2012 Toyota Camry dash noises, rattles

My 2012 (2013 will surely be affected) Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE is so noisy with rattles and clunks inside. (For the roof clunk problem, view this post.) The most annoying rattling comes from the glovebox, near the keyhole. If I push on the keyhole, the noise stops. However, sometimes it will rattle above the clock/radio area and sometimes near the drivers side.

Here is a video with the noise at it’s worst:

Please comment if you have similar problems and ESPECIALLY if a dealer is able to fix it or if you fix it yourself.

I took my car in about 5 times to work on this rattle and it only got worse after each visit. Because of this and the roof issue, I got rid of the car.

37 replies
  1. Tim Candy says:

    Brian,
    I am sorry to hear you are still having issues with your new Camry. Where has the quality gone??

    I can’t help you unfortunately on this particular issue as my 2011 SE V6 has been pretty good on the rattles (I have a few – but not at the glovebox).

    My roof has been fixed which is a huge relief. It was in fact, the moon roof assembly and it was in fact the TSB 0088-12 that was the required repair. Thank you for the information. If I learn anything about rattles or a fix, I will let you know.
    TC

  2. Rich Theroux says:

    I have the same model. My rattle seems to come from somewhere under/behind the dash on the driver’s side. Sounds almost like metal on metal. It is intermittent with no distinct pattern. Dealer has had a hard time replicating. Sound familiar anyone???

  3. Rachel says:

    I have a 2013 Toyota Camry XLE. It has a rattle in the dash since we first purchased it. I even taped recorded it for the dealership. They have replaced some minor things to no avail. Any one else have this problem and if so how was it solved. Thank you.

  4. Dan says:

    I just bought a 2014 Toyota Camry SE at the end of December. It makes intermittent popping and crackling noises. These occur in the dash toward the passenger side (near the windshield) and the column between the front and rear passenger door. I took it in once, and the dealership could not reproduce the noise. I even drove it with a technician, and the noise did not occur.

    I would love to hear from anyone who has resolved the problem. The issue is driving me up the wall. Thanks.

  5. Rhonda says:

    I bought a 2013 Camry and within 1 month of having it I noticed a raddle in my dash on the drivers side. They could not hear it of course, so brought it home. Kept getting louder so once again brought it in, they kept it and the next day they called and told me that they added installation between the window and hood, well low and behold a month later the raddle came back but more louder and all the time. When I brought it in again (which they had for almost 4 weeks this time) they finally said it was my steering column so they replaced that thinking that would fix the problem but no it came back. I am really considering of doing the Minnesota lemon law with my car because really I don’t think I should have to give them another chance. I’m at my wits end with my Toyota Camry, never again.

  6. Damian says:

    I bought a 2014 Camry SE and I noticed a rattling noise coming from the dash when the car exceeds 60 MPG’s. The sound is not noticeable if the radio is on. I am not planning on addressing this issue with Toyota as I am sure they will waste my time and believe their efforts may make it worse. I have a 60,000 mile maintenance warranty, otherwise I would trade this vehicle., FYI I currently have 8,000 miles on the car, purchased December 2013. And yes folks this is unacceptable coming from Toyota!!!

  7. beth says:

    Same problem here – 2012 hybrid xle – glovebox/key button rattle driving me insane. I would say it started about 30,000 mi. If I press on it, it stops, but every other thing I’ve tried to do is absolutely ineffective. I am sorely disappointed in Toyota…

  8. Derek says:

    My 2014.5 Camry Se came with a bunch of noises. It took me so long to pin point each rattle because it bugged me so much. I’ve been able to pinpoint some of these rattles. Here are the list of rattles I’ve encounter.
    1) The popping noise happens when your dash gets hot because the dash materials expands slower then the cheap plastic black used in the middle counsel, so it pops due to thermal expansion. My fix is to use a windshield sunshade when its hot. (ps i think one day that will crack when its old and when it suffers from a lot of stress from temperature changes.
    2) The low pitch, low volume rattling coming from inside dash which sounds like its coming from the AC vent or somewhere near the dash but it’s only noticeable when the radio is off. The rattling is coming from the fuse box underneath the dash next to the break pedal. I’ve recently found that out, so I haven’t been able to find a solution for it yet, but i think one of the fuse my be lose or defected, or the mountain bracket isn’t screwed on tight enough. Honda civic have had issues with the fuse box rattling next to the break pedal due to bad/ defected mounting bracket. Also an easier solution would be to wrap the fuse box with noise cancellation material.
    3) Also if you have experienced a loud rattle which sounds like dry rubber pressing on plastic or a squeezing noise when the car bounces that is coming from the middle arm rest when the center arm rest is extended its because the rubber stopper of the armrest is dry. My solution is to lightly spray WD40 on the arm rest.
    4) Also if use hear plastic tapping near your seat belt that means the inside of your seat belt unit is dry and you should spray the inside of the seat belt with WD40 but clean it out before you spray it. It’s pretty hard to clean it but Q-tips and warm water helps.

