?

Great write up also Krypto - Good to see this detailed stuff up here helping people do basic fixes themselves, rather than going to the mechanic and getting royally screwed.

Thanks

[allanandmichelle Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close allanandmichelle]

Hi I have bought a 150 Prado in Jan 2012, when I test drove the demo car I felt the vibration at about 1500 rpm , when I took delivery of my car I felt the same vibration, I took it to dealer who test drove it and acknowledged the vibration, we then took a brand new Altitude and the same vibration was there. It wasn't rocket science to feel the vibration and I wonder how many people have the vibration and simply don't report it, at least here we have an open forum but not all Prado owners are on this site.

I am astounded that with all these complaints,that there hasn't been a move by Toyota to pool complaints and resources to rectify the problem, surely they do care and don't want to see there customers unhappy with their $65000 purchase, or maybe they just don't care.

I would love to read a comment from Toyota regarding this, perhaps they have but I have missed it.

[Vtrant Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Vtrant]

Hi all,
Ive just fixed a noise that sounded as though it was coming from inside the Dash on the drivers side when stopped & in drive ,
when in fact it was the air intake box vibrating. Very simple fix, using a heat resistant foam product called formsheild from Clarks rubber, remove the air filter box 3 bolts, cut the required shape with holes to allow the bolts to go through place beneath & bolt back in. Takes about 20 minutes & has removed any noise we used to have, once again a dream to drive

[einre Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close einre]

Hi
Installed some formshield under the filter box a few days ago and it has made a big difference.
Much quiter around the city. Real test will be friday when I drive to the Snowy from Sydney.

Still geting used to driving an auto, my first ever. Relaxed driving, may even have to start wearing a hat.

[Poppy Joe Member Find all posts View Profile Close Poppy Joe]

Before you all rush out and fit a snorkel to fix the drone We had about 60k on the car and were lucky enough not to have the drone Fitted a snorkel and there it was. BUGGER. Tried the rubber under and over the airbox bolts only a temp fix it came back.The rubber connector from the snorkel to the airbox is a tight fit through the guard but I dont want to enlarge the hole through the inner guard as it might weaken it and cause cracking later on .Back to the drawing board.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Poppy Joe I had a noise from my snorkel and I tracked it down to the feeder pipe rubbing on the inner guard hole. I squeezed some sikaflex in and around at it fixed the problem. I also found that the plastic guard covers just under the bonnet rattle around too so they were sikaflexed as well.

[Bawky Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bawky]

I had my problem fixed by my local Toyota dealer in my GXL prado about 2 years ago. They sound proofed the inner guard, packed the metal which caused the metallic sound and also fitted a modified air filter box. No charge to me, but the cost to Toyota from the dealer was $900 plus. This transformed the car, felt like a completely different car. So much so when the service manager drove my car recently, he said it was the quietest prado he has driven.

I just bought a new Kakadu 3 weeks ago. Viabrations at 1500 RPM, took it to them today and they realised the front right guard was vibrating much more than the left one. Same problem. The only fix I think Toyota have done is separate the panels so they don't make the metallic sound. I am going to insist they do the sound proofing inside the guard ASAP. I am sure that will fix it and I will let you know. Currently my GLX nearly 4 years old is far quieter and refined than the brand new Kakadu.

[Bawky Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bawky]

Dealer Fixed my Resonance - Drone Today, I only requested it this morning

Windsor Toyota, 1 hour west of Sydney fixed my drone in my Kakadu the same way they fixed my GXL 2 years ago. They took our the grill, drivers side head light, inner guard, top plastic mould inside the engine bay and unclipped my bumper bar on the drivers side. They sprayed an accoustic foam inside half the guard and installed an accoustic blanket on the other half. The current air boxes don't require modification as they have been fixed on the production line, however they rotate the air intake tube around so that the air is sucked from the front of the guard area not the rear. They taped up the car to avoid any overspray, reassembled the car and problem fixed. They have done over 20 vehicles. It is interesting to note the Toyota will not pay for this procedure any more as they think they have addressed it on the production line. The dealer will sort this out on my behalf!

Toyota have only fixed the metalic rattle which goes along with the resonance viabration, but not the resonance viabration itself.

I only requested this today and they understood I was very disapointed to see this again on a new car and they put the same guy on it that did 20 Prados previously. They then changed any settings I wanted changed including auto windows and sunroof open / close with the remote. They washed my car and picked me up.

A huge thankyou to Windsor Toyota who obviously value their new car sales customers and will go the extra mile when it is requested. I will now enjoy my weekend of 8 hours of driving, including Sunday on Stockton Beach! Oh what a feeling!

[allanandmichelle Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close allanandmichelle]

allanandmichelle

Hi I have this vibration in my 2012 prado as well and it is driving me NUTS, i said something on the forum before but didnt get a response. i have had this from new and the dealers said they know of the problem, it is a common one but more people have to complain to Toyota as suggested by someone previously, i have been to toyota to trade it in on an Altitude and it has the same vibration!!!

I was also told by the service manager that they all seem to have the same vibration only some people complain and others don't.

I have removed all the connections to the RHS inner guard and the vibration is still there, i also feel it in the steering at idle.

this vibration has been getting worse since new and i wonder what will happen when something goes wrong ,out of warranty, how will Toyota support this problem, i have full faith in them understanding the problem and honouring there warranty.

please report this problem so we can collectively get to the bottom of this vibration.

Is anyone getting the 1500rpm rattle issue with late 2011 to 2012 model prados?. Has this issue been addressed by factory. I have had my altitute for a little under 2 weeks. Im getting this annoying rattle between 1500-1800. I thought this was normal for the diesel but the sound does come and go.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Michelle let Alan get a snorkel

[Bawky Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bawky]

Hi I have this vibration in my 2012 prado as well and it is driving me NUTS, i said something on the forum before but didnt get a response. i have had this from new and the dealers said they know of the problem, it is a common one but more people have to complain to Toyota as suggested by someone previously, i have been to toyota to trade it in on an Altitude and it has the same vibration!!!

I was also told by the service manager that they all seem to have the same vibration only some people complain and others don't.

I have removed all the connections to the RHS inner guard and the vibration is still there, i also feel it in the steering at idle.

this vibration has been getting worse since new and i wonder what will happen when something goes wrong ,out of warranty, how will Toyota support this problem, i have full faith in them understanding the problem and honouring there warranty.

please report this problem so we can collectively get to the bottom of this vibration.

The front drivers side guard resonates and can cause other items to vibrate. Even if nothing else vibrates the guard vibration is loud enough, like a low frequency drone. I posted above how a dealer can fix it. I would print the post and take it to your dealer. Let us know how you get on.

[Croz Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Croz]

I confirm since my snorkel was fitted, no drone, no rattle.

Even the service manager when he drove my car commented it was gone.

[barajak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barajak]

Another way to fix the drone is don't drive it at 1500rpm. At 80kmh in Auto going up a slight hill will bring it on every time, go to S4 and quiet as a mouse at 2100 RPM and according to the Scanguage, it is using less fuel. I know you should be able to put it in auto and just drive but you can't, the Prado would rather drive you mad or cook the box than change down by itself.

[Vk3zgw Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vk3zgw]

Has anyone found an eBay seller with the wheel well inner cover clips?
Ta
Geoff

[Craigo72 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Craigo72]

I went in to a different dealer than I had my servicing done at because, well because I don't need to go there, that's another story. The guy looked my in the eye and said to me" no, I've never heard of that before". Are you kidding me?. Classic?. The Toyota motor company years ago would have come up with a fix for this years ago, now I think they have become to cocky and are resting on the reputation a lot.