Toyota Camry Hybrid Rattles, Bumps, & Squeaks

downwind

When starting from a dead stop, my new TCH begins in silent/smooth battery mode, but almost immediately I experience a faint rumble, akin to going over a set of small washboard bumps or a cattle guard. I've duplicated this over and over in every attempt to repeat it, BUT it only happens immediately prior to the gas engine kicking in. If I am careful to keep it at a crawl, utilizying the battery alone, this does not happen, and then when accelerating from this crawl it also does not occur when the gas engine kicks in. It is so subtle, that my wife had to point it out to me, but now I am sensitive to it as well. I would be real curious to find out if anyone else is experiencing this.

downwind

I thought my previous post would have all you TCH people scrambling with curiosity to see if your vehicles experienced this anamoly. My e-mail to Toyota says they could not help and to contact my dealer for an inspection, which I will do, but I would sure like to know if anyone else experiences this. I speculate it is the gas engine kicking in - I don't know if it needs a starter since the car is already in motion, but SOMETHING needs to kick in the engine.

sibbald

Finally today I drove a TCH which the dealer has for test drives. It is not for sale and every other TCH coming in is sold. My wait here is 2 to 3 months but at least I drove the car and absolutely loved it! I noticed the rumble you both described every time from a stop light. It is not a problem for me and certainly not a deal killer. The transition between systems is seamless at speed and only noticeable from a dead start. I am wondering if this is just the nature of the beast?

Cheers from Victoria BC Tom

alc13

I picked up my car last night so I don't have a lot of experience with it but -- I have definitely noticed the rumble. To me, the rumble feels like when you don't give enough gas to a manual transmission. I went from thinking it was a problem to thinking it was normal behavior for this car when I noticed tonight that the rumble was gone. So it may be transient. I am very interested to hear from other readers on this. Otherwise I am very pleased with the car. As sibbald wrote, it is only noticeable from a dead start.

wvgasguy

I thought my previous post would have all you TCH people scrambling with curiosity to see if your vehicles experienced this anamoly.

I hesitated to respond to this since what seems an anamolity to one is insignificant to another. Previous postings have talked about a "lurch" on the interstate at high speeds. Does my car lurch? No. But I do sence when the engine kicks on and off. If you simply go by what it "feels" like you may want to call it a lurch, however the car is moving smoothly, there is just some vibrations to be felt.

As for your rumble. It indeed may be a problem, however, I don't know how you were trying to accelerate. If you were really taking it easy trying to take off under battery power alone then you may be at the point where it's borderline if you will have the engine kick on. Your slow speed merely highlights the fact of when the engine does kick on. Were you to go ahead and accelerate to say 20 mph and immediately let off the gas to go to EV mode then you will have the same sensation I believe, but it will occur more rapidly in succession and probably not as noticable. If you have a NAV system watch the energy screen as you do this and see what is happening with the ICE. My understanding is that the "starter" for these spins the engine at 1000 rpm. I can see where trying to start the engine while creeping may cause some "rumble"

Again, what's a rumble to one person sounds like the engine starting to another. I believe the slower you are going the more you will notice this. If I am "gliding" through town on EV and the engine kicks on at 20 mph, it is more noticable to me than when it kicks on and off at say 50 mph.

Unless you are on very flat, or down sloped terrain when you start out it will be seldom that you can start out with just battery power alone. I believe you indeed can in a lot of cases (I have), but the people behind you won't like it. It takes a lot of torque to start a 36oo# mass from a dead stand still and accelerate it. Unless you (and the people behind you) are patient you'll want your ICE kicking on most of the time and then you can let off in just a second or two once rolling.

If you don't think the "rumble" is very noticable at speed and your ICE kicks in and out normally as you lift your foot from the accelerator (watch the screen) then I don't think you have a problem.

I don't know how many miles you have on yours yet, but I'm over 4000 and I have yet to discover just what all the (subtle) noises are.

lmcummin

I have 300 miles on my TCH and I've always noticed the faint rumble from a dead start. I believe that it's the gas kicking in and I've come to accept the mild vibration.

droid13

My two cents says that it sounds to me like you're experiencing a perfectly normal situation (of course, I'm not sitting in your car to say for sure). When I cause my ICE to start when leaving a stopped position, yes there is a faint rumble or vibration. The engine is being requested to come to life and provide power from a 0 rpm state while no other momentum is available (in a conventional car, the ICE is already idling at 600rpm or higher). When the ICE starts during driving at speed I find the start is completely smooth, but I think there is an advantage in that the powertrain already has some rotational momentum that dampens/assists getting the ICE spinning.

cgi101

Although I am not a TCH owner myself, I am in the market for one, and have test driven three different TCH's over the past month, here in Canada. Each weekend I visited the dealership, the previous model I had test driven had sold!

