Annoying Noise, Any Suggestions What It Might Be.

[Nallen132]

HI all got a 2010 Avensis Saloon, when going over some bumps in the road, there is a, what I can only describe as a sort of clicking sound coming from the area of rear passenger C pillar, Have emptied the boot and everything below the boot floor, checked the seats are seated properly, seats belts secured. but its still there.

any suggestions of what else to check for.. I know its a bit vague, but its one of the annoying sounds...

[gazza1286]

Filler flap?

[Merlin 01]

Hello I can tell you exactly what this is, Toyota has a manufacturing problem with the spot welding in the steel framework of the saloon and they won’t admit to it.

I keep being told that my car was a one off.

My first car went in to the dealer 5 times to try and fix this loud noise; in the end the Toyota field engineer reported a spot weld or metal work failure in the rear shelf, it spent 3 x weeks off the road having the shelf cut out and a whole new one welded in not acceptable on a car that was 7 x months old. After a further 4 trips back to the dealer to rectify problems caused by stripping the car down to that level, the dealer decided to replace my car for another T4 saloon. Now my 11 plate has exactly the same problem coming from the same place, loud cracking and ticking worse during the cold months.

I posted a forum report a few months ago and I am in the process of rejecting the car, unfortunately before I can take legal action the car will have to be confirmed faulty so it’s in the dealer again next week, I aim to walk away from Toyota and a year of pain and stress.

Think carefully before you let them keep stripping down the car, if you can try and get rid.

I have also had a faulty drive belt and my rear alloys are also showing signs of rust as well.

Oh and if you phone Toyota Customer services for support they will tell you “that’s what the warranty is for”

Good luck i will let you know how i get on as regard to rejecting etc.

[Nallen132]

Thanks for the info Greg, I see we are both from Nottingham area, I havent approached the dealer yet, as want to eliminate anything silly that it might be.

I can imagine that the sound could be metal parts moving against each other, have you been dealng with Inchcape?

[Merlin 01]

Hi, my dealer is Listers in Grantham, my car is in today as the regional engineer has got engineers from the factory with him looking at it.

I will let you know their outcome, It's upto you but i would get it reported the more owners that report the same fault then Toyota will know they have a problem!!

[Merlin 01]

The story just gets better, Toyota have confirmed a “defect” and want to return the car to the factory. I won’t accept this and still want to reject the car, the service I received yesterday from customer relations was shocking no empathy towards my situation or acknowledgment of my investment into many Toyota vehicles, and they weren’t interested or wouldn’t talk about the previous car with the same fault. This is in the hands of Toyota finance now and they have 5-10 days to investigate.

[Nallen132]

A very difficult position to be in. will have one last check of mine this weekend before i raise it with dealer..

keep us upto date with progress,

Anyone else suffering from this?

[Nallen132]

Well. Emptied the car of everything including the spare wheel, noise still there, worse when the seats are down...

Will book it into dealer and see what happens..

[cabcurtains]

The story just gets better, Toyota have confirmed a “defect” and want to return the car to the factory. I won’t accept this and still want to reject the car, the service I received yesterday from customer relations was shocking no empathy towards my situation or acknowledgment of my investment into many Toyota vehicles, and they weren’t interested or wouldn’t talk about the previous car with the same fault. This is in the hands of Toyota finance now and they have 5-10 days to investigate.

Is this defect dangerous or just annoying?

[Merlin 01]

Very annoying, you can hear it over the radio, it's a constant loud cracking noise, it doesn't stop and drives the rear passengers crazy !!

[cabcurtains]

Very annoying, you can hear it over the radio, it's a constant loud cracking noise, it doesn't stop and drives the rear passengers crazy !!

Let us all know how you get on with TUK.

[jedi134]

I wonder if its ncap crash rating should be reviewed, as a main structureral part of the car has detached its self, making the structure weaker in a rear end accident.

See what Toyota say then?

[Merlin 01]

Hi all, well I had an argument with customer relations, they showed no interest in the pattern of 2 x cars with the same fault, they want to take the car back to the factory, I have wrote to Jon Williams the TGB CEO, the reply back was we need to be given a chance to repair the “defect” it’s not a critical fault on the car and doesn’t effect the structure, but you do have a point!!! Toyota didn’t even mention the previous problems, all they are interested in is taking the current car back to the factory, put me in a loan car and that’s it “ we are sorry”.

