[RedNOSceli]

I don't know if this is the same sound anyone else has been getting, but Ive had this damn buzzing/rattling sound when the engine revs about 3 or 4k for months, so it would buzz away while driving down the road....Well, last night It got to me and I started tearing out the interor and glove box....I pulled out the entire glove box, and the center consol and the plastic kick pannel that runs along the door and no luck..only got louder... cause less stuff in the way....It sounded like it was comming from the floor almost, I pulled back the carpet and pulled up the rubber matting on the floor and still no luck!

Keep in mind that I have to hold down the gas with a 5 foot poll and stick my head down under the dash to try and isolate it. Anyway....Long story short I pulled the entire AC blowerm motor and the big ass plastic thing it bolts into and there were two AC lines that come through the firewall with a rubber-foam coating that were buzzing. I just kinda adjusted them and no more buzzing....Might want to try this...

 

[optimus_805]

nice!

 

[LoCore]

Keep in mind that I have to hold down the gas with a 5 foot poll and stick my head down under the dash to try and isolate it. Anyway....Long story short I pulled the entire AC blowerm motor and the big ass plastic thing it bolts into and there were two AC lines that come through the firewall with a rubber-foam coating that were buzzing. I just kinda adjusted them and no more buzzing....Might want to try this...

Good find! Do you think the lines could be adjusted from the engine compartment, or are we going to have to dismantle as much as you did?

 

[a1even]

so the buzzing literally drove you crazy..

 

[actollinger]

Similiar problem

Would it make a rattling noise if the car was in neutral and you reved up the engine slowly? My car seems to be making a similiar noise:
I have a 2001 Celica GT-S 6 speed with 32K miles on it. The belt
tensioner has been repaced twice already due to chirping noises coming
from the engine compartment. This fixed the chirping noise. After I
took the car in for a 30,000 mile check up, I noticed a rattling noise
that sounds like something is loose on the engine. It makes this
noise from about 900-2000 rpms in neutral and in gear (rattling more if increasing the rpms
from 900-2000). I can only seem to be able to hear the noise while
sitting inside my car. If I pop the hood and try to listen to it, I
can't hear the rattling noise. Is it possible that this could be the
exhaust, or maybe the timing chain? It seems like I would be able to
hear it while standing outside of the car if it was engine related.

Does this description sound anything like the rattle your car was making? I don' t notice a buzzing noise, just a rattling noise. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Andy

 

[RedNOSceli]

its definatly more of a buzzing

 

[hybridpower]

Yes! I've got that same problem! You are my new hero!
Like someone asked, do you think it could be fixed from the engine side?

 

[WyseOne]

I would also like to know if this can be fixed from the engine side.
My car is going in tommorow along with this thread to get it fixed however I would rather them not take everything apart if it cvan be done from the engine side I may just do it myself.

 

[B1mmer]

I have the same problem. I've known for a long time (prior to this discussion) that the two AC lines were causing it. The dealership told me what it was, but I didn't complain enough to get it fixed under the bumper to bumper warranty.

The reason it's caused is simple. I'm betting that everyone that has the problem, also had their belt tensioner changed under warranty. In order to remove the tensioner, you need to bend the hard lines to the AC out of the way. If you had a technician that wasn't careful, they didn't bend them back to the original status... thus, a vibration.

Some people have been able to fix theirs from the engine bay, just by moving around the AC lines by pulling/pushing them different ways. (They are hard lines, so be careful). Unfortunately, mine wasn't one of them. I did as RedNOSceli did, and removed the glovebox and fan blower to access them from the cabin. Using my golf putter, I modulated the throttle, and moved the lines around to get rid of it. After 3 hours of it, I couldn't get it to go away. I even checked some other usual suspects like the stereo amplifier (which resides in to the right of the glovebox) and other odds and ends. I've order a mechanics stethoscope from Harbor freight, and hopefully will be able to pinpoint the source of the vibration. I still suspect the AC lines, but for the life of me, can't find the vibration. I even removed the sound proofing material around the lines at the interior connection to see if it was coming from the internal mount, and it wasn't. Putting that goo back on was entertaining.

I'll let you guys know what I find out after I get the stethoscope. - AB

 

[WyseOne]

Just got back from the dealer with the thread in hand, here is the solution.

BTW I never got my tensioner replaced so this was not caused by that.

They traced the rattle from the under the dash (pulled glovebox) and it ended up comming from the exact hard AC lines in question.
You would not beleive how easy this is to fix from under the hood, do me a favour and if you have this annoying rattle give this a shot, its quick.