Anyways, on all three toyota camry hybrids, I did notice a faint rumble every time I started off from a dead start. During one test drive, the sales person told me this was the gas engine kicking in... so it seems pretty normal if you ask me!

newnotch

I just picked up my new Camry yesterday and I noticed it during the test drive and now in the operation of my new TCH. I am going to call the service department and check to see if it might be a situation that requires a nominal adjustment. The "rumble" feel like a car that has some fuel supply issues so I guess it stands to reason that when transitioning to the gasoline power, there might be a slight lag.

Does anyone havea rattle in the sunroof when open and driving in excess of 40 mph? I notice one that is annoying me so I need to take it in anyway.

Other than that, this is a fabulous car that I am very, very happy with.

newnotch

Just got off the phone with service and he suggested that I bring it by and let them check it out. He felt like if it was anything, we might be detecting a slight lag in the fuel system (some intelligent fuel suply feature.) He indicates that it if that is off, it could simply be remedied by a minor adjustment. I will post after going in Saturday.

tomjc

Yes, when the traffic light turns green and you hit the gas you will notice a very slight lag, and a little rumble as the gas engine (ICE) comes to life to provide the power to accelerate. After a few seconds look in your rear view mirror and if you see most of the other cars are way behind you, you’ll know there's no fuel supply issue!
You’ll notice the slight rumble when your backing up and the ICE turns on. Also, you may notice the slight rumble when the ICE shuts down as you let off the gas pedal.

The first time I drove a TCH it didn’t seem to have much power, which scared the crap out of me since I had already bought it! Well, it turns out my foot was low on the gas pedal and I wasn’t getting any leverage on it. The position of the gas pedal was different than that of my Expedition, so for the first few weeks I had make sure my foot was squarely on the gas pedal with the ball of my size 13 foot near the top of the pedal.

jjfcincy

Anyone experiencing a rattle in the air conditioning when it is first turned on. Also sounds like another rattle coming from somewhere else in center console but can't pinpoint where is is coming from. Didn't notice the rattles until had about 2200 miles. Now have 3300.

primo2

i did hear a rattle from the a/c once...have not heard it again...there is a rattle in the center console that i am going to have checked out on thursday...mine comes when tch is in drive, if i pull the shifter to the left, it stops as long as keep pressure on the shifter...doesn't always work...it's quite annoying...will post results on thursday

grg

looking forward to your reply, I like the quiet of the TCH and that rattle is annoying...
g

grako

I am also having an annoying rattle in the console area, usually on rougher roads, between 30-40 mph. It seems to be in the area of the gear shift/drink holder area. I have just 1000 miles on the car and it has only recently started to get more frequent.

Looking forward to anyone who has had this serviced.

redmazda3

My wife's TCH has the rattle in the center A/C vents. It is the part of the vent that turns from side to side. Apparently some of the slats are slightly loose causing a rattling noise when the A/C fan is at its highest setting. The service department has ordered a new vent and I'll let you know if this fixes it.

primo2

i took my TCH to dealer on thursday, they could hear the squeaks from the shifter area, they lubricated it...i am going to give it until next monday...on my way to California...a new squeak from the center console reared it's ugly head...if i put pressure on the right side of console pressing to the left, it stops...but i then need 3 hands...one to drive...the other to pressure the console and the third to play with the nav system...i will let you know if i make any headway with the squeak...i will not give up on this

grako

I am set to take mine in on Monday. I have the same issue. If I hold the top of the console down at the front, between the gears and the dashboard side, it stops. I think it's a sympathetic vibration at certain speeds as well as when the road is not perfectly smooth. Otherwise, the car is great, but I agree, when the rest of the car is so quiet, this really can get on your nerves.

pgrokkos

Love my car, had it for 1k so far. I've got a small rattle that I hear from the AC at max output which I will probably ask them about at the 5k oil change. But it seems like others have posted that its typical and may actually go away as the car warms up from a cold start.

But hear is my main point on this post. I'm not sure if I expect to much but I think the wind noise is higher than I'd like and I'm not sure if I have a real problem. At 60 or so on the highway, I definitely hear outside wind noise. I have crained my neck all over to try and see if its any actual leak or whistle and it does not seem to be anything specific coming from a window or door on the driver side - I haven't had an opportunity to check passenger side but it doesn't seem to be a problem. It just seems that the car is relatively quiet but with no ac and radio off, you definitely hear the wind. Seems like most people feel the car if very quiet. Can anyone comment on whether they mean that the engine and operation is quiet, which I agree, or whether they mean the ride is silent at highway speed. I know its an unfair comparison but a high end car like a lexus is definitely silent even at highway speed. I guess I shouldn't expect that - but if others think its comparable and silent, then maybe just my car has a problem that I need to get looked into.

terry92270

In most any car you will hear some outside wind noise.