  9. Ari says:

    I have a 2014.5 Camry XLE and the rattle sounds like either loose glass in the rear driver’s side window, or the rear windshield. It can happen on almost a perfectly smooth road, at any speed. I notice it more driving around the town. Drives me crazy. My first new car I”ve ever purchased and it sounds like it’s been in an accident.

  10. EL says:

    Every time I enter my car and turn it on, I hear a loud noise around the center dash area. It rattles and pops once or twice, and then it stops. This didn’t happen in the first month of owning my 2012 camry se, I just bought it used. If anyone has advice on how to correct this issue let me know.

  11. Lindsay says:

    I also have a 2014.5 Camry that rattles near the windshield. Mine seems to be the speaker cover on each side of the dash. If I touch the speaker cover, it stops. More recently, I’ve been noticing rattles in each of the front door panels and somewhere in the center of the dash but I haven’t been able to narrow it down more than that. I am taking my car to the dealership next week, and I’ll report back with what they say!

  12. Ari says:

    Thanks, Lindsay. I look forward to hearing your feedback.

    One thing I’ve wondered is whether the rattle in my 2014 Camry is related to temperature. All summer, I didn’t hear any rattling. Yesterday was our first cool day in about 6 months and sure enough, there were rattles everywhere. In the front windshield, the roof, the sunroof, the rear windshield. It is so frustrating because the dealership just denies it. I’ve owned a used 1985 Camry, and 3 different Prius (I leased), and always loved Toyota. Now I finally buy a new Camry (2014) and it is just awful. I don’t think I will buy another Toyota.

  13. Jacqueline says:

    I have a 2014 Toyota Camry SE that I purchased in December 2013. I hear a rattling from the roof toward the back driver’s side. I am going into Arbitration with Toyota because I am so frustrated with this car. I have been running back and forth with this car. I shouldn’t have to on a brand new car.

  14. Eli says:

    I have a 2013 Camry se a few months ago I started hearing crackling and rattling coming from driver side door I believe. Took it to a few places to get it checked out, but they didn’t find anything wrong. Noise is still there. So annoying!

  15. Bo says:

    If anyone is hearing cracking noises from the front windshield (in the middle section) it may be coming from the black plastic on the outside of your car. I put a piece of painters tape where the plastic meets the windshield and the noise is gone. Back to Toyota to fix this issue.

  16. Susan says:

    I have had my car into the dealership around 10 times for the rattling in the dashboard, it’s still not fixed. I have an arbitration hearing on the 23rd bc Toyota said they are not responsible for something that is not a safety issue! This is for a 2015 Camry. I didn’t pay for a brand new car to constantly have this annoying sound distract me when I drive (SAFETY ISSUE!!!!!)

  17. Micah says:

    I have a 2014 Camry. I have noises that are only there when my AC is on and now my heater. This car has had annoying rattling when going through bumps like it’s going to fall apart. There is also a clicking noise when I put it in reverse after it sits for a while….HELP

  18. D Blain says:

    UNDER CARRIAGE EXHAUST PIPE BARRIER LOOSE on 2012 CAMRY SE (90,000mi). I just discovered my rattling noise that has been bothering me for months. I’d say it started at around 70,000mi. and has gotten progressively worse. I knew it was exterior because it really rattled in high wind. It came from center and sounded like it came from under dash or hood or behind firewall. I looked around and tried to secure felt board under hood but noise still came when I was on freeway and hit gusts of wind. I got under my car and was just looking and feeling for anything loose. I found a small piece of galvanized steel that hangs under the car just beneath mid console between driver/passenger and over the exhaust pipe was loose. the screw holding the rear portion to under carriage had worn a hole through the thin galvanized steel. I believe this metal covering about 7″ wide by 24″ long could easily move and vibrate with heavy wind. I put some washers on top and under the worn (or bore out) hole and put nut back on. Nut now secures this small metal barrier sheet securely. I have not test driven, but I know this has to be my problem. I’m sure it has happened to other 2012 Camry owners. PS. this car has been the best value for the money spent. I love this car!

