I've been slowly going through the 02 I bought a few months ago. While the seats were being re-skinned and sorting out an electrical issue on the passenger seat; I did not drive the car for a while. Now that that is done, I went for a drive and could hear and feel a CLUNK from under the driver's side. This is what I found. BTW I had just sprayed PB Blaster to loosen the nut prior to filming. Originally it was dry. How could this have happened????

 

So it started clunking after doing some interior work? And u happened to notice a loose bolt and then sprayed it with penetrating oil? So it was all dry when you initially found it? That’s something u might never learn the cause but it’s certainly a simple solution: it should be all good once it’s been tightened up.Ask around and see if there is a likely source: like it was taken to Jiffy Lube or somewhere they could have access and opportunity to loosen that bolt. Maybe someone mentioned if u find any tools under the car, or any turn up In your driveway, that u need to return them: or something like that

 

I am sure that the noise was likely there when I bought the car just though it was road noise.

 

Did you tighten it?

 

Not yet, I tried but the bolt spun with the nut. It is in an odd recessed spot and I need to get it up on jacks to get to the top of the nut.

 

One of the procedures I've seen in the Toyota/Lexus maintenance manuals is the periodic tightening of all chassis and under-carriage nuts and bolts. While I've seldom this, I have on occasion, and have found many lose fasteners. We should likely all take this procedure more seriously. My guess is the dealers don't do this either, otherwise, they might loose repair business!

 

I had those parts off and didn’t think that “bolt” stud would move