97 Avalon Suspension Noise

IHA 97 Avalon with a lot of front suspension noise - sounds like loose plastic at slow speeds on a rough road. I see thatToyota did issue a TSB on this, but can not seem to find it.

Does anyone have this TSB or is there some place I can go to view/print this TSB?

The info I have from the NHTSA is below

Service Bulletin Num : SU00299 Date of Bulletin: SEP 03, 1999 Summary: SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT NOISE.

*TT Service Bulletin Num : 012199 Date of Bulletin: JAN 21, 1999 Summary: BRIEF INFORMATION ON FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT NOISE. *TT

Service Bulletin Num : 980812 Date of Bulletin: AUG 12, 1998 Summary: A GROAN OR CRUNCH NOISE MAY BE HEARD FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN DRIVING OVER SPEED BUMPS OR DIPS IN THE ROADWAY. *YC

TIA - Tom

Reply to
Tom Young
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I do not have the TSB handy but it essentially identifies the cause of a knocking noise from the suspension as hardened strut bushings. Replacement strut bushings will quiet the suspension (at least it did for our 97 Avalon).

Reply to
Ray O

I guess with 69K on the car it would make sense to just go ahead and replace the struts which should come with new bushings.

Thanks for the response.

Reply to
Tom Young

Tom Young wrote the following on 3/12/2005 7:05 AM:

On my '98, I had front suspension noise at around 30K miles...there was a TSB to replace the top strut mounts. Dealers were authorized to contribute to the cost of the repair. As I recall, I was out of there with two new strut mounts for $170 or so, and have had no further issues. I'll bet your struts are fine and you just need the top mounts replaced.

Reply to
Z

I've owned two Toyotas and one Lexus and they all three made the strut mount noise. I never put any money into fixing it and lived with the noise. I own an Infiniti QX4 now and it makes the same noise at the same time my others did. The ride is fabulous, pointing to no serious defect. It's just annoying, the noise, especially in parking lots because it happens a lot at slow speeds when the vehicle's weight shifts when you have to brake and accelerate.

Oh, and it's definitely worse in cold weather. On hot days, it will disappear totally.

Reply to
ravelation

I think the strut bushings/bearing plates are a separate part so make sure you ask before ordering strut replacements.

Reply to
Ray O

ravelation wrote the following on 3/13/2005 12:34 PM:

Annoying, indeed, and yes, I saw the same thing with colder weather. But the redesigned strut mounts have done the trick for me, whether the weather is cold or warm, and I've driven it about 35K since having them replaced. Well worth it, I say.

What years were your models that had the problem?

Reply to
Z

One was an '85 Camry, one a '99 Rav4L, and the Lexus was an '01 RX300. The '99 Rav started at about 12K miles and the Lexus at about 23,000 miles. Thankfully, I had an honest mechanic who, with the '85 Camry, told me what the deal was. The stealership wanted to put all new struts on the car.

I wonder if Toyota ever decided to put the redesigned strut mounts into their new vehicles. Or, is it a built in moneymaking problem for them and that's why new cars are still having the same problem as my '85 Camry? (Now, that was a great car. We wish we still had it!) I was rather disappointed when the Lexus began making the noise.

Reply to
ravelation

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