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Dashboard rattle - found (see photos)

12K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  anchorman 
#1 ·
We have bought our first Toyota, a 2009 Vanguard, imported from Japan. It had a very annoying rattle under the dash which was driving me crazy. The wife said leave it alone and turn the radio up, but it was driving me mad. So after researching this forum my fear subsided enough to tackle the air bags and the unknown damage I might do to the car.

1. Get the 2006 RAV4 Workshop Service Manual from this website
2. Disconnect the negative terminal on the battery so the air bags don’t deploy and kill or harm you (bear in mind the car might idle rough for a few days afterwards while the ECU resets itself)

In the photo below I have circled in red what was causing the rattle. The white clip is supposed to hold the sound deadening material onto the metal framework and was probably dislodged when the dash was originally installed. It rattled against the air ducting under the dash over every bump in the road and sometimes at idle, grrrrrrrrr.


After clipping the white clip back onto the metal chassis I taped it down to prevent it coming off during reassembly or later.

What a dream car to drive now!!!!!!

I have added photos to help others wanting to get under their dashboard. I couldn’t find photos of where the clips are so have included some incase they help others to study where to pull and in what direction.


There are plenty of descriptions of how to remove the media center but don't forget to remove the two black head screws circled in the photo below.


Remove the instrument cluster.
Unclip the material that hangs below the instrument cluster and then pull the shroud straight towards the steering wheel with your fingers (cut your finger nails first to prevent scratches - I used my hands/fingers rather than levers so I can judge how much pressure is being applied).

Unscrew the two screws circled in red and then pull upwards from the bottom.


Disconnect the instrument plug and the wire harness clip.


Disconnect the connector behind the instrument cluster that runs the light sensor etc.

Pull the rubber trim from around each door and pull the front airbag pillar covers from the top. The top clip pops out an inch or two and then stops. At this point you need to rotate the clip 90 degrees to release it. There is another clip about mid way and a screw driver under the airbag can rotate this one. With both released the cover slides up towards the roof and out.




Undo the exposed bolt holding the dash.


Undo the two bolts holding the front passenger air bag (circled in red).


The air bag connector needs sliding along in the direction of the red arrow to disconnect it.


The air bag cable/connector is still attached to the chassis via a plastic insert (circled) and this was one of the hardest parts. I used a mirror and angle pliers to release the plastic insert from the chassis. You might be able to release the connector from the plastic insert by pushing a pin underneath the connector but I couldn’t figure it out (see arrow).


Using fingers pull the whole dashboard up and feed it past the steering wheel.

More photos of underneath the dashboard so you can see where the clips are and their angles.


 
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#2 ·
I fixed your album pictures so they are embedded. Good job. That must have been one annoying rattle!!
 
#5 ·
Sure, here's how I do it with Firefox. Have your new post open in one tab, and your album in another. Go to the album and click on a photo. Right click on the photo itself and choose "Copy Image Location". Then go to your post and click on the yellow image icon. Paste in the URL box and your image will appear in the post.
 
#8 ·
I can so understand why you went through all that work "just for a rattle".


Back in 1982 I bought a brand new Chevy Monte Carlo. After about a week, an annoying rattle was coming from behind the dash. We went to the drive-in that Saturday night, and my wife watched in amazement as I removed the dash from our brand new car "just for a rattle". I had it all back together by the time the movie started, sans rattle. Taking it to the dealer would have been too time consuming and they probably wouldn't have put all the bolts and clips back in right anyway.


After 35 years she still brings that up from time to time.
 
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