Corolla Dashboard Buzz & Disc Scoring

[ColinM]

I have just bought a brand new face-lifted 2004 Corolla 1.6 TSpirit manual. As expected, after some 2500 miles it is almost perfection, apart from the rain dripping into the car when the doors are opened. In fact, putting aside the shortfall of some 70 bhp, it is an overall improvement on my Rover 75 2.5 V6, a sad comment on the state of British car manufacture.

However, I have one irritating problem with the car. After some 20-30 miles, and once the car has warmed up, a loud buzzing/vibration is coming from behind the vertical dash/fascia, between the glovebox and central control panel/fascia. The noise disappears if hand pressure is applied to the dash at the source (?) of the noise. I have tightened everything behind the dash that is visible and accessible through the glovebox aperture, but to no effect. Any ideas anyone?

Also, one of the rear discs has a single light score around the disc that appeared after only a few miles. My dealer's comment is that this has been noticed on several new Corollas and is thought to be due to isolated hard particles in the disc pad material. They are happy to replace the disc if the scoring doesn't wear down, and after 2500 miles the scoring does appear to be reducing. Does anyone have experience of this happening? Is the scoring likely to wear away?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[pb5]

Hi Colin

My brake discs scored to a point when I got my T Sport, but they have not got any worse since the first few thousand miles (now at 15,000). So it might bed in ok.

The buzzing from the dash board area could be to do with the radio (in my case) or it's surround, it seems to be a very common problem. I've heard from a dealer that there is a anti rattle kit. I don't wether it would help you.

I'm replacing my radio with a completely different one so mine will mostly be cured (dash board anyway).

Still a few rattles to fix else were yet.

pb5

[ColinM]

Hi Colin

My brake discs scored to a point when I got my T Sport, but they have not got any worse since the first few thousand miles (now at 15,000). So it might bed in ok.

The buzzing from the dash board area could be to do with the radio (in my case) or it's surround, it seems to be a very common problem. I've heard from a dealer that there is a anti rattle kit. I don't wether it would help you.

I'm replacing my radio with a completely different one so mine will mostly be cured (dash board anyway). 

Still a few rattles to fix else were yet. 

pb5

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[toyota rally]

one of the rear discs has a single light score around the disc that appeared after only a few miles. My dealer's comment is that this has been noticed on several new Corollas and is thought to be due to isolated hard particles in the disc pad material. They are happy to replace the disc if the scoring doesn't wear down, and after 2500 miles the scoring does appear to be reducing. Does anyone have experience of this happening? Is the scoring likely to wear away?

←

my new TS had 300 miles and both my front disks scored. took it in to the people at toyota, new pads and disks not a problem. no cost :D

[System~G]

Slight scoring of the discs is normal. As Toyota have advised, it's due to particles in the pad material

Don't know about sorting the rattles. My company car is a 52 plate Rover that rattles like rattly thing. So I would agree with you about British car manufacture

* Gear knob rattles - the worst offender and replaced 3 times

* Passenger door rattles - only after the "Fixed" the problem of not being able to open it from inside or out.

* Drivers door rattles

* Steering colum or something metallic down there rattles

* Sun Roof rattles

* Dash board - intermittent rattle

* Boot doesn't shut easily

* Central locking - intermittent

* Currently replacing main beam headlights and brake lights monthly (no electrical faults found by main dealer)

You guys with new(ish) Toyotas - be happy it's not British built

[Twincam.GTi]

You guys with new(ish) Toyotas - be happy it's not British built

I thought some Toyotas are British built now? (Don't know which though?)

[System~G]

You guys with new(ish) Toyotas - be happy it's not British built

I thought some Toyotas are British built now? (Don't know which though?)

←

I think some are only assembled here. Although some panels may be manufactured in the UK.

Not entirely sure... But whichever, they are done with a lot more care and attention to detail than most British cars (Rover) :P

[Nick-Johnson]

The New Corolla is bulit here in the UK!

[System~G]

The New Corolla is bulit here in the UK!

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The whole lot? Panels/Engine/lights/Seats/interiors?

Do you know where in the country they are built? Which plants/facilities?

I deal with a number of automotive assemblers and manufacturers for work (Aston Martin, Rover, Jaguar, BMW, VW, Dailer Chrysler, etc...) and it would be interesting to know where the manufacturing plants are as I would like to talk to the Technical directors/managers of the plants (on a professional level of course... :P )

[pb5]

One Yaris I tried rattled very badly another was totally rattle free. Both built in France. I think sometimes it can be pot luck if you end up with a bad one or not. Ever heard of a Friday car?

pb5

[ColinM]

Thanks for the replies, comments and advice.

The disc score has all but disappeared now, after some 3000 miles, so the Toyota dealer wasn't telling porkies when he said it would probably disappear!