If you want near silence, at $90,000+ Mercedes is an excellent choice. Notice that the glass in the Mercedes is nearly 1/2 an inch thick!

I think you are dwelling on a small thing, maybe...

wvgasguy

I have not notice wind noise as much as road noise. That is with the tires running on concrete and the noise coming into the cabin. I wish they has added even more soundproofing than what they did.

I did have my window down the other day while backing out of my garage and was surprised at how many "unfamiliar" or nontraditional noises this thing makes. I'm not sure some of the rattles and noises I hear while driving are squeeks and rattles but rather actually just all the gee-wizardry going on under the hood and some of that makes it back into the cabin. Obviously it was a concern for Toyota or they would not have made the windshield thicker.

terry92270

I would suggest you start using your radio or CD player, and the whole thing will go away.

Kirstie_H

Pump up the volume

I wonder if better tires would make a noticeable difference?

terry92270

I've never heard of tires effecting the sound system, Kirstie, but anything is worth a try! :P

Seriously, if the tires are a bit overly inflated, they could cause a bit harsher ride, making for some additional squeaks and thunks.

wvgasguy

if the tires are a bit overly inflated, they could cause a bit harsher ride

This thing is sprung so softly I can't imagine solid tires making it rough

headmaret

Do not despair!! Yes....the wind noise is bad and no....it cannot be easily masked with the radio. It is at least twice as loud as from my 06 Sienna. Last week, got a Corolla loaner. The Corolla was quieter at 80 mph than the Camry at 60 mph. The hybrid may have a Cd of less than 0.3, but Toyota has certainly made some compromises in wind noise level.

jbollt

I found that after I had my windows tinted, the tint shop had left the rubber at the bottom of each door window on the inside of the car ...folded down. They do this to aid in getting the tint on all the way inside the door panel. They told me to leave it this way for 2 days, then i could either pull it back up, or they would for me.

Is it possible that this is the case on your car? Also check the rubber weatherstrips all around each window for folded or bent sections. My brother in law bought a new Avalon, and one part was folded under glass on the drivers door. Rolled the window down, and unfolded it, and ran the winodow back up. Now it is fine.

tsy

Our TCHs have special glass windshields to decrease noise. This is not a compromise on wind noise. I think you have something wrong and need to get it fixed. Perhaps the window was not installed correctly.

This car is quiet on the freeway. I have taken the car (briefly) up to some high speeds and haven't noticed any significant wind noise.

good luck.

tom

flopshot

I would agree that the TCH (and 07Camry in general) does have more wind/road noise at highway speeds than other cars. But it is still very good level for a car in this price range. You cannot compare the wind/road noise of a $27k car against a Lexus or Cadillac. My 99CaddySTS with 19" 45-profile tires was much more quiet at 90mph than the TCH with stock tires is at 65mph, and you didn't even hear any wind in the STS, but the price of the car was double.

heathinsd

I'm having the same problem with my center console! It was fine until I popped out the little "doors" for the iPod cables to come through the right side of the console. Since then, its been squeeking like crazy when I drive. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one this is happening to.

I did take it all apart when I installed my XM Radio kit but that seemed to have only made it worse. hehe. Guess I won't tell the dealership about that when I take it in to get the squeeking looked at.

primo2

hey heathinsd...it's been over a week since i took tch to dealer...the squeak was not noticeable after 7 days...so far so good...was thinking about have the xm installed...glad to hear you did it yourself...i would be interested to know what your dealer says...please post the outcome of your visit

driverdrew

I just picked my Camry Hybrid up today and noticed the same slight rumble on initial start off. What did the dealer say? I am interested to know. Thanks.

umpire63

After 3,000 miles, I have the same squeak near the cup holders. Let me know what your dealers did.

flopshot

The slight rumble during a full start is normal, it happens on every TCH. This is the transmission trying to balance the ICE with the electric motor as it engages.

kc_rusty

I have the same apparent rattle -- If I hold the right vertical wing just in front of the cup holdes seems to quiet the rattle - dealer stated he didn't hear anything. Let us know what the dealer did. thanks

primo2

after the dealer lubricated the squeak in the shifter area, i noticed the one on the side of the cup holder...but that seems to have gone away with the squeak in the shifter area...i am keeping my ears open...it's been a week since the squeaking has stopped

redmazda3

The dealer installed some felt pieces around the vertical wings and under the plastic pieces around the shift knob on my wife's TCH. So far this has stopped the squeaking.

lungdoc63

The dealer installed some felt pieces around the vertical wings and under the plastic pieces around the shift knob on my wife's TCH. So far this has stopped the squeaking.