  19. Jimmy Williams says:

    my wife’s camry started this and was loudest during high winds. being a mechanic i figured it was a heat shield so thanks D Blain you confirmed my suspicions.

  20. Darlene M says:

    I have a 2014 Camry SE which I bought brand new. This is the loudest car I have ever owned, the road noise on the highway is terrible. A new issue that I have is the glove box broke, it probably has only been used less than 20 times, it won’t close due to the springs breaking, car has under 30,000 miles. Very disappointed as I thought Toyota was better quality than that.

  21. Frank says:

    I have a 2012 Camry SE V6 with less than 30000 miles. There is a rattle that is intermittent. It sounds like its coming from under the dash behind the glove box. Of course the dealer can’t find the noise. This is my first Toyota and it may be my last. I’m not impressed with the quality.

  22. Cynthia says:

    I currently have a 2014 Camry SE and i am having the same rattling issue. It rattles in the dashboard area when the roads are a bit uneven, it’s really annoying. Has anyone found a solution to it?

  23. Ray Davis says:

    I have a 2014.5 Camry SE and have had many issues. In regarding to the dash rattling, my dealership kept telling me they could not verify the noise so I finally got to the dealership on a snowy day before they were plowed just to show the technician. They said it was something in the steering column and ended out replacing my steering rack and the noise was gone.

    I have been getting a buz noise from the front end when the outside temperature is below 20 degrees. It only happens once when I approach about 10 mph. Has anyone else experienced this?

  24. ERIC says:

    I have a 2012 Camry LE and I’m getting nauseous around my glove box every time I hit a bump I emptied my glove box and it still does the same thing I would not buy another Toyota

  25. Kay says:

    Just 3 days ago I bought a brand new Camry XLE 2017. I could hear the rattling noise coming from the passenger side door/pillar area and from the moonroof, even as I was driving home from the dealership on Day 1. Mostly seems to be happening when driving on uneven, bumpy roads and the noise is very consistent.
    Called the dealership the next day to tell them that I’m going to return the car, but they said they won’t take it back and I have to take it to Service. Can’t believe that I’m going to have to take a brand new car within a week of buying, for a fix and they are going to open it apart. The worst feeling is when I read all these reviews where even Service could not figure out or fix the rattling issue on some of these Camrys. I haven’t driven it in extreme cold or hot weather conditions or on high speeds yet, so I suspect the noise could get even worse in those conditions.
    It’s just unbelievable that Toyota has not fixed the rattling issue even though so many buyers have complained about it over the years. How do some of you get to arbitration? Where can I look that up – I may need that in the future. NEVER AGAIN A TOYOTA, that’s for sure!

  26. brmorris says:

    That’s sad! The only way you could get to arbitration is to let them try to fix it over and over with it not getting fixed. The risks are high of the car getting messed up! Since there’s no evidence of a safety issue, the government doesn’t care.

  27. R Davis says:

    I feel the same way, NEVER GOING TO BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN! I’ve owned 7 Toyota’s and 5 of them were Camry’s. I have a 2014.5 Camry SE and it has been nothing but issues and the dealerships keep giving me excuses or telling me “cannot duplicate” or “operating as designed”! Amazing!

  28. Kay says:

    Brian, thanks for responding. It looks like you went through a lot of trouble with your Camry, before trading it. Did you go through arbitration at all or what made you not take that step?

    Over the weekend I drove the Camry again and heard popping noises again on bumpy roads. Quite annoying actually. I really am considering trading it for another make/model before the situation gets worse.

