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Buzzing Noise under dash of 2004 Corolla

Hello, I own a 2004 Corolla LE. The car drives great and has since I bought it new from the dealer in July 2003. However, for about 1.5 years now, I've occasionally heard a loud, high-pitched buzzing noise coming from (as best I can tell) the dash, somewhere behind the instrument panel. This noise only occurs when I'm driving on the highway at high speeds (usually > 65 mph). I've also noticed that it is more frequent during cold weather and windy days.

I have absolutely no clue what could be producing this buzzing noise, and haven't had any luck searching the internet for similar problems. I took the car into the dealer last year before my warranty expired, but they could not reproduce the sound (they drove the car all of .9 miles) and therefore didn't do anything about it. I've felt the dashboard in many different places when this buzzing occurs to see if it's some sort of vibration, but as best I can tell it isn't. The noise doesn't occur when I have the car in neutral and rev the engine to high RPMs -- only when I'm actually in gear and driving somewhere.

It seems to me to be some sort of either wind effect through the hood or loose electrical connection. Since all of my electronics seem to work fine, I hope it isn't an electrical problem. But the noise is impossible to ignore, and long drives are very painful if the noise occurs frequently.

Any help or insight into this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Kevin

Reply to
wimastyle
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On a 240SX I had, it was a wiring harness.

It could be anything, hopefully, removing the instrument panel might locate it. I drove my SX around for a day without instruments to isolate the noise!

Reply to
Hachiroku

I can't help you but there were tons of hits on Google Groups that might isolate the problem. Cut and Paste link if it doesn't come up properly.

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Reply to
badgolferman

aside from the fact that your car is so new, my first guess would be a dried up, or possibly kinked, speedometer cable. You could try disconnecting it or pulling the interior cable out of the surrounding sheath to see if the noise abates. then lubricate it well.

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Reply to
mack

Another vote for this idea, but make the dealership do it.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I am pretty sure that there is no mechanical speedometer cable since it probably has an electronic speedometer.

Ray O (correct punctuation to reply)

Reply to
Ray O

Noises are very difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to fix without hearing the noise. Have you tried pushing in on the clear plastic that covers the instrument panel or tugged gently at the wires under the driver's side of the dash? If that doesn't work, take someone from the dealership on a test drive so that they can experience what you are describing.

Reply to
Ray O

Check this out. I have had 3 Toyotas over the last 10 years and all had a funny buzzing noise over bumps especially when cold out. It seemed to be coming from the dash. On my latest 2005 Camry (which by the way has more rattles and sqeaks than a GM car) I just happened to notice the rattle coming from the shifter handle (Automatic). If I knock the top of the shifter with my knuckles I can reproduce the extremly annoying buzzing sound. I am going to take it in to the dealer next month, to check out this noise and I suspect it has to do with a poor design of the spring mechanism that holds the shifter button out. I will also be having them check out a terrible creak in the dash when I go over bumps, a sqeak in both doors that I can replicate by lightly pushing on the trim, a loose seat track mechanism (which they had to replace on my 2001 Camry), and a terrible rattle in the headline4r console in front of the moonroof. This thing is a real rattle trap much unlike my 2001 and 1998. It must be when car companies get big that they loose control of the sqeaks and rattles. I'm going to give Honda a good look next time, I think Toyota has lost it quality edge.

REb

wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

Reply to
Roadrunner Newsgroup

Actually, some newer Hondas have had quality issues too, including squeaks and rattles.

Reply to
High Tech Misfit

Do yet anybody kid you ALL vehicles develop some squeaks and rattle over time. They ALL brake down on occasion, at an industry wide average rate between 1% to 2%. Now that Toyota is running with the big boys and selling cars in the millions, in the US, rather than just in the hundreds of thousands more of their bad ones are starting to show up as well.

mike hunt

Reply to
Mike Hunter

I don't agree in this case with my 2005 Camry Mike. Random fails happen on all cars due to the probabilities, however, loose seat tracks were a problem on many Camry's in the same as my 2001 vintage according to my dealer. Now I have the same problem with my 2005. That's not a random problem, that's sloppy quality and design. Sorry if I offended your Toyota loyalty, but I have other friends that are noticing the increase in squeaks, and ratles in their newer Toyota vehicles. Many people on the newsgroup have reported the squeaks in the doors as well on the 2002-06 vintage. Again, poor design, not random failure.

My loyalty to Toyota started when many other folks reported satisfaction regarding no sqeaks and rattles and I bought one in 98 and was satisfied. My

2001 was worse, and my 2005 is a rattle trap all over the place with only 14k on the odo. Don't let anyone kid you when that is the case, start shopping around. If you notice also, Camry's are dropping in the JD Powers ratings as well. I suppose that's just a coincidence. Read the consumer ratings on the 2007 on Edmonds, there too, folks are starting to complain about the quality slipping.

The same reason I bought my Toyota is the same reason I'm looking elswhere next time around. Quality.

Reb

Reply to
Roadrunner Newsgroup

Most Camrys are made in the US.

I hate to sound 'unpatriotic', but I noticed a BIG decline in build qualty and reliability on the US Built Camrys. A 1998 with 250 miles and the window falls off the track? The driver's seat gets stuck? Not Nice.

OTOH, I had an '88 Accord made in Ohio that was very well built, and went

188,000 miles before we got rid of it.

Reply to
Hachiroku

Despite those fit and finish issues, Toyota's mechanical quality is still near the top. There are 4 fairly new Toyotas in my immediate family: An '04 Corolla, an '05 Corolla, an '05 Prius and an '03 Celica. All of them have been extremely reliable mechanically, and I am not aware of any fit and finish issues with any of them either.

Like I said, even Honda has experienced some recent quality issues including the fit and finish issues you experienced with your Toyotas. And this is also true of the big 3; I know a guy with a newer Ford Windstar that was rattling big time from the moment he got it (new). I believe the reason for this is the use of cheaper quality, more environmentally friendly materials.

BTW, "Mikey Hunt(er)" is an anti-Toyota troll who defends the big 3. Pay no attention to him.

Reply to
High Tech Misfit

I have 2005 corolla LE. I have same problem as you have mentioned . I took it to two dealers so far, but no luck. One dealer mentioned turn on the air circulate button which is of no use.

Other dealer menti> Hello, I own a 2004 Corolla LE. The car drives great and has since I

Reply to
mvkreddy

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