T-SB-0229-09 July 27, 2009 Brake Booster Rattle/Buzz Noise

[njerald]

2005 – 2010 Avalon
2007 – 2010 Camry
2008 – 2009 Highlander
2006 – 2009 RAV4

2004 – 2010 Sienna

Some Toyota vehicles may exhibit a rattle or buzz type noise coming from the driver’s instrument panel area. The noise can be duplicated when lightly accelerating and then decelerating, or when depressing the brake pedal with the shift lever in Park and then releasing brake pedal. An updated vacuum check valve is now available to reduce this noise.

1. Confirm the noise is coming from the brake booster vacuum check valve.

2. Replace Valve

This repair is covered under the Toyota Comprehensive Warranty. This warranty is in effect for 36 months or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicle’s in-service date.

•

[coontai]

anyone have this issue? I think I do, but is it really worth brining in?

[02camrySE]

hmmm, i had always wondered why i would occasionally hear a buzzing sound from that area. I thought it was just the bezel screws were loose or poor fitment in that area. Perhaps this is really the root of the noise. I'll have to investigate further.

[bigloubumpin]

geez,the list just keeps growing

[BlackCamSe]

I heard a noise like that last night. When I put my car in reverse. Sounded like rocks hitting the splashguard.

[Redline_Me]

Originally Posted by BlackCamSe

I heard a noise like that last night. When I put my car in reverse. Sounded like rocks hitting the splashguard.

Maybe it was rocks. Rattle and, or buzz does not sound anywhere close to what you said.

[thrawnis]

The TSB is referring to a fairly quiet buzzing noise from just to the left of the steering column. I've heard it before but never really paid attention to it. It does not sound like rocks hitting the car. It sounds like a quiet cell phone vibrating from within that area of the dash. I just passed the 36k mark so I'm sure the dealerships won't cover it anymore...

[njerald]

Typical autocondriacs........

[02camrySE]

I pretty much confirmed the noise today as I was driving to school. It is a quiet buzzing noise but it's noticeable.

It's not a huge concern... I think I'll have the dealer look at it when I go for my next oil change. I'm not even at 23,000 miles or 36 months on my '07 so I have time to have it repaired it needed.

[discipline]

Can someone post a pdf of the tsb? Thanks

[Lk4Info]

Hi,

Did anybody ever have their Brake Booster replaced for the quiet buzzing noise? I have a 07 Highlander which is not in the listing at the begging of the post (2008-2009 Highlander). The dealer replaced the brake booster for me but the noise remains... Although the description of the noise is similar to what I have, I am really not sure if the booster is causing the noise. I'd love to hear the end results from users who had the Brake Booster replaced. Thanks.

[02camrySE]

Originally Posted by Lk4Info

Hi,

Did anybody ever have their Brake Booster replaced for the quiet buzzing noise? I have a 07 Highlander which is not in the listing at the begging of the post (2008-2009 Highlander). The dealer replaced the brake booster for me but the noise remains... Although the description of the noise is similar to what I have, I am really not sure if the booster is causing the noise. I'd love to hear the end results from users who had the Brake Booster replaced. Thanks.

I had this done about a month or so ago. It did eliminate the quiet buzz I would hear whenever I would press the brake while parked or under slight accel and decel... however, that whole instrument cluster (either the bezel or something else) still buzzes, but more more so and at random times. I attribute it to very poor fitment and construction. I'm working on a way to eliminate it. Being unfamiliar with the Highlander's interior, I couldn't tell you if fitment or the booster is to blame.

[Lk4Info]

Originally Posted by 02camrySE

I had this done about a month or so ago. It did eliminate the quiet buzz I would hear whenever I would press the brake while parked or under slight accel and decel... however, that whole instrument cluster (either the bezel or something else) still buzzes, but more more so and at random times. I attribute it to very poor fitment and construction. I'm working on a way to eliminate it. Being unfamiliar with the Highlander's interior, I couldn't tell you if fitment or the booster is to blame.

Hi,

Thanks so much for responding. It appears our cars have very similar "symptoms". Could you please help me out with some follow up questions? Thanks.

Did/Does the buzz sound like rattling snake or cell phone vibrating? I found a sample sound from rattling snake at: http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/sound...ake6_wav.shtml. Would you please let me know if it is similar to what you had? You may need to copy the whole string of underlined text into the browser if the link does not work.

Did/Does the buzz get more noticeable in the start up in cold weather? Did it kind of quiet down after the car got to higher speed for a couple of minutes?

Would you describe the buzz sound as "vibrating" sound? In other words, it almost sounds like something is loose and vibrating?

After the Brake Booster was replaced, I heard a new noise. It sounds like a noise made by a rattling/vibrating *spring*. To elaborate... It is kind of like the sound caused by using your left thumb and index finger to hold a narrow metal spring at the bottom and horizontally thump the top of the spring using your right index finger. Sorry, I know this is hard to imagine if you do not have the sound. I cannot find any better description…

Occasionally, I heard some vibrating noise from the glove box area. This is definitely a new noise because I did not have this sound before the brake booster is replaced. I did so much search on “Toyota and Noise” and saw a customer saying he/she went in with two sounds but came back with five. Scary, isn’t it?

[02camrySE]

Originally Posted by Lk4Info

Hi,

Thanks so much for responding. It appears our cars have very similar "symptoms". Could you please help me out with some follow up questions? Thanks.

Did/Does the buzz sound like rattling snake or cell phone vibrating? I found a sample sound from rattling snake at: http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/sound...ake6_wav.shtml. Would you please let me know if it is similar to what you had? You may need to copy the whole string of underlined text into the browser if the link does not work.

Did/Does the buzz get more noticeable in the start up in cold weather? Did it kind of quiet down after the car got to higher speed for a couple of minutes?

Would you describe the buzz sound as "vibrating" sound? In other words, it almost sounds like something is loose and vibrating?

After the Brake Booster was replaced, I heard a new noise. It sounds like a noise made by a rattling/vibrating *spring*. To elaborate... It is kind of like the sound caused by using your left thumb and index finger to hold a narrow metal spring at the bottom and horizontally thump the top of the spring using your right index finger. Sorry, I know this is hard to imagine if you do not have the sound. I cannot find any better description…

Occasionally, I heard some vibrating noise from the glove box area. This is definitely a new noise because I did not have this sound before the brake booster is replaced. I did so much search on “Toyota and Noise” and saw a customer saying he/she went in with two sounds but came back with five. Scary, isn’t it?

The brake booster buzz sounded more like a rattle snake to me, but quiet. Again, that noise was eliminated after they replaced the booster. The noise that comes from that instrument cluster area is definitely the bezel, or something that makes contact to it. I can tell because when I hear it, I can press on the inside top of it and the rattling stops, but when I let go, it's back. It's obviously hard to pinpoint what the root cause of the sound is. I thought it was the little pins that snap into place at the top, but even after replacing those, the noise is still there.

I've been thinking about taking out the bezel, which is super easy to do by the way, and putting some type of layer of insulation material on the top of it. I have some thin foam from an arts & craft store that may work.

Regarding your new noises, I think that's just part of the dealer tearing apart an interior that Toyota probably never intended to be taken apart after leaving the factory. My interior rattles like rocks in a tin can, but unfortunately there's not a whole lot you can do. You fix one noise, and another just pops up. I think that's just how it is with these cars now.

[thrawnis]

I am past the warranty period and the dealership told me this would be about $250 to fix. Does anyone (maybe njerald) know what parts numbers I would need to order and how difficult it would be to do the work myself?