2024 Tundra Limited Pillar Speaker Rattle

Hello everybody, I’ve recently purchased a brand new 2024 Tundra limited with the JBL package. From the very first day I had the truck I noticed a little rattle when the volume hit somewhere above 25? After some searching I was able to pinpoint the location to where I think is the passenger side A pillar speaker. I was wondering if anybody else has had the same issue or had any luck taking this apart and finding that it was a loose part or something. I have not blasted these at all and with the truck being brand new I am just looking for some guidance. Thank you!

 

I have a 2021, so I can't speak to a 3rd gen, but a couple of general pointers. Is the dealership you purchased from close by and one of "the good ones". If so, might be worth seeing if they'd take a crack at it for free since the truck is brand new. If they're not close, or won't take a look at free of charge, see below.

All in all if it's truly in the a-pillar it should be a relatively easy fix that requires only some basic hand tools and a roll of Tesa tape.
Alternatively, if you 've narrowed it down to the A pillar, they are usually fairly easy to remove and re-install. I'd recommend grabbing a roll of Tesa tape on Amazon to start (link below). I couldn't find 3rd gen specific instructions from anyone, but the following info would probably get the job done and it's not hard. If there's airbags in your a-pillars (my 2021 has them and I removed/re-installed mine) , air on the side of caution and disconnect the negative wires on your battery and let it sit for a few minutes. Looking at a few pics of 2024's it looks like there's probably one or two plastic covers on the oh-sh** handle that would pop off with a small flathead or trim tool. Underneath there's probably 1-2 bolts (probably 10mm). Remove any bolts and then the a-pillar should be held in by a few clips/slots. Mine pulled out at the top and then kind of up towards the ceiling and towards the back of the cabin to remove. Once you've got it somewhat removed be sure to undo any wires to the speaker or airbags if present. Check for any loose screws mounting the speaker, broken clips, inspect the speaker itself. Use the Tesa-tape to wrap any wires, loose clips that may be rattling etc.

Link to Tesa tape -

$5 Tesa 51608 Black Fuzzy Fleece Interior Wire Loom Harness Tape for VW, Audi, Mercedes, BMW 19 mm X 15 meters

Amazon.com: Tesa 51608 Black Fuzzy Fleece Interior Wire Loom Harness Tape for VW, Audi, Mercedes, BMW 19 mm X 15 meters : Industrial & Scientific

 

Wow! Thank you!

 

Happy to help! A-pillars always look a little intimidating and like they're molded in/hard to remove, but in nearly all vehicles I've worked on they're held on by a bolt or two behind little plastic covers, and then they usually slide down into some slots down near the dash/windshield corner. Just be sure to disconnect the negative on your battery like I said above (good idea when doing anything with airbags or electrical in general), and take your time. The worst thing that will happen is you'll break a tab on the little plastic bolt covers on the a-pillar, but if you take your time and don't wrench things or pull too hard you should be fine. If you do happen to break one, don't fret, they are probably relatively cheap from Toyota. If you want to be extra cautious, it never hurts to throw a hand towel on the dash to protect against any minor scuffs or scratches while removing things. Best of luck getting it sorted out!

 

On another note, I forgot to mention that you could remove the a-pillar, disconnect the speaker and airbag wires, then remove the speaker from the pillar and reconnect it and safely set it on a towel on the dash, hook your battery back up, slowly crank it up and see if it's the speaker itself that is faulty. Also, if you wanted to go the extra extra mile, you could get some sound deadener to put on the inside of the a-pillar which would help lower the resonant frequency and potentially reduce rattles. If you get the pillar off and notice some plastic clips jiggling around, or some wires that are not wrapped in anything or have foam on them that could be rattling against the inside of the plastic, that's probably your culprit and a simple fix of some tesa-tape would likely suffice. I've anecdotally heard from other 3rd gen owners regarding nuisance rattles etc. and while I have no proof or way to back this up, it could very well be that to save a few dollars here and there Toyota opted to skip foam and wire wrap in certain areas, or the panel designs and how they fit together or how the clips/wires etc. are situated within are more prone to rattles.