    1. I’m quite inexperienced with trading a car, so want your guys opinion on how much can I expect to lose from my actual buying price of this week old car? The MSRP for the car is around 32K, so would the appraisers start at that price, or would they have a way of finding out my actual buying price?
    Should I be concerned that if the appraiser called my Toyota dealership then the dealership would reveal to them about the issue I’m having with my car?
    2. Is it better to trade in the car now or wait for 2-3 years to trade it in?
    I understand that if I take the car to Service for this issue, then it will further reduce the value of the car over time, as the VIN search after 2-3 years will show that the car was serviced for these specific issues, correct?
    Appreciate any advice as I’m going crazy thinking about why did I ever buy this nuisance.

  29. brmorris says:

    It’s such a tough call. My advice would be to complain with anger to the salesperson, then run up to the sales manager, then above that, etc. Print out my website and comments. Try to force them to give you another Camry. It appears to me after years of this blog post is that a small percentage of Camrys with sunroofs have this issue, so chances are you’d be ok in another one.

  30. Don phillips says:

    If you take the center vents out and pop the plastic center dash up on the 2014 camry, you can line the side towards the windshield with foam (like the weatherstripping they sell at home depot) this will stop the rattle and only takes 5 mins. There are a Few YouTube videos on how to remove the center vent, but it littlerally pulls out, just use slow constant pressure. The dealership made it worse 3 times before the simple fix was done by me. Weird they couldn’t figure that out.

  31. Kim smith says:

    I too am having the same rattling issues with my 2013 camry. The dealership is being a complete jerk about the situation now that the warranty has run out. I just want my vehicle fixed.

  32. Lee says:

    I bought a 2015 TCH December of 2015 and for the past year, I’ve brought my car to the dealership 5+ times to have a corporate field tech and/or Toyota service tech work on several rattles/noises in the car that started around 50 miles. Driver side pillar A rattle, dash board loud vibration noises in front of driver, windshield ticking noises where glass meets metal at roof, ticking noises under passenger seat. My car was serviced for these noise several times over the past year and the noises continue. My 2007 TCH that I traded in was quieter than this “new” car. Even the old/used Toyota Scion that they loaned me was much quieter than my “new” $ 30,000+ car. I am extremely disappointed and I am considering trading in this car for a different brand. I can’t stand the noises anymore. VERY POOR QUALITY!!

  33. Rafael R says:

    2102 XLE Camry. I did get the sunroof clunk. I solved it myself by tightening some bolts on the sunroof mechanism. It was a pain to take the roof cover. Now Im getting rattles usually while breaking and accelerating. I believe the integrity of the chassis after almost 100,000 miles has been compromised. Something that never happened with my 2003 LE Camry I had for neary 250,000 miles.

    I’ve been told to replace the engine torque mounts. The top one ($38) didint make a difference. The bottom one goes for about $90. When you put the car in gear the motor will try to twist and these mounts transfer the movement to the chassis which creates some rattle. In my case it happens when I put the car in Drive, Reverse, or when I accelerate and brake.

  34. Pranit Prasad says:

    Hey guys so I have a 2012 Toyota Camry se. And I have had the same issue where I would hear constant rattling sound coming from the dash, under the dash and around the speaker cover area while I stop at a stop sign and my car would be on drive. However the sound would get less when I put it on nutrial. Finally I decided to fix the issue and it turned out that 1 of the bolts that mounts the intake filter cover was missing. I placed a new bolt on the mount and the sound went away.

  35. Rick says:

    My 2013 Camry LE makes a rattle noise near where the dash and windshield meet, but only when the temperature gets cold, like below 50 degrees. It’s so annoying and I dread the cold weather because I know I’ll have to listen to that noise until Spring….

  36. JANICE says:

    I HAVE A 2014 CAMRY THAT I PURCHASED DECEMBER 2014. WHEN MY CAR HIT 50,000 MILES THE RATTLING STARTED. I USUALLY RIDE ALONE SO I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE RATTLING IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE MY CAR BREAK DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. SINCE I HAVE READ OTHER POSTS ON THE SUBJECT, I AM GOING TO TRY SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS. APPARENTLY, TOYOTO IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY HELP.

  37. Jaffer Husain says:

    I hear a rattle sound in my 2017 camery. it sounds like its coming from the dashboard over the steering wheel area. I took it into the dealer two times, problem not fix.

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