my SC is creaking really badly around turns, even on smooth road surfaces. i thought initally it was because i was entering driveways or going over rough roads, but i turned the audio off and listened and just did zig zag-turns on an empty street and the thing is creaking like mad when the body rolls from side to side.

is this normal? the sound is almost as if the chassis is bending. ironically, the convertible top seam with the pillars isn't squeaking, which is usually the noise i hear when turning.

any ideas!?? thanks for your help.

 

I' ve never experienced that, it doesn't sound good . . .

 

ummmm, go to dealership and have the suspension check out. it *could* be the sway bar bushings, but if you don't have aftermarket, it's hard to imagine that happening so soon, since it's s 04. i wonder if it's a shock problem or some other suspension bushings

 

lexuslover,

Maybe not. I had creaking issues which sounded exactly like they were coming from the swaybar bushings. Turned out to be the hood of the car. On a whim, I opened the hood and raised the rubber stop-mounts (which keeps the hood from clunking down on the metal.) It solved the problem.

Give it a try.

 

sounds like a lose nut behind the wheel

 

I thought it was the swaybars too. I did a search and and found your post. adjusted the stop brackets and the noise is gone!

That noise was bothering me for over a year and it only took a few seconds to fix.

SWEET!!!

Thanks Roofless!!!!

 

I also think the squeaking sound is coming from the hood. I only notice it at around 25mph with the top or windows down. It's fairly quiet and not often.

I just tried adjusting the rubber stop mounts. How do you adjust them? They turn, but do they go up or down? I'm not sure it's doing anything by turning them. Or do you just replace them? I see a slot in the middle - do you use a flat blade or phillips, or something else?

 

All right, da-bizket - glad it worked!

I adjusted my mounts by turning the rubber counter-clockwise, which raises them. It's somewhat hard to tell if it's moving up or down, but it is.

If the rubber has somehow separated from the turning mounts, then yes, you may have to use a screwdriver. But make sure it has actually separated before trying that, because those screws may be there only to secure the mounts, not to turn them.

 

where are those "rubber Stop mounts" on the hood?

any pictures....?


that would be helpful, if that doesn't fix the problem, I'll have the
dealership check the sway bar bushings' like said up above.

thank you all.

 

Roofless,
Ur an ABSOLUTE GENIUS! how did u figuer that out?, had been having the same problem recently but that rubber stop-mounts trick saved the day. . thanks a MiLLion!!!!!!!!!!

DAG

Vehicles.
2004 Lexus SC430
2006 BMW 7-Series
2008 Toyota Tacoma
2002 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1967 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird "Sprint"

 

Oh boy - another satisfied customer!

I was just lucky. Couple months before I noticed my hood was rattling, and Todd from TM Engineering showed me how to raise the stops to eliminate the rattles. I raised them only a little to save some travel in the stop for the future. When I had the creaking issue, I coincidentally noticed my hood seemed a little loose, and I thought, well maybe... and it worked. Some days you're the pigeon...

rclab1, I can't remember exactly where the stops are without looking, and my car is 300 miles away right now. But if you lift your hood and figure out what it rests against when down, there are only two places that look like circular rubber pieces. Turn those with your hand.

 

There are 4 rubber cushions on the upper radiator support that can be adjusted up/down.
Sometimes, it would give you a headache if you turn one of them by accident.

If you find your hood doesn't sit at even height on both side, adjusting them will be a quick fix.
The hood on my car used to be rattling while the engine was warming up, I fixed it simply by adjusting two of the rubber cushions higher.

 

Thanks talwang - you're always there for us!

Was just going to post that there are four stops, not two. But you covered it for me. Thanks for the pic.

 

I am not here to steal your credit. hahaha
You are the man and I wish I had found your thread first before I figured out how to fix it by myself.

I had actually ordered a new set and then figured out they were adjustable.