Still stuck with the irritating buzz/rattle from behind the dashboard though. The source seems to be behind the dash, just below the central left hand air vent (car is l.h.drive). It only starts up after about 30 miles. Disappears immediately while I press in the dash with my hand. Comes straight back when I remove my hand. Hard to believe that the dealership anti-rattle kit for the radio will cure it?? Any other experiences, ideas?

Otherwise, apart from the annoying rain water drips from the roof onto the seats when the door is opened, the car cannot be faulted. Glad I bought it!

[clinteastwood2nd]

Thanks for the replies, comments and advice.

The disc score has all but disappeared now, after some 3000 miles, so the Toyota dealer wasn't telling porkies when he said it would probably disappear!

Still stuck with the irritating buzz/rattle from behind the dashboard though. The source seems to be behind the dash, just below the central left hand air vent (car is l.h.drive). It only starts up after about 30 miles. Disappears immediately while I press in the dash with my hand. Comes straight back when I remove my hand. Hard to believe that the dealership anti-rattle kit for the radio will cure it?? Any other experiences, ideas?

Otherwise, apart from the annoying rain water drips from the roof onto the seats when the door is opened, the car cannot be faulted. Glad I bought it!

←

I have a new 2004 T3 Auto Corolla with just 5K on the clock. I noticed round marks on the passenger seat door side. I got some car shampoo and cleaned them off. Having read your post, this must be water marks from when the door gets opened. I couldn't figure out what is was.

Also, has anybody experienced pitting in the alloy wheels? After just 1000 miles, I noticed that the alloys were becoming pitted. Now that I have 5K on the clock, the pitting is seriously bad. Looks like poor alloy to me. The model I have is the T3 Auto Hatchback.

[hoppy]

corolla 03 reg this car rattles, driving me nuts, been back to mr t, stood and watched them take the car out to check, in the summer. WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN AND THE RADIO ON !

[MJG]

The New Corolla is bulit here in the UK!

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That is what I thought, but I specifically asked the salesman who took me for a test drive in the t-sport I pick up tommorrow afternoon and he was quite clear that they were made in Japan........

Is it possible some Corollas are UK made and some are from the far east????

[hoppy]

have a look on front windscreen, top left, made in u.k. or made in japan,mines made in the u.k. dont know if this goes for anything?

[mickandjanet]

have a look on front windscreen, top left, made in u.k. or made in japan,mines made in the u.k. dont know if this goes for anything?

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Made in Japan or UK , if the Vin No begins with the letter "J" it was made in Japan, this was discssed in previous posts.

[corsol]

Some parts are definitively made in EU:

My corolla is Made in UK, and here are some parts:

Front lights: Valeo

Air intake parts:Denso-Made in Spain

Instruments(speedm, tacho,...) : VDO

ABS:BOSCH

BRAKE PADS: Pagid

Brake system & seat belts: TRW

..........

..........

..........

and so on.......

[CTS03]

Thanks for the replies, comments and advice.

The disc score has all but disappeared now, after some 3000 miles, so the Toyota dealer wasn't telling porkies when he said it would probably disappear!

Still stuck with the irritating buzz/rattle from behind the dashboard though. The source seems to be behind the dash, just below the central left hand air vent (car is l.h.drive). It only starts up after about 30 miles. Disappears immediately while I press in the dash with my hand. Comes straight back when I remove my hand. Hard to believe that the dealership anti-rattle kit for the radio will cure it?? Any other experiences, ideas?

Otherwise, apart from the annoying rain water drips from the roof onto the seats when the door is opened, the car cannot be faulted. Glad I bought it!

←

You may see my comments in relevant topics. It is not just the radio and the adjacent vents. The only solution is to remove the dash and fix all the loose parts and their contacts.

[parker]

Talk about rattles...

The dashboard on my '99 Avensis rattles depending on temperature, humidity, and general mood. Whilst cleaning around the passenger footwell the heater vent fell out. When I tried to refit it, the next section came out in sympathy. On inspecting these parts it became obvious that they're designed to rattle, so I've given up worrying. I think the only advice I can think of is to inject cavity wall foam the day before you try to sell the car.

[db70]

In answer to the earlier post, all 3 and 5 door corollas for the european market are built in uk at TMMUK in derbyshire, and have been since 1998. The estate and saloon are built in Turkey. The 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 and new 1.4 D4D are built in North Wales. All the components are sourced from Europe. The Avensis (all variants) are also built at TMMUK. The Yaris is built in France, and the new Aygo is to be built in the Czech Republic, with the 1.0 engine to be made in Poland. The Corolla is also built in Japan for the home market, but it has the same front end as the saloon and estate, as has the American built Corolla. The replacement Corolla due next year will be built in 6 factories around the world, including UK. In April production at TMMUK is to raise to 285,000+ units per year!! Currently approx 500 cars are built each shift (days and nights).

Also on the subject of dash rattles, I had my top dash replaced due to heat warping, and the stereo almost falling out! The only rattle now is from the plastic surrounding the gear lever and the cigar lighter...it's just too flimsy!