I hate that my first post is a complaint, but I also have the dreaded sunroof rattle. It has been to the dealer twice and
still no fix. They tried putting foam behind the black cosmetic pieces that fit over the track.

My rear seat also rattles. The only time you can get it to stop is
to have someone sit in it. It is so bad it is kind of hard to describe.

This is my second Toyota. My first was a 2000 Tundra (good truck). I feel like the Runner will be mechanically reliable but these rattles are driving me nuts.

Anyone actually had a dealer that was able to fix these issues?

 

is it a 2003? how about the engine? drivetrain? sport or sr5 or limited? alot of info might help in case people with similar vehicles have experienced the same.

 

my wifes sunroof rattles a little too while it is fully open. I fixed it by rolling the rear window down maybe an inch or two and the rattle goes away. let me know if you find a better fix but toyota hasn't seemed to do us any good either.

 

This sounds like a very similar rattle I have with my sunroof also. When I tried tracking the rattle, I took those same plastic pieces off the sunroof, but it made absolutely no difference. So I'm not so certain the problem is really the sunroof, or is something in the headliner rattling that has it's sound projected towards the sunroof opening.

Along these lines, my wife did find a spot on the headliner, about 1 foot behind the front passenger's seat, where if she pushed up on it, the rattle would stop. I haven't taken the time to check what would be causing the rattle, tho... Maybe over the holiday weekend.

Rumor has it that there is a TSB out for a "rattle in the headliner", but I haven't found any details on what it specifically deals with.

Steve

 

Welcome to the club. My 2002 rattles very bad when it's cold out. Anythng below 45 and you'll hear it. At 30, it's VERY bad. I've pulled the headliner several times and inspected everything I could think of. Secured all the "loose" parts and none of that helped. One thing that can be causing the rattle, and there's absolutely NO way to fix this, is the way the sunroof actually operates. The copper pipes, that everyone seemed to thing were for draining out water, actually have plastic lines with ridges on them. As you operate the sunroof, the plastic lines spin against gears and that's what makes the sunroof move. Those plastic lines are heavily greased, but I'm thinking that the grease may harden when it's called and it's basically like having plastic inside copper pipes... rattle!
I took the truck to the dealer when I firsted noticed the rattle. They wouldn't let me talk to the mech, they just wrote down the info I gave them and asked me to wait. 30 minutes later, they DID have me talk to the mech because obviously, I had to explain what was going on. As soon as he heard me say "rattle", he said "we have to pull the headliner", but he would not tell me exactly what is causing it! Apparently, toyota mechanics are better than everyone else, and we're not capable of understanding cars.
Anyway, I'm living with the rattle and other minor annoyances. Please let us know if you do find the solution to this rattle.

 

Oh... And a couple more things:

1. This rattle happens if the sunroof is open or closed, with the sun shield open or closed. Again, I doubt it is really the sunroof causing the problem.

2. And this happens on a 4th Gen... Perhaps there are similarities between the 3rd and 4th Gens in this area, but who knows.

Steve

 

Hmm.. you're in AZ. So I guess yours rattles when it's hot as well? Mine only rattles when it's cold outside. I found loads of people who's trucks rattle in same place as mine, but only when it's cold. So, I guess the problem is a bit different. Agree.. there are similarities between 3rd and 4th gen.. they both rattle!

 

next time I'm riding in her car I'll check out if hers does it under the same conditions as yours and I'll post it here.

 

is it a 2003? how about the engine? drivetrain? sport or sr5 or limited? alot of info might help in case people with similar vehicles have experienced the same.



It is a 2003 Sport, V8, and don't yell at me but it is a 2wd (not too many hills to climb in my part of Oklahoma). Mine too seems as if it rattling from about 6 to 10 inches behind the sunroof on the drivers side. I have noy found a TSB yet.

I wake up to a new rattle everyday. I now have one in the dash
as well as the pasenger rear seat. I am a Toy fan but my confidence has been shaken.

I have just had her about a month so mine has not experienced
any cold weather but it does seem worse on cooler days.

I'll keep everyone updated if I run across TSBs or fixes.

 

Eh, Er, well funny you should mention this. Keep in mind this 2003 4Runner is my wife's. Ours is a 2WD also so you ain't going to hear and yelling from this "cowboy" unless I'm sittin' in my jacked up 4WD '98, and then I'd be laughing at you like I laugh at my wife when you pulls up into the garage and I'm sitting in my Runner looking down at her. boy that really errk's her, haha. I look at it like this, it could be worse, you could have ended up with a ford or chevy, something that wouldn't have made it to 100k. the toyota will make it to at least 200k and in most case alot further than that!..

 

I have a 2000 4Runner. I purchased mine used and noticed the same rattle described here right away. To make it go away, I would push up around the Dome light but that would only stop the rattle untill I let go.

I finally wound up checking the stock luggage racks. One of the cross-bars that is adjustable foward and back was loose. I tried tightening the nut that locks it into the rail but just couldn't get it tight enough. So, I simply removed each of the cross-bars and the rattle was gone!!

 

Hot dang ! Why didn' t I think of that.... Great idea ! It looks like I will have some time this weekend to go on a search and destroy mission for these rattles (got permission from the boss, since she's the one that REALLY hates the rattles). I will let everyone know what I find...

ToyCowboy, Rattles, tho annoying, are nothing to worry about. I've had them in every vehicle I've owned. It takes some time to find them and fix them, but once you do it's an easy and economical fix. Now consider the poor Chevy folks that have REAL problems with piston slap, or the Ford Powerstrok people that have the dreaded rattle, THOSE are problems....

Steve

 

).That is why I bought it. I also had a 2000 Tundra with the 4.7.
I expect the Runner to be reliable. I guess I also expected it not to rattle like a Ford or a Chevy. :pat:

Funny that you mentined that, I made the comment to my service advisor that it sounded like a Ford with 100k on it.

What part of Houston you from? I lived in the Sugarland area for a bit (Schlumberger

 

northwest, just inside the houston line beside katy. that's funny I have a couple buddy's that still work and one that doesn't work there anymore, the one in rosharon right?

 

My 03 Sunroof rattles on the passenger side, The dealer ordered new track mech. equipment. I spoke with the shop people who would do the work and they said basically that they didn't know how to change out the parts because they have never done it before.
Its always fun having someone practice on your new ride.

 

Ouch! I think that is one of those things they are supposed to keep to themselves.

 

Mine does too, only when fully open and running between 25-30 mph and over 50 mph. Of course, sunroofs are not new technology so you wonder how Toyota could have missed this one.

Let us know if the new tracks solve it. I was thinking that some thin padding on the track would also do the trick, but I didn't want to try anything until the shop looks at it.