My dealer offered the same solution, but I didn't want them to take out to whole panel. Did they take abunch of panel apart to install the felt?

rumba1

There is an easy fix for the squeak in the central console on the greenhybrid forum, with detailed DIY instructions. Go to: http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/squeaking-in-the-center-console.7908.html?pag- - e=3&pp=10

kc_rusty

I just did the aforementioned fix using the felt pads and so far I believed it worked. Had a little trouble removing the vertical wings (cockpit problem) I was grabbing the wing to far to the rear. Once I figured that out a was a piece of cake --- If u have the squeak - try it - you'll like it

heathinsd

That's a great idea. I'll have to give it a try. My squeaking isn't coming from under the gearshift though. It's coming from the inside-right side of the storage compartment. If I place my hand inside the storage compartment and press (pretty hard) towards the right, it stops.

I may still take the storage compartment out and try placing a few of the felt tabs around to see what happens. :-)

Thanks again!

terry92270

Or perhaps some expanding-foam insulating spray...

redmazda3

The squeak is back. The dealer's fix did not keep it quit completely. The squeak that is there now is much less than before, but you can still hear it over the radio. I am now going to look into doing it myself using the method described at greenhybrid.com.

grako

I recently fixed the center console with felt pads after my dealer's felt tape failed to stop that rattle. Now I notice that either the windows are rattling in the doors when the car hits a bump, or the outside door handles are vibrating. Has anyone had that problem and found the cause?
Thanks

tsy

I've been trying to find the source of that door rattle. I'm wondering if it's the rubber trim rubbing and making the noise, or if it's something inside the door.

Where did you put the felt pads to stop the console squeak? I'm trying to find the source of that noise also!

I haven't taken my car back to the dealer yet but usually they don't fix the noises and I end up fixing them myself anyway.

tom

scottgb

I've got a rattle in my driver's door window that I only hear when going over bumps.
I brought it back to the dealer, and they said they cleaned out the window track and lubricated the weather stripping. That took care of it for a day, it's back again.
If I lower the driver's door window a little bit, the rattle goes away. I'll probably bring it back to the dealer when I have time.

jacqo711

Yes, I have the same exact issue. It's not terrible, but any kind of vibration means friction and wear-and-tear. I'll be complaining about it in my first 5K checkup.

grako

I think message 37 or 39 on this site gives the link to the console fix. I used felt pads that are used on the bottom of chair and table legs. Seems to have worked so far.

kc_rusty

Minor update - I used felts pads I bought at Costco and I thing they were thicker than the ace hdware ones. Result was an offset between the cup holder cover and the res of the flat plate. I removed the two center pads leaving only the left one and everythinh now lines up and all is still quiet. This car is amazing - other than this minor squeak - nothing has surfaced that requires repair - I have never owned a car setup this cleanly.. I am now crossing the 2K mark..

driverdrew

I absolutely love my car as well, BUT I am approaching 750 miles now and, I too, have the rattle in the console now. I will attempt to repair with the felt pads.

Also, has anyone noticed a louder whine than usual when letting off the gas at, say 50 mph? I have a much more pronounced high pitched sound of a radial saw when it is winding down - This would be when it is charging and the motor is disengaged. Something is unusual that I have not heard before.

ratm909

:confuse: I am new to this site and I wish I had come across it sooner so I wouldn't feel so alone. I bought a TCH at the end of July. In early August I noticed the annoying rattle in the center console. At first I thought it was the drive shaft. I took the car in to dealer and they said all it needed was to break-in and they lubricated it to "help it along." As soon as I drove off the dealer it started again and became louder and more annoying. I went back and was explaining the situation to the service manager and what I had been told before. I told her that since then I have discovered that it is the entire console that is squeaking. A technician overheard the conversation and offered to check it. He came back and said that the console was defective and they were going to have to order replacement parts. I have been waiting 2 weeks for those parts. Now after reading other posts I am worried that the quality of the TCH. I was previously a 2003 Corolla Sport owner and I never had any problems with that vehicle.

Do any of you have carpet issues???? I noticed it in the back first. The carpet looks kind of loose, when I press down in some places the carpet falls inward, like there is a gap between the carpet and frame. This is apparent in the front as well. Please let me know, I need to bring this up when I go in to have console switched out.