Bickford

Just some FYI, I have a 97 4Runner,230,000 miles, that had a rattle from the front of the dash area that only made noise at speed and seemed worse when there was a cross wind. After taking things apart in the interior behind the dash and thinking it was a harness or cable, I found that it was up higher and more towards the front of the dash at the base of the windshield. I couldn't find a harness rattling inside or outside and then took the wiper arms off and pulled up the trim on the cowl, nothing rattling inside. What I ended up finding was that the wiper spindles were rattling, the actual shaft that goes through the spindle housing and attaches to the wiper arm was knocking. I took it apart and packed it with grease and reinstalled, rattle gone

ahtub

i have a 97 4runner too and i have been having some sort of the same problem too. who knows, it might just be the same thing. i do hear rattling but it seems like its from the front bumper or passenger fender when rolling at about 60-70mph...and i do get noise from cross winds too. you have any pics of it or would it be pretty easy to see once the cowl is off? and thanks for sharing with us.

Bickford

sorry, I didn't take any pics, I was too engrossed in the repair. the rattle has been driving me nuts. if you remove cowl trim and wiper arms it is where the shafts for the wiper arm go through the holder that has the 3 bolts and is bolted to the cowl. Right below where the wiper arm bolts there is a thin circlip and a washer under it, both gold in color and then that shaft will come out of the holder, it rides in brass bushings and there was no grease in either of mine.