I bought a new 21 Camry TRD about a year ago. Since that day, there has been an annoying ticking noise coming from the driver's side pillar area (between front and rear door) towards the top where it meets the headliner. I've had it to the dealership numerous times, only to be told to duplicate the noise in their presence. I have given them several recordings of the sound, but they want to hear the noise directly. Problem, it does not make the noise all the time. In the last year, I have determined that when is warm to hot outside (CA) and the car has been sitting in the heat, it is guaranteed to make the noise. Cold outside, no noise. I have driven the vehicle to the dealership while the ticking sound is going crazy, i get the foreman to go for a drive with me to hear it, then nothing. The minute I leave the dealer, it starts again down the road. It sounds like a morse code but ticking. I saw a few posts under the RAV4 about the same thing, including a video recording of the ticking and my Camry is making that same exact noise. Recently, I decided to use my left elbow to put pressure on the top left corner of the driver's window and the noise stops??? I have put foam, paper towels and other soft items inside the headliner area, inside the seatbelt cover mounted on the pillar and nothing. The noise is still there. The noise is exactly the same as it was a year ago, no more no less. The warm to hot weather really sets it off. A few months back we had a couple of cold months, and the noise was gone during that time, but soon returned once the weather heated up. Where in the world could this "ticking noise" be coming from???? PLEASE HELP

 

Pillar B as in the pillar next to the drivers left arm?

Does the car have side airbags?

 

what the dealer told u about it ?

 

i made several recordings of the noise and let them listen to those recordings. During tests drive with the tech, the noise was there although the tech said he only heard it 1 time. The tech and service manager do acknowledge the noise vary clearly on the recordings. They said "they can't do anything, not even take the vehicle in for inspection, UNLESS THE NOISE IS PRESENT DURING THE TEST DRIVE" which I've told them numerous times, I can't control the noise. I'm trying to trouble shoot the problem myself. I've narrowed it down to something between the headliner and the actual roof. I put pressure with my hand on the headliner and I get the noise to stop while I'm driving. I just can't pinpoint it quite yet. I've put my time and numerous hours into this myself. Which is more than any dealership is even willing to do.
I need a schematic of what is between the headliner and roof at the top of the pillar.

 

Is the car under warranty?

Does the car have a sunroof?

Toyota has a website where for $20 one can access Toyota service manuals for 2 days. This would have diagrams of the roof area.

https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfo...arch_docs_page

 

yes, warranty
No, sunroof

 

Did you buy the car at this dealer? If so keep pressing the issue with that dealer but be polite.

Speculate the dealer is wanting you to go away as they don't want to be bothered trying to fix the car. Any diagnostics and any repair time may not be reimbursed by Toyota.

You can call Toyota Corp customer service and express your issues them.

Check with your state as some have an arbitration system for warranty issues that is backed up by government legislation.

If my car I would get the factory service info to find out what was located behind the roof area in question then figure out what to do about it myself.

 

I agree. I'm going to first, contact toyota again. The first time, they just told me to go to the dealership and they would call them beforehand. I will reiterate the fact that the dealer will not take it in unless I prove there is a problem. Eventing the dealership acknowledges the noise on my recordings. You've been a great help. 👍 thx

 

Hi, this is exactly happening with me. Visited dealership 5 times now. 3 test drives together and cannot reproduce the sound. I can literally record it every single day, sent the recordings and the noise on my car is more pronounced than yours. I am so annoyed hearing it all the time.

Please could you let me know what you did are what are you planning to do? Maybe we can do something together to see how to fix this issue.

 

unfortunately, regardless of how nice the car was otherwise, they could not find the problem. I traded in my Camry, that's how I solved it. Too bad though. Known issue and can't fix it!