New Avensis 2009 Front Door Alignment

[09 Avensis 2.0 D4D Serbia]

Hello to all of you.

This is my first post here.

I own an Avensis 2009 that has developed some "squeaking" and wind noise in the top B pillar corner of the front door. I have been in to Mr. T with this complaint and they checked all rubber seals for damage, and there was none. They also checked inside plastic trim on the window frames if those are well secured, and all is well in that area too. "All they could do" was to lubricate the seals and see if the problem persists, and it does, although less then before.

As I am quite sensitive on these annoying noises, I went to work to find out the culprit, and I noticed that two front doors differ ever so slightly in alignment. The one that has a problem has the following differences:

(It is a LHD vehicle and describing these I am standing outside of the driver door looking at it while closed - this is the door with the problem.)

1. Top B pillar corner is not flush with the passenger door - it protrudes outward by approx. 2mm

2. Front door top line (window frame) does not have the same gap all along the roof line. Top B pillar corner also seams approx. 1mm lower than top B pillar corner of the rear passenger door.

3. A pillar door edge is closer to the front wing at the bottom than at the top. In fact, bottom is the same as on the opposite door, but at the upper part (closer to the mirror) the gap is 1 to 2mm wider.

To me, all this looks like it could be fixed by repositioning the upper hinge by moving it 1 or 2mm towards the front of the car. Maybe the door lock/strike latch also needs some adjustment, but to what I see, doors are flush with each other in the middle height section of B pillar.

My questions are:

Is it possible to make fine adjustment to the position of the door hinge?

How difficult it is?

Is this kind of work usually done under warranty (my car is still within the original 3 year warranty)?

Also, what could have caused this? Before this problem appeared, the car was in at Mr. T for the front wing respray (on the side where the problem is), but the wing was not removed from the car. I cannot find any info if the door was removed at that point. Is it a normal procedure to remove the door when front wing respray is done?

I will appreciate all suggestions.

Thank you! :)

P.S. I will try my best to organize myself to upload some photos of what I have described.

[ariman]

This a known problem with early T27 Avensis. Try to snap window switch 1 fast snap, moving just few millimeters down and wind noise is gone. I dont know if there is any fix to this. I have read some have changed new seals with no luck.

[09 Avensis 2.0 D4D Serbia]

I'm back again, and I must say, it was not a window issue. It was a door issue. Once the door striker was moved inward, the door started closing more firmly and 95% of noise was eliminated. Now, only when I go over some nasty bumps there is some "rubber" noise. But I do still have some wind noise coming through in the door mirror area. This happens only at speeds above 60mph, and especially if there is side wind present. Would it be possible to fiddle with the front door upper hinge, i.e. to move it slightly inward?

[brewed]

I'm back again, and I must say, it was not a window issue. It was a door issue. Once the door striker was moved inward, the door started closing more firmly and 95% of noise was eliminated. Now, only when I go over some nasty bumps there is some "rubber" noise. But I do still have some wind noise coming through in the door mirror area. This happens only at speeds above 60mph, and especially if there is side wind present. Would it be possible to fiddle with the front door upper hinge, i.e. to move it slightly inward?

Hi! i have the same problem of "door moving on frame " with my 2.2 DCAT luxury T27. Checking on this, on my own, i found a metal crack on the front left door, that was solved by replaceing the door on warranty. Discussing about this with the guys from the Toyota,i found this happens frequently on the early T27 models, 4 similar being reported by now only in my area.Even with the new door on the left and with the old one repaired with a "repair door toolkit ", doors are moving on the rubber when crossing bumps or stuff like that. Never had this problem with my old T25 Ave.

[brewed]

I'm back again, and I must say, it was not a window issue. It was a door issue. Once the door striker was moved inward, the door started closing more firmly and 95% of noise was eliminated. Now, only when I go over some nasty bumps there is some "rubber" noise. But I do still have some wind noise coming through in the door mirror area. This happens only at speeds above 60mph, and especially if there is side wind present. Would it be possible to fiddle with the front door upper hinge, i.e. to move it slightly inward?

