What would cause rear suspension thump noise during cold temperatures?
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2012 Avalon with 16,000 miles on it. On 11/10/2012 and 01/28/14, car was brought to the dealership for a rear suspension thumping noise happening during cold weather. Both times mechanics said they cannot find anything wrong, nothing is lose with the suspension, and there are no TSBs. Noise happens when going over pot holes in cold weather, thump from rear suspension (both left & right side) like something is loose in the trunk. As soon as the weather warms up, the noise goes away. It is very really annoying to hear this clunk and the dealership not be able to identify the problem. TSB SU005-06 lists similar problems on 2006 Avalons, but nothing for 2012. Please let me know if you have any other ideas on what could be causing this on a car that is only a year old. Thank you.
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Thank you very much pushrod for your answer about the rear strut mounting hardware. Both times when I returned the car, the auto mechanics said they couldn't find a problem. However, none of them removed the strut assembly. They just looked underneath to see if anything was loose in the suspension. Both mechanics were very young, so I don't have confidence in their diagnoses. I am going to have to "insist" the service manager look at it, when I return next time, and I will show him the answer you provided. Thanks again . . .
Have fixed some Camry's, same thing! I did the looking and checking thing too but it aint going to be obvious. Now, on the cars i fixed, the noise was worse in cold weather but still there in warmer weather and were older vehicles!!! These sounded like something bumping the trunk lid, 'dull thud', when hitting even the slightest bump or road imperfection. Passenger side was more pronounced! This was what I found, other possibilities certainly exist!!!!! Let us know the outcome.
I have a 2012 with the same issue. I have taken it in to Toyota and they say they think it is the exhaust system and and suggest replacing it for 2000.00 I said no and took it to the local muffler shop and they took a look and told me there isn't any issues with the exhaust system. I asked about issues in the older Avalons and they told me the have never had an issue with a Avalon. When make an appointment and take it in it doesn't make the noise. I only have 30000 miles on this and I'm ready to sell it as this noise is driving me crazy.
It's still under factory warranty, call Toyota corp. office and have them explain this. Google Toyota strut mount noise to see what you get. Oh yeah, mention that 2000.00 exhaust repair as well.!! That is total BS!!
After making minor repairs to the suspension, they came to the same conclusion that pushrod mentioned: It is the strut mounts that are making the noise. I was told yesterday the springs/metal parts are hitting each other and the rubber gasket/boot have to be replaced. They are replacing the front strut mounts next week. The shop foreman said there were TSB, in 2011 about this problem, but nothing for 2012 yet.
I shouldn't have said the dealership did minor repairs to the suspension. They first replaced the stabilizer bar / idler arm, but that didn't work. They then made some other adjustments to the suspension, again that didn't work. This week the shop foreman looked inside the strut mounts and said he attached wires (not sure where) to see if this stopped the noise - It did! The parts were on back order and took four days to get in. The not so comical part of the whole thing is, when they did come in yesterday, the parts inside the box were used. He said someone had swapped them out and returned them. They are on back order again and I hope to get new ones installed next week. In the mean time, the noise has stopped, with the temporary fix he did. All in all, this has taken two months and two loaner cars from the dealership for me to drive, while they resolved the problem. Doda, I would take your car to another dealership. Mine took me seriously and continued to troubleshoot the problem, until they came up with a fix.
Thank you very much pushrod for your answer about the rear strut mounting hardware. Both times when I returned the car, the auto mechanics said they couldn't find a problem. However, none of them removed the strut assembly. They just looked underneath to see if anything was loose in the suspension. Both mechanics were very young, so I don't have confidence in their diagnoses. I am going to have to "insist" the service manager look at it, when I return next time, and I will show him the answer you provided. Thanks again . . .
Have fixed some Camry's, same thing! I did the looking and checking thing too but it aint going to be obvious. Now, on the cars i fixed, the noise was worse in cold weather but still there in warmer weather and were older vehicles!!! These sounded like something bumping the trunk lid, 'dull thud', when hitting even the slightest bump or road imperfection. Passenger side was more pronounced! This was what I found, other possibilities certainly exist!!!!! Let us know the outcome.
I have a 2012 with the same issue. I have taken it in to Toyota and they say they think it is the exhaust system and and suggest replacing it for 2000.00 I said no and took it to the local muffler shop and they took a look and told me there isn't any issues with the exhaust system. I asked about issues in the older Avalons and they told me the have never had an issue with a Avalon. When make an appointment and take it in it doesn't make the noise. I only have 30000 miles on this and I'm ready to sell it as this noise is driving me crazy.
It's still under factory warranty, call Toyota corp. office and have them explain this. Google Toyota strut mount noise to see what you get. Oh yeah, mention that 2000.00 exhaust repair as well.!! That is total BS!!
After making minor repairs to the suspension, they came to the same conclusion that pushrod mentioned: It is the strut mounts that are making the noise. I was told yesterday the springs/metal parts are hitting each other and the rubber gasket/boot have to be replaced. They are replacing the front strut mounts next week. The shop foreman said there were TSB, in 2011 about this problem, but nothing for 2012 yet. I shouldn't have said the dealership did minor repairs to the suspension. They first replaced the stabilizer bar / idler arm, but that didn't work. They then made some other adjustments to the suspension, again that didn't work. This week the shop foreman looked inside the strut mounts and said he attached wires (not sure where) to see if this stopped the noise - It did! The parts were on back order and took four days to get in. The not so comical part of the whole thing is, when they did come in yesterday, the parts inside the box were used. He said someone had swapped them out and returned them. They are on back order again and I hope to get new ones installed next week. In the mean time, the noise has stopped, with the temporary fix he did. All in all, this has taken two months and two loaner cars from the dealership for me to drive, while they resolved the problem. Doda, I would take your car to another dealership. Mine took me seriously and continued to troubleshoot the problem, until they came up with a fix.