Echo - Vibration while idle in Drive

[Tygan]

I have taken this problem to the dealer 3 times in the last 6 months and they claim not to notice any vibration or rattle. However, whenever I am at a stop sign or stop light with the car in Drive (automatic trans), a loud vibration sound can be heard and also felt in the steering column and the brake pedal. As soon as I press on the gas pedal again, the vibration goes away. The only other way to stop the noise is to place the car into Neutral. Any ideas what might be causing this? Apparently, the noise is not audible outside of the vehicle since none of the techs at Toyota were able to hear a rattle or vibration.

Thanks in advance.

[05_Echo]

Get someone to hold and release your air filter box while you have it in drive the sound/vibration will go away when someone holds the Airbox and it will come back when they let it go. Same thing with my Echo and thats all it is..

[Tygan]

Is there any way to fix it??

[EBR]

I have seen this many times in the dealership I work at. It is one of 2 things. As the previous post says it could be the air filter box or the hood stops. If it is the air box just loosen the rubber tube going to the throttle body and give it a slight twist then tighten it back up. If it is the hood stops just lengthen them by turning them out 1/2 a turn.

[snowshoe]

My 2000 echo was doing something just like this. With the engine running in reverse but car standing still, I found the transmission shift cable was rattleing against the catalatic converter heat shield. I moved the cable slightly and the rattle stopped. It looks like the cable ratteling against the catalitic converter heat shield is something that could have been designed better.

[kidblue]

2000 Echo Coupe

I had a very similar situation with the engine idling very hard in Drive and relatively quiet in Neutral. Turned out I had a cracked (rubber) engine mount...

N.

[00Echo]

I had similiar problem with my 2000 Echo Coupe Auto. It started out as a small vibration when at a full stop while in Drive. Put it in neutral and the vibration would stop. Soon a chirping noise started which concerned me. Found it to be the alternator belt was loose and flaping up and down. Tightened and the vibration and sound went away.

[ECHOKnight2000]

I haven't notice anything personally with my car yet...of course having music up high helps
But even when I don't have my music on I don't notice anything unsual yet and I hope it stays that way! At least for awhile.

[05_Echo]

Our airbox noise was fixed, the main wiring harness was touching the air box and the mechanic at the dealer moved it somehow and now everything is good again. It's amazing how such a simple thing can make such a loud noise and cause such a vibration.

Gotta love the little Echo, it's got 83,000 kms on it in 13 months of owning it and all we had to get repaired was a door lock and that vibration noise. I hope my 06 Corolla is as good as our Echo..

[Pars]

I've noticed a bit of vibration while in neutral at the stoplight (Manual 07 Yaris). But not all the time. My guess is that my engine is running too lean from all the hard driving. So when it's idling at the lights, it's having a hard time get a good idle speed going. Or, it could be a cracked engine mount from all the hard driving. But since it seems to be intermediate, I doubt its the engine mount and probably nothing to worry about.

[rfice]

I am experiencing a similar rattle/vibrations. It started around 80,000 to 100,000 Km.
Once you take the load off the engine (by putting it in neutral/park) it is better.
I know it is partially the hood vibrating against the hood stops, but I will check into some of the others ideas as well.
Thanks.
One problem with adjusting the hood stops is the corners of the hood are slowly being bent up. They are already a couple of mm above the quarter panels. (it just doesn't look right).

[ericlp]

I know this is a really old post ... But I searched this before figuring out what was rattling in my engine bay with my foot on the brake and in gear I'd get this rattle sound from the right side of the engine where the belts are.

It's hard to do this yourself, I did buy blocking the wheels and setting the hand break putting it into drive and turning on the AC. Tho, I'd highly recommend a friend help you out on this. Since if tires are not blocked and brakes not set the car could kill you.

Turns out it was my windshield washer tank where the plastic tab goes into the hole. There was some foam padding but over the years it loosened up pretty good and was vibrating making a pretty good racket. Got some electrical tape and wedged it in good. No more rattle from that!

I'm just posting this in case someone does a search ... it may come in handy and help someone later on down the road.

Cheers!