GorillaGuy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2021
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 39
- Location
- Long Isand, NY
- Car(s)
- 21' Premium, 08' Tacoma 2WD, 10' FJ Cruiser
- Thread starter
- #1
The creaking, squeaking and rattling of the plastic pieces of the center stack and knee pad area is just ridiculous. How Toyota allowed this to pass through QC is unreal to me. Here's how to remove the panels and show where to apply foam tape and sound deadening to silence those annoying noises.
Tools / Parts:
- T20 torx driver / socket
- Foam tape / rubber weather stripping in various thicknesses, sound deadening material (Foam tape , Rubber Stripping , Sound Deadening)
+ The above links are just examples, use whatever materials you feel fit to do the job
- Plastic trim removal tool (optional)
- Pick or tiny screwdriver to assist removing connectors (optional)
Order of Removal:
1 - Cup Holder
2 - Drivers Knee Pad
3 - Climate Control
4 - Center Buttons
5 - Wireless Charger
6 - CF Controls
Cup Holder:
1 - Remove rubber insert by pulling straight up
2 - Remove two T20 Torx
3 - Pull straight up on cup holder, it is only held in with clips
4 - Line underside of cup holder with sound deadening material if you wish, but it probably isn't necessary
Knee Pad:
1 - Pull off knee pad by prying it straight out towards you, it is only held in with clips
2 - Remove the 8 T20 torx screws (red) holding the knee pad structure to the dash structure
3 - Slide out plastic trim piece from the structure, it is held in with 3 clips (blue)
4 - Line the inside of the plastic trim piece with sound deadening material
Climate Control:
1 - Remove 2 screws, 1st screw is right in front, 2nd screw is hidden behind a grommet that is hidden in the jam of the glove box
2 - I found it easier to remove the hidden screw first, then the one in front, then just pull the entire panel towards you and it will pop out
3 - Remove 1 connector
4 - Be careful not to scratch the glossy plastic part as it scratches very easily
5 - Line the inner plastic trim piece with sound deadening material
6 - Wedge foam strips into the gaps between the actual button assemblies and the trim panel itself (refer to "reference pic" below from Center Button section). From what I noticed, the button assemblies (plastic) rattle and squeak against the trim panel itself (plastic) which causes a lot of the annoying noises.
Center Buttons:
1 - Remove 2 screws, 1 is located right in front, the other is hidden in a panel at the passenger end of the dash. The panel pops out easily with a trim tool. Once its out you can see where the 2nd screw is. Using a ratchetting wrench on this screw will make it a bit easier.
2 - Once both screws are removed, gently pull straight out towards you...but there are two connectors to remove
3 - Remove both connectors
4 - As you can see in the "reference pic" below (same goes for the climate control buttons above), the button assemblies need to be filled with foam strips to prevent them from rattling around and causing the squeaking.
5 - Line the panel with sound deadening material if you desire, but probably isn't necessary.
Reference Pics:
Wedge foam strips in these gaps for both Climate Control and Center Buttons:
Wireless Charger:
1 - Gently pry up all around the charger base and CF trim piece, it is held in by clips only
2 - Remove 4 connectors, 2 of the 4 are a little tricky...pics below show the tabs that need to be pressed in before pulling off
3 - Place some soft foam tape on the CF trim around where the base of the wireless charger sits so it fits a little tighter
CF Controls:
1 - Once the wireless charger is disconnected and out of the way, gently pry up on CF trim to remove it. It is only held in by clips
2 - There are 3 connectors to remove, the one on the left side is tricky. It has a small tab that needs to be pressed in order to slide it out.
3 - Wedge some thick rubber or foam strips in between the button / control wheel assemblies to prevent them from moving around and making noise.
4 - Line under side with sound deadening if desired
Once all of the button assemblies are wedged with foam tape and you feel like there is an adequate amount of sound deadening on everything, put it all back together in the reverse order.
Doing this got rid of 99% of all the noises coming from the center stack. Now I can chase down all of the other rattling / creaking throughout the car.
Tools / Parts:
- T20 torx driver / socket
- Foam tape / rubber weather stripping in various thicknesses, sound deadening material (Foam tape , Rubber Stripping , Sound Deadening)
+ The above links are just examples, use whatever materials you feel fit to do the job
- Plastic trim removal tool (optional)
- Pick or tiny screwdriver to assist removing connectors (optional)
Order of Removal:
1 - Cup Holder
2 - Drivers Knee Pad
3 - Climate Control
4 - Center Buttons
5 - Wireless Charger
6 - CF Controls
Cup Holder:
1 - Remove rubber insert by pulling straight up
2 - Remove two T20 Torx
3 - Pull straight up on cup holder, it is only held in with clips
4 - Line underside of cup holder with sound deadening material if you wish, but it probably isn't necessary
Knee Pad:
1 - Pull off knee pad by prying it straight out towards you, it is only held in with clips
2 - Remove the 8 T20 torx screws (red) holding the knee pad structure to the dash structure
3 - Slide out plastic trim piece from the structure, it is held in with 3 clips (blue)
4 - Line the inside of the plastic trim piece with sound deadening material
Climate Control:
1 - Remove 2 screws, 1st screw is right in front, 2nd screw is hidden behind a grommet that is hidden in the jam of the glove box
2 - I found it easier to remove the hidden screw first, then the one in front, then just pull the entire panel towards you and it will pop out
3 - Remove 1 connector
4 - Be careful not to scratch the glossy plastic part as it scratches very easily
5 - Line the inner plastic trim piece with sound deadening material
6 - Wedge foam strips into the gaps between the actual button assemblies and the trim panel itself (refer to "reference pic" below from Center Button section). From what I noticed, the button assemblies (plastic) rattle and squeak against the trim panel itself (plastic) which causes a lot of the annoying noises.
Center Buttons:
1 - Remove 2 screws, 1 is located right in front, the other is hidden in a panel at the passenger end of the dash. The panel pops out easily with a trim tool. Once its out you can see where the 2nd screw is. Using a ratchetting wrench on this screw will make it a bit easier.
2 - Once both screws are removed, gently pull straight out towards you...but there are two connectors to remove
3 - Remove both connectors
4 - As you can see in the "reference pic" below (same goes for the climate control buttons above), the button assemblies need to be filled with foam strips to prevent them from rattling around and causing the squeaking.
5 - Line the panel with sound deadening material if you desire, but probably isn't necessary.
Reference Pics:
Wedge foam strips in these gaps for both Climate Control and Center Buttons:
Wireless Charger:
1 - Gently pry up all around the charger base and CF trim piece, it is held in by clips only
2 - Remove 4 connectors, 2 of the 4 are a little tricky...pics below show the tabs that need to be pressed in before pulling off
3 - Place some soft foam tape on the CF trim around where the base of the wireless charger sits so it fits a little tighter
CF Controls:
1 - Once the wireless charger is disconnected and out of the way, gently pry up on CF trim to remove it. It is only held in by clips
2 - There are 3 connectors to remove, the one on the left side is tricky. It has a small tab that needs to be pressed in order to slide it out.
3 - Wedge some thick rubber or foam strips in between the button / control wheel assemblies to prevent them from moving around and making noise.
4 - Line under side with sound deadening if desired
Once all of the button assemblies are wedged with foam tape and you feel like there is an adequate amount of sound deadening on everything, put it all back together in the reverse order.
Doing this got rid of 99% of all the noises coming from the center stack. Now I can chase down all of the other rattling / creaking throughout the car.
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