cyprian

I was driving my 2008 RX350 today and I heard loud rattling noises coming from the back when car was going over bumps. Turned out the mid section of the back seat was not fully locked in and secured.

So for those of you complaining rattling noises from the back of the car, you may want to check if the back seats are secured. I had to go a little rough and smash the seats quite hard to get them locked in.

Another source of noises could be due to poor installation of the rear license plate. Some US license plate holders come with tabs on the bottom to hold the plate properly. If plate and holder were not installed properly, you may hear rattling noise when the plate vibrates against the rear door body and the plate holder.

Just want to pass along what I learned on my car.

NXOwner

Sometimes the rear cargo cover may not be securely fastened (the two ends may not be snapped in all the way). If this is the case, you will probably have some rattling when on a rough or bumpy road.

Lil4X

For anyone experiencing rattles from the wayback, it MAY be coming from loose gear in those underfloor bins. My wife found a great solution: Get a roll of that non-slip shelf liner from a kitchenware, hardware, or thrift store. It's available in a wide variety of colors and may be cut to fit those bins and boxes under the floor. Stuff doesn't roll or slide around so much, and it cushions things like the jack, tools, and emergency gear of all kinds.


Photo courtesy www.americanvan.com

My bride discovered this stuff several years ago and sorta went overboard, Now she has it everywhere. It's under a big TV on a high shelf to prevent it sliding off, under her computer keyboard to keep it from "walking" on a highly-polished table - even between our mattresses and bed platforms to keep them from scooting. Gotta hand it to her, it works great, and is available in colors from the near-invisible to . . . uh . . . "decorative" (she loves purple). She even has a big piece tied around an old cookie sheet to lay in the bottom of the sink when she washes the dog - the animal doesn't struggle so much when she has firm footing. I drew the line at putting it in the bathtub.

It is a thin, fairly soft foam product that tends to cling to flat surfaces and prevents things placed on it from sliding around while dampening noise. Perforations allow dirt to fall through it, so you have to lift it out occasionally to clean the bin, but that's no problem. Check online sites like eBay and discount stores or 99-cent outlets for the best deal. It's cheap and can be used to line door pockets, console bins, and your glove compartment. Try using a light color in your console to keep it from being such a black hole and allowing you to spot small items without having to grope for them.

NC330

Having same issue after picking up my '05 330. Tried removing rear cover from car, securing both seats tightly, but now sounds like it's coming from rear door. Tried opening/closing to now help. Didn't do this when I demo'd it of course. May just bring back to dealership to diagnose.

ImolaS54

i just went through this, i took everything in the back out trays/panel/hinged door/etc out, added foam tape and some goo stuff to make sure it doesn't rattle..... drove around still the same noise!!!

have a dealer appointment friday, but i am thinking it's the rear upper shock mount that's making the noise now....

oldcajun

I chased a rattle from the rear on my RX400h and could not find it so I went to the dealer. The tech went for a ride with me, heard the rattle, and had me pull over and open the rear door (hatch?). He pressed in both of the locks for the cargo cover (which was not in at the time) and we drove off. The rattle was gone! When you push in on these little levers, they lock in place. If not latched, they rattle much louder than I thought possible.
Steve

NXOwner

The first weekend I had my 330, I installed this stuff in all the compartments in the cargo area, as well as in the front floorboard tray and reat seat center armrest compartment.

It works very, very well.

BBHanks

Mine was coming from the rear cover.Once I pulled it closed the rattle stopped.But everytime you open the rear door it releases the cover..

mandyfig

Take it off....noise gone.

NXOwner

You can disable that feature and have the cover stay in extended mode when the hatch opens. Flip those latches to toggle the behavior (the little latches closest to the rear of the car, where the extended end of the cover goes into the notch).

Rainbird

My RX350 had the same rattle in the rear cargo area. I took it to the dealer and they said this is a "Known problem" that has two possible solutions:

1. The center arm rest on the rear seat was not in the locked position. Pull back hard to secure.

2. The locks for the cargo cover will rattle against the rear door. There is a small glue-on fabric cushion on the rear door itself, that wears thin over time. The solution as OldCajun stated was to push the locks on the cargo cover in and away from contact with the rear cargo door . Of course, every time you want to use the cargo cover itself you must release the locks to secure the cover. That is a real pain and not an acceptable solution in my opinion. Perhaps Lexus should consider using bubber cushions instead of fabric on the rear door itself.

In any event, number 2 solved the rattle.

mandyfig

I locked mine already, I do not want it to retract just because I open the tailgate.

NC330

I had this same problem (see above) yesterday. I actually went and sat in back, and located problem while it was happening.
I moved the rear cover clips(as recommended above), and VIOLA', no more squeeks.
Thanks for the great tip. I agree, this design was not well thought out by Lexus.
Now,
anyone have a tip on how I can make $1 million???

mandyfig

Ok, 1 Million...save a dollar a day.

No, save $274/day for 10 years you will rake in $1 Million.

kevinslee

Thank you NC330, I have been having this problem as well. After following your advice, the problem has since disappeared.