1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

rattle trap

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by grharman, Jan 1, 2014.

  1. grharman

    grharman Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2011
    23
    1
    0
    Location:
    arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    My '13 Three is becoming a rattle trap:( . It has 9K on the clock, and both doors rattle, the flying bridge rattles, the dash, and the passenger side of the hatch. I guess its the hard plastics there are using. I have not taken it to the dealer yet, the rattles are not constant, but terrain/temperature dependent. The price we pay for MPG. :cautious:
     
  2. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    1,607
    877
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Cold weather really make the plastic part sound off. I just try to ignore it after futilely beating the crap out of my dash.
     
    chesleyn likes this.
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,135
    50,051
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    there are threads on different techniques people have used successfully. and some have even gotten the dealer to pull everything apart and do a pretty good repair job. strangely, not everyone has this issue, no idea why.:confused:
     
  4. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2011
    7,027
    3,241
    1
    Location:
    NJ
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    That's just the seasons reminder, as Winter nears, the car starts rattling to let you know and the rattles disappear when Summer approaches.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,135
    50,051
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    your own personal meteorologist.;)
     
  6. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2008
    8,245
    1,202
    0
    Location:
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A

    Toyota just wanted to be mega green with eco plastics everywhere. I'm not a huge fan of the Star Trek type interior, but I'll bet these two would be drooling over it - revenge-of-the-nerds.jpg
     
  7. Bgmacon

    Bgmacon Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2012
    16
    2
    0
    Location:
    Asheboro, North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I have wedged rubber hose washers in every place I could get them in the dash and console area... It helps
     
  8. Hapa DC5

    Hapa DC5 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2014
    18
    5
    0
    Location:
    Los Gatos, CA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I've noticed the same thing. Doesn't really annoy me since every car I've owned sans my old Integra and RSX rattled and I only drive it a couple of times a week.
     
  9. Okinawa

    Okinawa Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2013
    1,333
    317
    0
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    I have a 2011 Prius with 42000 miles on it. My doors do not rattle but the hard plastics in the flying bridge and the dash rattles. Like yours, my rattles are not constant. It seems they are related to temperature changes, cold being the worst. I tried stuffing small pieces of foam rubber in the cracks of the hard plastic but I gave up on it as a lost cause. I think we will just have to tolerate the rattles. I sure do not like it.
     
  10. Gouda Cheez

    Gouda Cheez Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2013
    73
    10
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Bumping a little bit of an old thread but my P2 is starting to rattle ALOT with only 6k miles on it. It's a little bit disappointing but I guess that's the price we pay for MPG.
     
  11. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    As far as Gen 3 Prius with the flying bridge...I think everyone does have this issue to some extent. Just some people have different personal expectations and standards.

    My guess is a lot of owners have squeaks and rattles but a lot of them simply accept it as the nature of the beast.

    With all the plastic in a Prius coupled with the flying buttress...I'd be surprised if anyone's Prius was always completely squeak and rattle free.

    Also a percentage of owners might be seniors or people with impaired hearing...who simply aren't hearing the rattles or squeaks.
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,135
    50,051
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i don't have any, but maybe it's my hearing. what?:p
     
    Merkey likes this.
  13. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    If you profess to not have ANY squeaks or rattles in your Prius. -Then I'd say go have your hearing checked.

    With a full hard plastic dash and the plastic flying buttress...I doubt ANY Gen 3 Prius is always completely rattle and squeak free.
     
  14. jdk2

    jdk2 Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2010
    751
    219
    0
    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Exactly. Mine was rattling from the dealers lot and continues to do so. The 2010 Prius III I had did the same. Rattle trap is the best way to describe it. It does, however, have many more redeeming qualities that trump the racket coming from the plastics.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    110,135
    50,051
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    well, i have never heard a rattle or squeak out of any of my 3 pri, so as i said, what? (but i hear you guys just fine:) )
     
    Merkey and retired4999 like this.
  16. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2012
    1,607
    877
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Cold weather exacerbates the problem 10x.
     
  17. Gouda Cheez

    Gouda Cheez Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2013
    73
    10
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I wish I could blame the cold weather, but I don't think it's been below 60 since I bought my car.
     
  18. retired4999

    retired4999 Prius driver since 2005

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2011
    2,652
    625
    15
    Location:
    Eau Claire, Wi.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Let me go out and turn my radio volume down and test drive and I will let you know! :D
     
  19. pfour2131

    pfour2131 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2014
    24
    1
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    id recommend a few things to help in some of the rattle areas and they arent the best sorry! turn the music up loud until you cant hear it anymore (according to my son). take old cloths that you are throwing out and stuff them behind the plastics that you can.
     
  20. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I don't mean to insult anyone with the suggestion that hearing loss might make the Prius seem quieter than it is...

    But it is just a reality of life...and sometimes age. Hey, I like to spin it as an advantage.

    Recently, a few months ago, I was in the market for a new Television. I went to one place where the salesman was trying to up sell me on a more expensive HD model with all this greater sharpness and clarity.

    I looked at the one that was supposedly better....I looked at the one on sale...my eye's are no longer good enough to see the difference....RESULT: More Savings for Me!