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The guide can be found at http://www.carspace.com/guides/Toyota-Avalon-Rattle-Repairs
Text as follows:
A loose rolling object is moving from side to side below the driver’s seat.
These instructions are accurate as best as I can recollect. I performed this “repair” over a year ago, so some disassembly/reassembly details may not be 100% exact, but the overall method is correct.
Problem Description:
Sounds like a ball bearing, marble or similar. The rolling sound can be heard when turning corners or when the road changes angle or goes up an incline. When the rolling object hits an obstruction, the impact can be felt in the driver’s seat.
Repair: Estimated 2 – 3 hours.
The driver’s seat is mounted on a square hollow steel tube that runs transversely beneath the floor. The object is trapped in the cavity of this steel tube.
Various unsuccessful attempts were made to vacuum the object out, or to remove it using telescopically mounted magnets, however the object is very inaccessible in the tube. The following describes the method used to encapsulate and immobilize the object using expanding foam insulation. This may sound scary but it works and the relief is well worth it. Perform the procedure below with the vehicle on a level surface.
1. Obtain a can of “Great Stuff” Insulating Foam Sealant (Red can) from Home Depot, gloves and some children’s playdough.
2. Remove “AVALON” stainless steel/plastic scuff-plate from the lower aperture of the driver’s door. This is relatively easily done by initially using your fingers by prying the scuff plate upwards for the full length of the plate, and then GENTLY lifting it upwards using a screwdriver, so the plastic clips release from their retaining holes in the bottom of the door aperture. Don’t pull at an angle and be gentle otherwise the clips will break.
3. Move the carpet inwards from the door aperture and underneath the seat so the carpet can be more easily moved.
4. Power the driver’s seat forward and upwards to its fullest extent.
5. From the rear seat and behind the driver’s seat remove the plastic cover over the lower seatbelt anchor in the left door pillar by sliding it backwards.
6. Remove the bolt retaining the seatbelt anchor. Secure the seatbelt so it does not retract excessively into the inertia reel of the seatbelt mechanism. Warning: If it does retract excessively, it will be EXTREMELY difficult to release the seatbelt again without removing the inertia reel assembly.
7. Remove the lower plastic cover from the left door pillar. It is secured with plastic clips. This is also relatively easily done without breaking the plastic clips by prying the cover away starting from the bottom and then gently using a screwdriver to lever the cover away. It may not be necessary to completely remove the cover, but sufficiently to release the carpet.
8. Remove the plastic covers from the two mounting rails (left and right of the seat) behind the driver’s seat, exposing the bolts that secure the mounting rails to the floor of the vehicle.
9. Remove both bolts, one from each rail.
10. The carpet should allow some movement at this point. From the driver’s door, reach backwards below the carpet and you will feel the square transverse tube that the driver’s seat mounts on. There is a very small opening at the front of the tube where it meets the door pillar,
11. Plug the opening using the children’s playdough,
12. From the rear left door, reach forwards underneath the carpet and locate the transverse tube. There is a small opening at the back of the tube where it meets the door pillar.
13. Plug the opening using the children’s playdough,
14. From inside the vehicle behind the driver’s seat, reach under the driver’s seat through the hole in the carpet where the lower air vent protrudes and find the right-front of the tube where it meets the longitudinal tunnel where the console is mounted. Locate the small opening at the front of tube and plug the opening with playdough.
15. Tilt the driver’s seat upwards and forwards so the mounting rails are off the carpet. Position the carpet so that the boltholes (threads) in the floor that secure the mounting rails are visible and accessible.
16. WARNING: No smoking or exposed flame from this point on. Great Stuff fumes are inflammable when the product is being dispensed. Please read product warnings and directions.