Look under the hood and right were the windsheild washer bottle is you will see one of the AC hard lines running directly beside it, all you need to do is pull it away from touching the bottle and the rattle will be gone. That is the source of this gawd awefull noise.

 

[WyseOne]

Forgot to mention that there was a Toyota service rep in the dealership when my car was in and they documented and snapped pictures, the rep then placed a call to Toyota Canada (I am in Canada) to get a TSB started on this problem and apparently Toyota admits to getting alot of calls on this specific problem from other dealers that were unable to find the cause. They are aware that there are plenty of others with the same problem and I confirmed that by telling them that there are alot of complaints on all of the Forums I visit. They also kept the copy of the printout I took of this thread that I gave them.

 

[B1mmer]

Just got back from the dealer with the thread in hand, here is the solution.

BTW I never got my tensioner replaced so this was not caused by that.

They traced the rattle from the under the dash (pulled glovebox) and it ended up comming from the exact hard AC lines in question.
You would not beleive how easy this is to fix from under the hood, do me a favour and if you have this annoying rattle give this a shot, its quick.

Look under the hood and right were the windsheild washer bottle is you will see one of the AC hard lines running directly beside it, all you need to do is pull it away from touching the bottle and the rattle will be gone. That is the source of this gawd awefull noise.

Sorry WyseOne, but this didn't fix it. If it was just the hard line hitting the wiper fluid bottle, I certainly would have noticed it. Thanks for trying. - AB (hoping the mechanic's stethoscope comes today)

 

[LoCore]

Sorry WyseOne, but this didn't fix it. If it was just the hard line hitting the wiper fluid bottle, I certainly would have noticed it. Thanks for trying. - AB (hoping the mechanic's stethoscope comes today)

I haven't had a chance to try moving the AC hard line(s) around, but think B1mmer is on the right track with the belt tensioner replacements making the problem more likely.

Looking back at my records, I started noticing the buzz shortly after having the BT replaced. Can't prove anything yet though.

If the hard line(s) were moved around by the BT replacement, I"m guessing the buzz could be coming from *anywhere* the lines run--be it near the washer bottle, the firewall pass-through, or even beyond the firewall into the cabin.

For those of you running into this problem, does the buzz change or disappear if you either 1) open the glovebox OR 2) hold the glovebox closed while it is latched?

 

[WyseOne]

Sorry but I was there when he fixed it...

The problem was 3000RPM and above it sounded like a bag of marbles being shakek under the glove box and I have never had the tensioner replaced, as a matter of fact nothing was done to the car.

 

[B1mmer]

WyseOne, we aren't doubting that your situation was fixed that way... I think a lot of us have a very similar buzzing/rattle that was caused by the movement of the lines during the belt tensioner replacement.

I got my mechanic's stethescope in the mail yesterday, so I'll be pulling it apart very soon to diagnose exactly where it's coming from in my car. - AB

 

[LoCore]

Experiment #1 Results

I checked the AC hard lines to see if anything was obviously loose at the firewall. Tried to move them around, but they were snug.

I did however notice that the smaller of the two hardlines was no longer connected to a clip under the left side engine plastics. I pushed the hardline back into the clip, but it didn't want to fit there very well.

I also noticed that the pushpin holding the left side engine plastics was very loose; the top of the plastic cover was free to move around, and rub against the small AC hard line.

SO, I grabbed a shop rag on just stuffed it between the engine plastic and the AC hard line, then went for a spin.

I was not able to reproduce the buzz!

At the point, I can't say if the rag was simply dampening/restricting movement of the A/C hard line OR if the AC hard line was buzzing against the engine plastic OR if the engine plastic itself is the source causing the noise.

 

[LoCore]

Experiment #2

Removing the shop rag results in the rattle re-appearing. So my rattle/buzz was not due to the A/C line not being clipped in.

Current suspicion: the engine plastics or the A/C line against the engine plastics.

 

[nocarbon]

Solution

Thank you so much! I did not have my tensioner replaced and the car (2001 GT 5spd 50k mi) was making that racket. This worked wonderfully. Thanks again!

 

[Speedemon]

hhmm...i'm having the same problem with my GT...i'll try it this weekend.

Thanks!!

 

[snowcrash]

Is this a metalic sound you guys are experiencing? I have has a metalic vibration comming from the engine compartment for about 3 weeks now. I thought I might have a bent valve. It only occurs under deceleration at mid to low RPMs and on acceleration at mid RPMs.

TIA

Snow