I don't intend to use a cheap foam-plastic strip, but rather a strip of foam-rubber cut longitudinally from a piece foam-rubber hot-water-pipe insulation. Since it normally lives in contact with a hot water pipe, I trust that it will tend to last under normal in-car conditions. The foam used should not have a self-adhesive coating on either side, since you have to force it into the crack between the dash and the windshield. When properly in place it will be invisible from both inside and outside the car. I intend to cut the strip into separate pieces for the two small sections between the tweeter grilles and the central (removable) portion of the dash top (that covers the clock and passenger SRS display lights), and one for this central section itself. this way, if the central cover has to be removed for whatever reason, the other two pieces of strip will stay in place. Measuring the thickness of the corrugated cardboard that I have in place at present, I suggest that a non-adhesive foam-rubber strip ~10 mm (= ~3/8 inches) in thickness (uncompressed) and comparable width would be about right.

Stan

 

One thing I overlooked is the fact that the windshield defroster's air ducts blow their air through the long gap between the dash and the windshield. One should thus not block too much of this slot — certainly not the whole slot! Further experiments of mine indicate that it's only necessary to insert foam into the two outer portions of the slot, adjacent to the tweeter grilles. (When I experimentally removed the corrugated cardboard packing pieces on the center section, the clicking noise didn't return.) Even on these outer sections one should not block the whole slot. So I intend to insert a couple of small pieces of foam, and not one continuous piece, into these outer slots.

Stan

 

Actually it came back over the summer, the rubber moved, they tried to reposition it. There is actially a TSB (Attached, sorry about the quality, I had to scan it back in, I already deleted the original). This TSB requires removing the entire dash. My concern and the dealerships as well is that that they will create a new host of rattles, it is definately better then it was before the adjustment, but not as good as when they first did it. I would sugest let them try packing the gap with rubber insulation and a putty knife. If that fixes it most of the way, live with it. I also enclosed a picture of some nut off this website that did the repair himself.

Another major quirk was the intermediate steering shaft, clicking. My dealer would not replace until it had a TSB

Love the car, I shoud know better buy a first year model, I have done theis with my last three Toyota's.

 

I have a 2007 TCH that is officially a year old. I have lived with a rattle that sounds as if originating from the instrument cluster by the clock in the dash.

Well, after reading all the comments concerning dash rattles I brought my TCH to the dealer to repair the weather-stripping on the drivers side window(second time BTW). Anyway, I mention I have a rattle in the dash - The service writer proceeds to tell me that it may take some time to diagnosis the source the rattle. I agree and get a ride to the office.

The service writer phones me during lunch - the car should be done around 2 PM. I got a ride to the dealership a little early and arrived at 1:30. I speak to the service writer and he tells me the tech is still working on the car, and tells me "the tech has this down to a science." He points in the direction of my car - there in the service bay lies my dash, center console, and all instrument clusters sitting on the floor. I wander over to my car and the tech explains that he puts insulation around all the seams. OK, I have no problem with this idea - He has performed the same many times over. Well, I drive away from the dealer, my center console rattle is gone, but I have a new one that is coming from what sounds to me like the drivers side vent. This one is worst than the previous one, but I am in no hurry to run back into the dealer.

I will post future developments.

The fix the dealer performed using the insulation resolved my rattle issues. Over the weekend I drove quite a bit and realized the rattle coming from the drivers side vent was due to the change in the change drawer(I think that is what is for anyway), so I am pleased to report no rattles!

 

Reason enough for me to leave well enough alone.

 

I will shortly be posting a better scan of the TSB on the dash rattle [CDN_TSB2790(Rev)] in the thread "List of pertinent TSB's."

Stan

 

Hey, I'm just wondering if people could post updates to their rattle situations, at least those of you who attempted to fix the issue. I'm particularly curious about those of you who let the dealer take your dash apart as part of the related TSB, as well as those of you who used hot water pipe foam.

 

I used the hot water pipe foam, and have not heard the rattle again. However, the rear deck rattle has gotten louder, over uneven surfaces. Perhaps beacuse my tires are almost worn out, (54,000 miles on original Michelins) and I have them at 40lbs.

 

I had some rattles in the moonroof area, but they went away after I fiddled with the bar that pops us a a windbreak when the moonroof is open.

I let the dealer do the dash and center console TSBs.
I've had no further rattle from the dash (I got to see the dash while it was taken apart very interesting), but the squeaks in the center console came back. I paid the dealer another couple of hours of labor to get rid of the squeaks after I demonstrated where they were. (The tech told me he had seen this on multiple Camrys and know exactly what to pad.)
I haven't had any squeaks or rattles since then.

 

My rattles in the RHS a pillar came back and the clips were replaced again when it fell down again. The rattles in the dash along the firewall come and go with severity depending on weather / season but I do not trust my dealer not to screw it up, I will probally only have this car 2-3 more years (company car).