Rattle in Passenger C Pillar

[emilioyidios]

We found a solution for this issue in Colombia. First, remove the weather stripping from the passenger door (second row) to expose the two sheet metal plates welded together at spots facing the C pillar. Next, insert a long flathead screwdriver into a spot where they are not welded, approximately at half the height of the third row glass. Apply a little leverage on each side, and you'll hear a crack similar to the rattle heard when driving. This "pops" the sheet metal and can reduce or eliminate the noise.

Warning: Use very gentle leverage. If it doesn’t work immediately, try the same procedure at different heights—slightly higher or lower—and repeat.

 

[eurospek]

This man is onto something here.

 

[jmtrujilo1983]

Posting an update to my situation, same noise (see video below) as some of you have here. After making a big fuzz at Toyota they had me drive it with their service foreman, he heard the noise. They tried twice to play around with the roof rails and still not fixed. I then elevated it to the service director and asked for a loaner. After asking them to take off the headliner and look at the top of the C pillar where I identified the noise came from and 3 weeks with the car at the dealership they finally (for now) fixed the noise. What they saw, after removing the headliner, is that there were two panels clicking against each other, more noticeable when hot outside. They adjusted the panels to create more space between them so not to touch each other when expanding with warmer weather. I’ve had the LC back for 4 days now and have not heard the rattle. I was about to trade it for a Bronco, but will keep it for now.

 

[RcvrdOutback]

Thank you for sharing that info. I’ll be taking mine in once Im back in town to have my dealer observe and note the issue. Hopefully info gets shared quickly and dealers can develop a repeatable and proven solution to this noise.

 

[jmtrujilo1983]

Thank you for sharing that info. I’ll be taking mine in once Im back in town to have my dealer observe and note the issue. Hopefully info gets shared quickly and dealers can develop a repeatable and proven solution to this noise.

If it helps, have them reach out to Stevinson Toyota East here in Denver. The service foreman that was able to get it fixed is Scott

 

[RcvrdOutback]

If it helps, have them reach out to Stevinson Toyota East here in Denver. The service foreman that was able to get it fixed is Scott

Thanks so much!

 

[FirstEditionLC2024]

Have they found a solution to this? An unbearable metallic rattle coming from the top of the passenger’s side C pillar. I have taken off the interior trim to see if there was something loose but its definitely inside the welded parts of metal… it’s unbearable, there are days that I feel like trading it in.

Appreciate any updates.

I ended up trading my 2024 LC First Edition in. I miss the vehicle, but not the rattle. I had multiple sites tap welded in the B pillar and roofline. Dealerships were useless. I was hoping 2025/2026 model years would have resolved the weld issues. Apparently not. Sorry you’re dealing with the same metallic tap. It’s maddening. Otherwise, I really liked the LC250 and I was coming from a 2020 LC 200.

 

[RcvrdOutback]

I’ve got my 20k oil change in a few weeks. Hopefully I can get some traction with my dealership. The rattle has gotten progressively worse over the last few months (first noticed last summer). Even on a relatively smooth road, it rattles.

It sounds like an old ford econoline van. Just panels flexing and rattling the whole time.

 

[ultane]

If it helps, have them reach out to Stevinson Toyota East here in Denver. The service foreman that was able to get it fixed is Scott

Welcome to the asylum.

 

[ultane]

We found a solution for this issue in Colombia. First, remove the weather stripping from the passenger door (second row) to expose the two sheet metal plates welded together at spots facing the C pillar. Next, insert a long flathead screwdriver into a spot where they are not welded, approximately at half the height of the third row glass. Apply a little leverage on each side, and you'll hear a crack similar to the rattle heard when driving. This "pops" the sheet metal and can reduce or eliminate the noise.

Warning: Use very gentle leverage. If it doesn’t work immediately, try the same procedure at different heights—slightly higher or lower—and repeat.

Welcome to the asylum.

Thanks for sharing this.

 

[TakaraLC]

I found that in my case the rattle is coming from the junction of c-pillar and headliner. I can completely get rid of the rattle if I plug in a small piece of cloth the the weather stripping at the corner of the rear door (please see the picture).

