Gen 3 Dashboard rattles & creaks

Yep, my Prius IV has the same annoying rattles and creaks with less than 3000 miles. The dashboard creaks all the time whenever I return to the car after it being left out in the hot sun all day at work. It's sad that a car that costs nearly 30k can't have a more solid interior. Unfortunately I'm sure this is due to the need to keep the weight down to achieve MPG's.

I honestly don't think there is much a dealer would do except have your car all day and say they couldn't hear anything. Typical dealer BS whenever you have a rattle.

 

Seems to be a common issue...several threads on here about it. I'm also disappointed...when I bought a toyota I thought I was buying from a company where fit and finish was a big thing...mine creaks and rattles like mad with 1400 miles...

 

Every vehicle I have ever own has rattled, squeaked, etc. My dash also rattles. Seems to be more pronounced in the cool temps.
Oh well.

 

Fortunately, my G3 IV is pleasantly quiet. I just hope that it continues. While I have not done it yet with the G3, with past vehicles I have routinely tightened screws and bolts. Rattles can be so difficult to find. I also have a 2006 Dodge 2500 PU and I was absolutely certain the passenger window was rattling ... to the extent that I spoke to a glass company about taking the interior panel off and trying to solve the rattle. Then, I noticed a visible bolt that holds the outside mirror was so loose I could turn it with my hand. I tighted it, and the rattle is completely gone.

Also, I try not to drive down gravel, wash-board roads.

Good luck.

 

I live in Los Angeles which has the roads of a third world country. Every rattle, squeak, and creak comes out here....

 

I would imagine that any car over time will develop rattles and squeaks. I have to say, my 2004 (73k miles) does have a few dash rattles when driving over very rough road surfaces. I fixed it. Didn't cost anything! I merely raised the volume of the radio.

Side note. I've noticed that German cars in general (I've had the three major ones) seem
to be much tighter and resistant to squeaks and rattles.

 

I'm sorry to hear of this issue. My 2004, (only has 45,000 mi.), is as squeak and rattle free as the day I took it home. Perhaps the much higher rate of production as compared to when mine was built has brought down quality? I hope not, as I am still waiting for my 2010 to arrive.

 

My '05 Prius was squeak and rattle free, unfortunately not true of this one. The center console lid rattles and I have been "fixing" it for 3 weeks now. There is something on the passenger's side that rattles and I can't find it, and something toward the back. This is the worst car for interior rattles I have seen since my '98 Honda Accord and everything in that car rattled.

As Spiderman said it's worse when it gets cool, just wait till winter. My experience has been dealers are of little value when it comes to finding and fixing these kinds of problems, I'll just keep looking or learn to like loud music.

 

I agree with that. I've had my A3 Sportback from new and 2 1/2 years later it's still rattle free very solid feeling.

The T4 I test drove rattled like an old tea trolley and that only had 700 miles on it. It was because of that I did not go ahead with my purchase. Build quality & ride are at the top of my priority list.

It is such a shame, really great technology spolit by poor cabin build

 

The rattling on this car drives me NUTS!!! My previous VW Passat was rattle free for 80,000 miles...

 

I agree, my BMW 330i was as tight and rattle free as you could wish for. To bad Toyota seems to be following G.M.'s quality control model. When I did my first oil change I found that 5 of 6 bolts that hold the front bottom cover on had fallen out, I took the last one out with my fingers. Someone at the factory had apparently forgotten to tighten them.

I think when companies get to big and to arrogant they frequently de-emphasize quality and start lying to their customers.

 

Toyota is trying to reduce cost by removing the usually required felt strips between panel joints. The 07 Camry took Toyota two years to come out withe a TSB to fix the creak in the upper dash and the center console cover by adding felt tapes. Toyota tried to ignore the complains but just too many owners are not satisfied and finally fixed it.
Just write to Toyota and complain.

 

Sorry to see such a volume of posts about rattles etc. Mine thus far has been relatively rattle free. The points that I found thus far that rattle are:
Glove Box area, and Top glove box storage
(Fixed wtih adhesive backed felt)
Rattle from Passenger Metal Seat Belt Buckle
(pulled taught and stopped)
Rear Toneau Cover, make sure it's secure and if necessary add a small piece of felt to hold it tighter in the slot.
Be sure to secure the rear storage areas in the deck area.

Anything loosed in console will also make some noise, so put a cut piece of rubber in base, should help that.

Other than the above I don't have any issues with mine, so hoping they will not come to light in the next couple months...

 

With 217 miles, my week-old car is starting to rattle. Very disappointing.

 

Oh my goodness, I was looking forward to purchasing a 2010 Prius before I drove my squeaking, rattling Hyundai Santa Fe into a wall and now I am afraid!!!! Gas mileage is one of the biggest perks but I was also hoping for a better quality interior that would be tight and free of all the irritating noises. Has anyone been able to have the issues resolved completely? All of the posts here are from 2010 Prius owners that haven't even been worn in yet!

 

The last couple of days have been down in the low 30's upper 20's and that dash creaks, rattles and cracks till the heat starts flowing. Man I can't imagine it at 10 below!
But I still like my car! I will put up with this kind of mileage.

 

We just picked up our 2010 Prius IV on Monday. There are definitely a few plastic creaks (mainly the right passenger side which oddly is consistent with other comments) and sometimes a very slight rattle in the center arm rest (if my arm is resting there it's quiet so this should be easily solved).

Bottom line I can't say the noises are any worst than my 2004 Subaru Forester XT we traded. Then there was my old 1998 Volvo S70 which had the worst creaks you could imagine. The big issue was the rubber molding around the windshield. Even our other car a 2001 Saab 9-5 has creaks.

Bottom line we're enjoying our car so far although early to pass an opinion. Oh the tank still shows full.

Good luck