I have just purchased a Scion tC automatic. I like the car except I have heard that
rattles coming from the Lift Back between the glass and plastic, especially driving
over bumps or pot-holes. Anyone knows how to have it fixed. This is annoying from
such a nice car.

 

it might be from the one piece of plastic at the top of the window on the hatch.. i noticed this on my tC...and it doesn't rattle, but looked like it could.. might want to take some masking tape and tape it down, just to see if that stops it.. let us know..

 

Take it to the dealer and have them fix it. They should be able to. If they won't or can't call Scion HQ and complain.

 

I took in my tc this morning at freaken 7am and found out there were already 10 cars waiting for service DAMN IT haha neways....Im getting my seats replaced (covers) cuz the threading came lose all over the place and i mention to check the rattling sound. So they said they'd take apart the roof and see if anything needs to be fixed or tightend. I should get my car back sometime today I'll keep you posted if they find anything or if i notice anything. I do hear rattling when the road gets rough like some loose screw is just clinging around in the back sunroof.

 

Thanks you guys information. I called the Scion toll-free phone and they have given
a tag number and their specialist will call me today, tomorrow or day after tomorrow.
They said that if nobody calls me by this Friday, I should call them back again.

Besides the rattles from the Lift Back, I have actually resolved some rattles from the
trunk by putting sponges under the jack, tool-foam and re-wrapped the straps inside
the plastic bag. All these things making rattles at the back when I drive. Scion should
be careful not to create so many man-made rattles in their new tC.

 

where was this threading? the main seat or the seams?

 

Today, I have tried to use masking tape to tape the glass and plastic edges of the
hatch back. It still has the rattling sound from the glass of the hatch back door
when I drive over the bumps and pot-holes. On a smooth and newly paved road,
the rattling sound doesn't happen all the time.

 

hmmm yeah this piece of plastic was a seperate piece at the top of the hatch, you can see it when the hatch is closed from the rear seat.. and it looks like it could move around..

i read somewhere about the pneumatic lifts and the shims were causing rattles..

the other thing I found was the rear license plate, put some weather stripping foam (can get it at home depot or lowes) and put it on the license plate.. nice cushioned fit now.. might want to look into that too..

 

Silly question. But, do you have all four screws holding in your license plate cover? Toyota of Durham (don't buy from them) only gave me two. Made the bumps a ltttle noisier.

 

hey stickler..

only two screws.. there are only two holes anyway.. best thing is to get some weatherstripping (from like lowe's or home depot).. some vinyl foam would work fine.. get the self-stick kind.. and put it on the license plate.. on the bottom of the plate.. that will take up any space.. stopped the rattles on mine..

 

Thanks for your advice. I have just tried to take off the License Plate Holder with two
screws and went for a drive. The rattling sound from the hatch back still exists when
I drive over bumps and/or light pot-hole.

Scion specialist did return my call and she said that she had reported my issue of the
rattling sound from the hatch back door to her factory in Japan. She will call me in a
month later and hope that they will know how to fix the problem.

 

the seat threads in most seats have seem to be getting loose...seems like the scions are having too many issues

 

yeah here's a thought for you.. my parents just took in their toyota sienna minivan for a rattle coming from the back.. dealer did some looking and found it was the rear wiper motor not bolted down enough.. rattle over bumps.... sure there isn't a rear wiper in there, but has anyone thought that it could be the power lock mechanism that possibly is loose in the hatchback? might be something to think about..

 

I'll add my 2 cents.. I have a Scion xA that had a rattle in the back that kept getting worse and worse. I put up with it for about 2 months before taking it to the dealer. It was the Bazooka subwoofer. They replaced the subwoofer and the rattle is gone.

 

I think you maybe right that the loose Power Lock Mechanism could be one of the rattles' makers in the Hatch Back Door of a tC. However, there are also other possibilities; glass on the Hatch Back Door is not being held firmly by the plastic frame (Without Rubber). Hatch Back Door End closes not tightly by the lock or is not balanced at the tail of the tC. I only have 100 miles on my tC and I don't feel that I shall bring it to the dealer and have them check and disassemble the Hatch Back Door, at least not for the moment. Frankly speaking, if I had known that there were rattles from the Hatch Back Door, I would not placed my purchase order or at least thought twice.

 

yeah i agree it sucks with only 100 or so miles on the car.. can you tell me what the last 4-5 digits are of the VIN? i'm wondering if this is an early production run..

either way it shouldn't be happening.. don't know what else to say, your suggestions are right about the other stuff causing the rattles.. i was wondering if the rubber molding is also in place? just thinking of anything/everything in there.. maybe you could get a friend to lay back there and listen as it rattles to pinpoint the location of it.. that would probably help a fix..

 

Thanks for your response. The label by the driver's door of my tC indicating production in 08/2004. It is a latest production in last month. I will try your suggestion to have someone lying down at the back to hear where the rattles from. Will update.

 

Just had someone drive the tC slowly and I lay back and checked the rattling sound. I heard some vibrations down from the right tail light compartment. There are still some kind of glass rattles from the top end of the hatch back door. These rattles are obviously heard when I drive over bumps, light pot-hole and rough surface roads. I suspect also the rubber molding is too weak to support a heavy hatch back door in place which will not be able to absorb the shaking and causes the rattling glass sound.

 

hmmm so maybe the top plastic is rattling against the glass? that piece of plastic up there i noticed looks loose on mine and could be a source of noise since it's not cushioned at all against the glass..

so this noise is coming from the taillight area.. hmm... check the taillight bulbs? wonder if they aren't plugged in correctly into the housing. Have you also secured the sparetire stuff? like the jack, tools? made sure the spare tires is also secured tightly?

i agree with that molding strip, it doesn't look beefy enough to put up with the hatch's weight. I try to be careful shutting it.. but have a feeling that's going to be a warranty issue down the road...

 

The vibrations from the right tail light compartment of my tC, which I meant not exactly the light base. It is the empty area just down in front of the light base and it looks like from some kind of metals. You are right that the hatch back glass is not secured by the rubber into the plastic frame. How can it be no rubber to absorb the rattles from the glass ? As I mentioned in my previous message on Sept. 15, at 10:01 am, I did fix some rattling sounds in the trunk by myself.