I suspect something at the corner of the headliner is not secured properly and is rattling of the headliner vibrates (which the plugged cloth dampens. Possibly it is the sunroof drain tube.

This obviously is not a permanent solution but I am posting since it help narrowing down the source of the noise for other people who have this issues.

I am not going to ask the dealer to fix that since I am sure they will ask to bring the headliner down and scuff every piece of plastic that they can get their hands onto.

Anyone knows if it would be possible to pry down just that corner of the headliner without completely removing it?

 

[FirstEditionLC2024]

I found that in my case the rattle is coming from the junction of c-pillar and headliner. I can completely get rid of the rattle if I plug in a small piece of cloth the the weather stripping at the corner of the rear door (please see the picture).

I suspect something at the corner of the headliner is not secured properly and is rattling of the headliner vibrates (which the plugged cloth dampens. Possibly it is the sunroof drain tube.

This obviously is not a permanent solution but I am posting since it help narrowing down the source of the noise for other people who have this issues.

I am not going to ask the dealer to fix that since I am sure they will ask to bring the headliner down and scuff every piece of plastic that they can get their hands onto.

Anyone knows if it would be possible to pry down just that corner of the headliner without completely removing it?

I ended up removing the entire head liner and tap welded all the overlapping sheets of metal with a punch and covered it in sound deadening sheets. It will work. However, I did end up creasing the headliner in a few spots. There’s no good way to pull down a section without creasing the cardboard headliner.

 

[MSINAL]

I ended up removing the entire head liner and tap welded all the overlapping sheets of metal with a punch and covered it in sound deadening sheets. It will work. However, I did end up creasing the headliner in a few spots. There’s no good way to pull down a section without creasing the cardboard headliner.

The headliner is originally installed through the front of the vehicle before windshield and interior is installed. Makes it near impossible to do any work above the headliner after the fact. We shouldnt have to deal with this on any vehicle, major fail by toyota.

 

[TakaraLC]

I ended up removing the entire head liner and tap welded all the overlapping sheets of metal with a punch and covered it in sound deadening sheets. It will work. However, I did end up creasing the headliner in a few spots. There’s no good way to pull down a section without creasing the cardboard headliner.

Thanks yeah that was what I am afraid of.

 

[culley]

Summoning this thread.. brand new '26 and having this exact sound. sigh..

 

[TakaraLC]

Summoning this thread.. brand new '26 and having this exact sound. sigh..

Yeah I get it, nothing is as annoying as a metallic rattle on a new vehicle.

 

[jesterlabs]

She is definitely temperamental; some tolerate, some find solutions, some trade it in. I had my share of rattles. The one that was driving me insane was the faulty striker, which got fixed by re-welding the metal plates. But the pillars are the main cause of rattles/crackings/vibrations for me. I soundproofed the pillars and added sound foam inside. Reduced rattle by 90%. Hope this helps. Cheers.

 

[ottabox]

I have a metallic rattle in my 2025 LC passenger side C pillar. Service Department at Toyota has isolated the rattle and determined that it happens only in warmer temps, and is coming from the upper seat belt bracket inside the sealed/welded pillar. The resolution offered by Toyota Service is to remove rear window and cut out a section of the body on the outside of the pillar to expose the seat belt bracket and weld as needed. I am concerned that cutting the outside body will compromise the integrity of the frame. Should I be concerned that this repair would affect the integrity of the LC frame?

I wonder if a precision drill hole with expanding spray foam would dampen any rattle. Seems the least invasive thing to try.

 

[ottabox]

I wonder if a precision drill hole with expanding spray foam would dampen any rattle. Seems the least invasive thing to try.

Another unorthodox idea I’d to hang your keys on the grab handle to the left of your head. The sound from them will counter the sound coming from the column on the other side.

 

[ultane]

She is definitely temperamental; some tolerate, some find solutions, some trade it in. I had my share of rattles. The one that was driving me insane was the faulty striker, which got fixed by re-welding the metal plates. But the pillars are the main cause of rattles/crackings/vibrations for me. I soundproofed the pillars and added sound foam inside. Reduced rattle by 90%. Hope this helps. Cheers.

Welcome to the asylum.