17. Put on the gloves, place the straw nozzle of Great Stuff inside the bolthole and slowly discharge about 1/3 of the can into the cavity. WARNING: Great Stuff expands, so if too much is discharged, it will start to ooze out beneath the carpet and into the street and the rest of the neighborhood devouring everything in its path like the 1958 movie “The Blob”. The playdough should contain the foam within the tube below the floor, otherwise excessive foam should be quickly removed. Avoid getting foam on any carpet, fabric or leather surface. It is very sticky when wet, but when it dries it is becomes porous, semi-rigid foam, which can be cut away if necessary.
18. Quickly insert both bolts back into their threads and tighten to prevent the foam from escaping through them and also to prevent the threads from becoming contaminated with foam, which may make reassembly difficult.
19. After about 45 minutes the foam should be set. Remove the bolts and reassemble the seat anchors, door pillar cover, seatbelt and scuff plate.
20. The rolling object should now be encapsulated and immobilized in the foam.
Not that we get a lot of snow in New Jersey, but in the event you get stuck Trac will not let you "rock" the vehicle out. It just fights you. There is a way to disable it via an insane list of commands and I keep a copy in the glovebox just in case.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
There is a real danger in that at a yield as you drop to the 5 to 7 mph range the transmission disengages and you are essentially in neutral for about 2 to 4 seconds. As you depress the accelerator the RPM's rev up but the transmission fails to engage. After the beads of sweat begin to emerge and the knuckles begin to turn white the transmission engages and away you go. This usually happens when the Tach hits about 1850 to 2000 RPM. So till they get it right or issue a service bulletin for a correction, beware of the dreaded 5 - 7 mph dead zone (unless you like cheap thrills) and drive accordingly.
Bob
Thank You for any response>
There is a website 1st.toyota.com, try that first.
It is 1st.toyotaparts.com but I did a search with what I gave you just for Ha Ha's, it was the second site on the list. Most search engines will give you at least 100 or more examples if you are even close, try it. See below.
2. 1st Toyota Parts - Discount Toyota Parts & Accessories below wholesale
1st Toyota Parts - 1st for Price, Service, & Selection! Home. OEM Parts Catalog ... To help us achieve this goal, please include your VIN number when ...www.1sttoyotaparts.com/partscat.html - 37k - Cached - More from this site
Good luck!
ange
We have also owned an Accord and Maxima. Both excellent vehicles- particularly the Maxima if you enjoy spirited driving. I wouldn't recommend you buy the Avalon given Toyota's cavalier attitude to our issues.
Prior Avalons had a gel issue with oil in certain years, and other problems of all types posted here on Edmunds. But I am on my third Avalon ('07 Limited), owned one of each prior generation. Never had a real problem to discuss, they were near flawless to 90k miles.
Take a looooong test drive in the actual car you might purchase before you buy. See what happens. See how you fit in the seat, how it rides, shifts, corners, stops.. everything. My wife and kid both drive V6 Accords. Great cars, but I like the Avalon for size and comfort. Good luck in the search......
Cj
By the way, I am the one who had the oil leak part ordered for nearly three months. I finally wrote the president of Toyota in Japan and shortly thereafter did I not only get a personal phone call and my car fixed, but they reimbursed me for a plane ticket I had bought because I didn't want to drive my car on a trip to Louisiana with an oil leak. So, go to the top with your problems. It helps.
Thank you
Cj disgruntled 2006 Avalon Limited owner
NWBLIZZARD
The dealer says , Not any more. Is this true.
Best of luck to you, 9119911 - keep us posted.
Hope this helps.
Got a quote of $32,700 for limited w/o nav, xls $29,800 w/o nav. All VSC & heated seats. Do you get that much more in a limited to mak it worth the 2,500.difference?please pas it on if you're not up on recent purchases, I'm new to Forum.
Thanks
AR
Good luck,
Cj
In two prior editions we bought the XL, not XLS. This time the more expensive model w/NAV won out. Glad we did it. Prior cars were near perfect at 90k and trade-in. With 6k miles on the clock the '07 is perfect so far. Good luck..
Comments please.
Good Luck,
Cj