So once again they believe it’s acceptable as a Customer for the second time for the new car to be driven to Derby, stripped down at the rear to the metal work, the boot the trim, seats, the rear window, and the old metal work be grinded and cut out and a new shelf welded in, bang the car back together and there you are here’s your new car back.

Currently I have declined this route so it’s in the hands of Toyota finance now before I go down the litigation route.

[petemc]

Hi Nallen, Have replied to Merlins orig post, its not just the sallon, my tourer had the same prob its in the tailgate with the tourer. Toyota tell me its not a known fault?

[Merlin 01]

Hello all...

Sorry i have just seen these post's,

I cant open the link?

Well the current situation is still not very good at all, Toyota finance will not back up my rejection and I can’t afford the litigation costs if I loose in court, so I agreed for the car to go back to the factory. I was then told that the car can’t go back to the factory because I didn’t act upon their request straight away, so I now have to go through the body shop option again.

I am now in a situation where my car still hasn’t been repaired, I have had numerous heated calls to the case team manager at customer relations, and the next stage now is that the field engineer is meeting me at the dealership on Monday 16^th so I can discuss my concerns, at this stage they are giving me a hire car and my car will be stripped down again, technical teams will once again visit the car from the factory and then decide on how the car will be repaired.

Nobody at Toyota will acknowledge that I have been through this before with my previous car and that I didn’t want to accept this again, I was told “ I should draw a line in the sand and move on” and “ I should comply with the warranty repairs” is it acceptable to experience this twice? They have no compassion or empathy to my situation, even the MD is not interested in replying to my concerns and experience.

A certain car magazine has shown an interest in my story !!

Nallen how are you getting on?

[Nallen132]

My Car is booked in with Nottingam Inchape toyota on Monday 16th for them to investiagte...

[Merlin 01]

Hi, see how you get on let me know if you can?

That's the same day I have mine in and the meeting with the Toyota field engineer.

[Merlin 01]

Hi, see how you get on let me know if you can?

That's the same day I have mine in and the meeting with the Toyota field engineer.

[PriusAvensis]

Hi all. Sorry to hear of all your problems. I am now on my 10th Toyota. All fab cars. Drive a 2012 Avensis with 10k already and no problem with build quality. My wife always wanted to drive a Badge and I got her Audi, BMW and Saab over the years and all caused problems, many problems in the first year. The BMW was the worst and the dealer there was soooooo BAD as there is limited dealers in Ireland.

I had a 2.0 diesel model like yours also and had no such problem.

A year ago convinced my wife to go Toyota and she went for a new Prius. What an amazing car. I have hear so many bad stories about other manufacturers and am very surprised Toyota are not trying to satisfy you.

Best of luck.

[Nallen132]

HI all

Great news, got the car back and the noise has gone.

booked it on monday, they had an initial look then asked me to bring it back on the wednesday. car was ready on thursday morning. service manager said there was a spot weld issue that had now been resolved. so if you have metallic clicking, creaking sound from the passenger c pillar, it could be the spot weld issue..

I am happy with what has been done and the speed at which it has been fixed,

well done toyota..

[petemc]

Hi Nick, great news for you, looks like they are learning from there mistakes and know how to put the problem right.

[Merlin 01]

Hello all...

Well to end the on going story, Toyota are aware of this issue and it's weld splatter in between the panels in the rear shelf, this can now be fixed by prising these panels apart and flicking the splatter out, a team from the factory solved this issue and i understand that other owners cars have now been fixed in this manner, including Nick's in the other post, my car was fixed straight away but they kept it for a few more days to test it. The noise has gone and the car is once again nice and quiet, I have come to an agreement with Toyota on a goodwill offering due to my whole experience, I am happy so far but I will see how I get on before I say my faith in the brand and the car has been restored.

[nottsrob]

Hi guys Nick and Gregg.

Just wondered if the cracking / creaking noise was still ok....(i was part of the Toyota UK Engineering team that fixed the issue).