Hi! i have the same problem of "door moving on frame " with my 2.2 DCAT luxury T27. Checking on this, on my own, i found a metal crack on the front left door, that was solved by replaceing the door on warranty. Discussing about this with the guys from the Toyota,i found this happens frequently on the early T27 models, 4 similar being reported by now only in my area.Even with the new door on the left and with the old one repaired with a "repair door toolkit ", doors are moving on the rubber when crossing bumps or stuff like that. Never had this problem with my old T25 Ave.

[brewed]

see photo. all T27 owners should check their front doors, i believe.

[09 Avensis 2.0 D4D Serbia]

Thanks for the hint.

As I can see, this is in the area where plastic door limiter hinge is connected. I will check this today, and let you know what I saw.

[09 Avensis 2.0 D4D Serbia]

You were right on the spot. I was surprised to find the crack there, as the plastic door limiter was replaced under warranty only few weeks ago, and it looks impossible not to notice the crack while replacing the limiter. I wander if the guys in local Mr. T. are aware of this fault occurring. (Bare in mind that new Avensis sales in Serbia are quite low).

[brewed]

In Romania, the've replaced it immediately with an "improved door ". This production failure has been reported into five times in my country, even T27 sales are low being and expenisve car for the market.

My left door "cracked " has been replaced with a new one, the right front door , which was still undamaged, was repaired with a " door repair kit " provided by mr T. so, this problem seems to occur frequently, since a door repair kit was issued. totally dissapointed about the UK manufacturing quality :(

[brewed]

In Romania, they've replaced it immediately with an "improved door ". This production failure has been reported into five times in my country, even T27 sales are low being and expensive car for the local market.

My left door "cracked " has been replaced with a new one, the right front door , which was still undamaged, was repaired with a " door repair kit " provided by mr T. so, this problem seems to occur frequently, since a door repair kit was issued. totally dissapointed about the UK manufacturing quality :(

[09 Avensis 2.0 D4D Serbia]

Guys in Mr. T are quite friendly. They looked at it and as it was the first case they had, they are quite unsure how to approach it. They will send the pictures to main Mr. T Europe for advice. One of the arguments is that this metal could brake in case the door has been opened with force, or if the wind catches the door and opens it fully with force. For the moment, I will just wait and see... Of course, if you have any advice on how I should proceed, please let me know. Talking to other people, I also come to the conclusion that cars coming from UK are not so "Toyota"... This is a shame for them, as UK is not Africa, and the labor in UK is not "cheap and unskillful"! Similar rule applies to VW Germany vs. VW USA...

[JamesPond]

Hello,

I have a similar "rubber" noise coming from the left of the driver (LHD). At the workshop they tried to replace de window frame once and a seatbelt retainer on a second try. Nothing worked and the noise still sounds. Did anyone find out what is the source of it? Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Carlos

[ghosterror]

I have noticed that the 'new' avensis T27 have small wind deflectors on that little black triangle in front of the windows. Maybe thats a improvement for de generated wind noise...

[downtime]

I have noticed that the 'new' avensis T27 have small wind deflectors on that little black triangle in front of the windows. Maybe thats a improvement for de generated wind noise...

Same thing was already on later model T27 pre-facelift. Had one as a courtesy car.

Yes, it did have an effect on wind noise. It was much more subtle than on my car which did not have that black triangle thingy.

[adrian737]

Any news? Looks like ive got same issues

Thanks

[Duratec]

Hello,

I have the same issue with my 2010 avensis 1.8 petrol... Do you know if it's possible to repair at home this door cracked and at the same time find a solution for the noise of the rubber on the door when you take a road bump ? Thanks a lot

And what's the repair door toolkit ?

[avetoy]

I don´t know anything about repair door toolkit, never heard before.

Have you read this topic:

About noisy rubbers; this is not a repair but maybe elimination of symptoms:

you could lubricate those rubbers with silicon spray, for example. The noise should stop at least

for a moment...

[Konrad C]

Apart from the crack, which seems to not expanded much, since I put even larger washers on the drivers door, I do not have any noise. All the doors are properly aligned and close easily without resorting to slamming. I used silicon grease on all the rubber areas and where needed. 

No repair kit exists as far as I know, but anyone with enough skill can make their own, or a good welder could make a decent repair. Or source a decent door, preferably the same colour.