I appreciate YOU for not only using and confirming this fix, but for also SEARCHING the site for your issue, then utilizing/appending an existing thread.

When there are dozens of repetitive (same subject) threads, it takes away from the usefulness and efficiency of the website.

No need to apologize for 'bringing up an old post." !!! You utilized the functionality of the site perfectly. Kudos to you, 2x! One for the fix, and one for using the site efficiently!!!

 

I also have a rattle that irritates me. Also in the same general area as described by others - although I do not have a nav. My rattle sounds like a stiff cable hitting something when going over rough road surface.Sometimes it is quiet for weeks, then starts up again and is going constantly even when going over relatively smooth road.
Is there a possibility to remove the center airvents the easy way or do you have to remove the whole centersection with the radio etc.?
I had it once at the dealer but they wanted to get at it from the glove compartment side???? Funny way to diagnose it when it is more from the left upper side of the centersection

 

Still having some rattle in the middle of the nav area. Argh. Guess I will have to take this thing apart.

 

let me know how you proceed. I talked to some people and they do not want to touch it. Dealer wants 150/hr to poke around until it is fixed (1 day - 1200)

 

I put more silicon tape all around the Nav surround last night. Pretty much all the way around. The rattle is all but gone this morning driving on my very not smooth rural roads. Will see if this fix lasts. I am not opposed to removing the panels and the nav and really doing this right, I'm just being lazy!

 

I noticed this issue in my 2002 UL in my first year of ownership, 9 years ago. When I installed my SL2Vi, I added blue painter's tape (it was all I had lying around) at the friction points for the nav unit assembly. Thin felt tape is the recommended solution, but any thin non-plastic, non-squeaky tape would work fine - don't use electrical tape or duct tape. My nav unit has been squeak-free for many years now.

Also something I've learned over the years about preventing squeaks in the cabin: While some bolts need to moderately hand-tight, counter-intuitively, other bolts should not be tightened as much. Both my nav unit and glovebox assemblies used to squeak when going over very minor road imperfections - loosening some bolts eliminated the friction points.

 

I thought maybe going into the dash via the vents above the radio. I cannot find a schematic or instruction how to remove the bezels. They are all plastic; prying on the wrong part and I might have big problems.
I do not have a nav and it is definitely inside the dash not around the trim. Removing the vents (f possible) would give me a big enough opening to look inside. I checked on Youtube but could not find anything other than the removal of the radio and CD player

 

This forum is the best. I got my car in May when it was hot so I had no dash rattles at all. It just started getting cold here and I began to notice the rattle above the navi. I would hold the top of the trim with a little pressure and it would go away. I was going to attack it someway this weekend but then I log on here and see I am not the only one with this issue. Seems to be pretty common.

Thanks club lexus!