WTF is wrong with my camry???

[mmurray70]

I just upgraded from my old 92 camry with 350k to a 04 camry SE. My old camry never caused any problems at all untill around 250k (absoloutely nothing) and my 04 only has 100k so i thought there would be lots of life left yet.

When I bought it it had a noise in the right rear suspension of the car. I just assumed this would be something minor so i bought it anyway. Shortly after I had the car i noticed theres a clunk in the steering and it turns out my intermediate steering shaft is shot. Turns out this is a common problem but toyota certianly isnt paying for their screw up. A new one is over $400 and thats just the cost of the parts. What the heck is up with that? My old camry is 17 years old with 350k on it and the steering shaft is perfect? I've got a bad sqeek in the windshield that drives me nuts too. What has happend to the toyota quality? I feel like i'm driving a rusted out cavalier or something.

Anyway i need some help with the noise in the rear suspension. Its mostly one one side (passenger) and its driving me nuts. Its more of a thumping sound then a rattle and happens on just about every bump or hole in the road. I've replaced the swaybar bushings, the links are fine. Just to be absoloutly sure i dissconnected the links and drove the car with no sway bar and it had no effect on the noise. I've replaced the strut mount, and while i had it out i checked the shock. Shock is fine. No leaks, dead spots or any play in the shaft. I've taken everything out of the car, spair tire, jack everything in the truck to eliminate any of that stuff bouncing around. All the control arm bushings seem tight, but i havnet spent much time checking this, need to give the bushigns another look. Are these something that commonly goes? I've checked all the exhaust hangers, rocked the exahsut back and forth, doesnt seem to be hitting anything. Any advice? This car is pissing me off. I'm wishing i had gone and bought an accord instead. Please help.

[xmnishx]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Check you rubber mounts on the top and bottom of your coil springs. If there worn out or ripped, your coil could be hitting bare metal, making that clunking sound. Just a thought. Hope it helps

[Gellenole]

check your RSB links(forgot the full name, VVT will correct me) they might be loose -- mine was loose when I got mine and I had it fixed

[WhiteRabbit]

^endlinks?

[njerald]

Originally Posted by Gellenole

check your RSB links(forgot the full name, VVT will correct me) they might be loose -- mine was loose when I got mine and I had it fixed

Didn't you read the OPs post??????????

[mmurray70]

Originally Posted by Gellenole

check your RSB links(forgot the full name, VVT will correct me) they might be loose -- mine was loose when I got mine and I had it fixed

RSB links? Would that be the big link that goes from the spindle to frame? Not the two control arms but the big one that runs front to back?

[Gellenole]

Originally Posted by njerald

Didn't you read the OPs post??????????

yes I did, and I posted something like this a while back too. when you make turns, when you hit bumps the suspension either squeaked and/or had some type of thud in the rear. This was even after I've checked and removed the sway bar, struts, etc. Retightening everything was done. it came loose while driving.

did you read my post when I had that problem? -- thanks!!

Originally Posted by mmurray70

RSB links? Would that be the big link that goes from the spindle to frame? Not the two control arms but the big one that runs front to back?

I think they were endlinks, as white rabbit stated in the previous reply. I'm not 100% sure what they were called.

[mmurray70]

Anybody else? I'm stumped and this is driving me nuts. Please help me out before i have to put a for sale sign on this thing.

I had a good look at all the control arm bushings today. They all seems solid. The trailing arm bushings are moveable with a pry bar, but they dont seem loose. I think these are meant to be soft anyway.

Could the noise be comming from inside the shock? Theres no play in the shaft, but i wonder if the nut is loose on the piston inside the shock maybe?

Edit: Also I found a service bulletin about putting some isolaters between the shock mount and the body of the car, i've done this too, with no improvement at all. Had a look at the brakes today too, all the anti rattle clips and stuff is in place.

[wayne pruden]

But I have the same problem. I just crawled out from under the car, nothing is loose, no rubbers missing. Hope someone else has an idea. You have done more than I have so you saved me some work. Gotta wonder about the shock????

[marc780]

Swap the shocks from one side of the car to the other and see what happens? If this doesnt lead you to a fix, i think i'd throw in the towel and take it to a good shop -

[scottkm]

Same issue here with 2008 LE 4Cyl. Deep heavy knock that maybe resonates 2-3 times whenever a wheel passes over a decent bump. Getting worse.
I have it in the front and rear. Yesterday, the dealership said "no problem found".

Please keep us posted.

[wayne pruden]

Ok, tonight I put the car up on stands pulled the wheels off, took out the back seat and the package tray, checked that the top bolts where the strut fastens on are all tight, then went underneath and made sure that all torsion bars etc., had rubber bushings where they were supposed to, I put spring compressors on the springs to take the tension off and then tried to shake the strut, everything is tight. Sprayed some penetrating oil onto all the bolts just in case I have to go back and take the struts out. Checked all the hangers on the exhaust system, put everything back together, then took everything out of the trunk, jack, spare, various covers, side tray, every single piece! Then bounced the car, no sound, car recovers on first bounce (this tells me that the shock/struts are OK? There are 155M KLMS on the car) Tomorrow morning I am going around the block to see if that friggin sound is still there when I go over a bump. It usually sounds like it is coming from the right rear. If it turns out that it was the jack I will hurl the bloody thing into the bush!!
Canadian prices on new KYB g-2 shocks are pretty high, prices are about half in the US.

[08 SILVER SE]

Originally Posted by wayne pruden

Ok, tonight I put the car up on stands pulled the wheels off, took out the back seat and the package tray, checked that the top bolts where the strut fastens on are all tight, then went underneath and made sure that all torsion bars etc., had rubber bushings where they were supposed to, I put spring compressors on the springs to take the tension off and then tried to shake the strut, everything is tight. Sprayed some penetrating oil onto all the bolts just in case I have to go back and take the struts out. Checked all the hangers on the exhaust system, put everything back together, then took everything out of the trunk, jack, spare, various covers, side tray, every single piece! Then bounced the car, no sound, car recovers on first bounce (this tells me that the shock/struts are OK? There are 155M KLMS on the car) Tomorrow morning I am going around the block to see if that friggin sound is still there when I go over a bump. It usually sounds like it is coming from the right rear. If it turns out that it was the jack I will hurl the bloody thing into the bush!!
Canadian prices on new KYB g-2 shocks are pretty high, prices are about half in the US.

I know that you say everything is tight in the shock and there is no play but if i had to guess i would say that it is the upper strut mount. i dont think this will show signs of play but it fails internally. its usually alot worse on the front of the car because the mounts in front have a bearing in them.

[CharmCityES]

the rear thump is usually caused by strut mounts...common issue in higher milage gen 5's (esp the SE)....also, examine your struts because toyota reccomends them to be replaced at around 100k.
the intermediate shaft (steering yoke) is a common failure...ive replaced mine, and as a toyota tech ive replaced at least 20 in the past 3 months...the issue plagues highlanders, camrys, solaras, avalons, siennas just the same, but the new intermediate shaft solves the issue.

[a94autoCamry]

bump..did you ever solved your issue?