Dash Noise on 99 Sienna

[ve3bwp]

My 99 Toyota Sienna VAN has just developed a rattle (more like a "tinckle) in the dash that is driving me nuts! It's started out as occasional on very rough roads then has been getting more frequent and happens now even on smooth roads. It is coming up on 60,000KM so it is still like new but well past warranty. It's gotten to the point where I avoid using that vehicle now because of it.

The noise sounds like it's coming from the drivers side right by the defroster vents. It's a long reach to try while you're driving but I think when I pulled on the vents it stopped the sound but a difficult maneuvor.

I saw the email threads on the Tacoma trucks dash noise discussion and my dash noise is similar to what they describe. I tried wedging some foam strips between the dash and the windshield but it did not help. I will try the backer pipe those threads suggest. It may put more pressure on the dash then the foam I used does.

Our local high end car stereo and automotive electronics guy suggested I try spraying some sealing foam up under the dash around the defroster vents. I tried this today. I still have the scrapes on my arms from reaching up in there. I emptied a can of "Great Stuff large gap filler" up in there. I peered up into there first and could not see anything that looked like it would get hot or have an air intake that the foam could block or cause trouble with. I did this today and it sounded like the noise was either gone or much quieter. Hard to tell now if I was imagining it after hearing it so much lately. The foam expands for an hour or two so I am letting it set and will give it a day or two and test it again. Hopefully the foam is not going to cause other problems.

Has anyone else experianced and solved this?

Also can anyone point me to a free source for info on dash dissasembly or instrument cluster bulb access? Just in case it comes to that.

Thanks.

[bugmenot]

Here, this should help

[Tennesseestorm]

I know that when the Sienna first came out in 1998, there were several complaints of instrument panel rattles. I think on some models that some sort of a dash pad was omitted by mistake, but I think those were replaced under recall.

I doubt spraying that stuff up there will help, because likely wherever the noise is from, you cannot get between it. That stuff probably just made your underdash untidy.

The newer late 90s-early 2000s+ have alot of hard plastic on the dash boards, unlike the Toyotas of the mid 90s and older- which used higher quality padding material, so its no surprise that some have rattles and "ticks". Especially on the Sienna, with a huge instrument panel.