Driver door creak

2222CareBearStare · May 29, 2025

My driver side interior door panel has started creaking. It makes the noise whenever I push the door open or pull it closed. Basically when the plastic door panel flexes. Does anyone else's do this?

HVLA · May 30, 2025

Sounds like a loose screw in the middle of the panel. In the door handle is there a plastic cover you can pop open to check?

2222CareBearStare · Jun 2, 2025

Well I took it in to the dealer and they confirmed the noise. Then they said it was normal because they had 2 other 2025 4Runners in their service bay and they supposedly made the same noise. When I asked for them to send me a video of the other 4Runners making the same noise they said they were just picked up so they couldn’t take videos. I find that hard to believe. Now I have to wait for a Manager to call me back tomorrow.

Anyone else’s interior door card creak when you push/pull on the grab handle?

LARIN · Jun 2, 2025

My SR5 does not. Have 3800 miles on it

2222CareBearStare · Jun 25, 2025

Bump to see if anyone else is having this problem. My 4Runner has been in the shop about 2 weeks now and they’ve done two repair attempts and it’s still creaking like an 20 year old truck.

Chicane · Jun 25, 2025

2222CareBearStare said:
Bump to see if anyone else is having this problem. My 4Runner has been in the shop about 2 weeks now and they’ve done two repair attempts and it’s still creaking like an 20 year old truck.

Where's the creaking coming from? I have a Sport on order and after reading through 3 straight threads with this and that issue, I'm having second thoughts. I currently have a 2014 TRD Sport and the drivers door window seal creaked from week one and they could never fix the issue. It was a well known TSB on the Tacoma Forums. The dash rattle is even worse over every bump, but I'm so used to it, it's the normal Toyota rattle. I'm hoping this 4Runner is tighter and a lot more quiet.

2222CareBearStare · Jun 25, 2025

Chicane said:
Where's the creaking coming from? I have a Sport on order and after reading through 3 straight threads with this and that issue, I'm having second thoughts. I currently have a 2014 TRD Sport and the drivers door window seal creaked from week one and they could never fix the issue. It was a well known TSB on the Tacoma Forums. The dash rattle is even worse over every bump, but I'm so used to it, it's the normal Toyota rattle. I'm hoping this 4Runner is tighter and a lot more quiet.

It's coming from behind the center grab handle in the middle of the drivers door. The handle you'd grab to pull the door closed after getting in. The panel flexes a bit and creaks quite loudly. They already replaced the panel and tried tightening the window tracks inside. Still creaks.

The last few cars I've purchased were newer Toyotas and I've had quite a few trips to the dealership service departments. Honestly, because of the interior materials, ride quality, and price, I'm not sure I'd buy the new 4runner again (if I had a do-over).

Chicane · Jun 26, 2025

Sucks to hear and discourages me more to wait. Do you hear this while driving, or only when opening/ closing your door? In my search for a new truck, I started with other manufacturers and after reading reviews and hearing different owners problems it lead me back to Toyota. No Internet forum get the traffic and enthusiast like the Tacoma and 4Runner, so the problem we hear are more prominent.

HVLA · Jun 27, 2025

This seems like it would be an incredibly easy problem to fix. Is there another toyota dealer you can take it to?

2222CareBearStare · Jun 28, 2025

So the dealership called and said everything was fixed. I went to go pick it up and guess what, still not fixed. And on top of that, one of my roof rail strips (the rubber strips) was broken off and they had to re-attach it. They said they can reproduce the noise by pushing on the interior door components when the door panel is removed, so there's clearly some kind of defect. At this point, other than replacing the whole door, I don't know what they can do to fix it.

I know buying a new model year has an increased likelihood of issues but I expect them to be fixable. I'm on the 4th repair attempt now. Between this, a paint defect that had to get warranty-repaired, and the subpar ride quality, I don't even really like the 4runner anymore.

2222CareBearStare · Jul 3, 2025

Still getting no where with the dealer on this issue. Any one else have this problem? Here’s a video.

outdoorCO · Jul 3, 2025

Chicane said:
Sucks to hear and discourages me more to wait. Do you hear this while driving, or only when opening/ closing your door? In my search for a new truck, I started with other manufacturers and after reading reviews and hearing different owners problems it lead me back to Toyota. No Internet forum get the traffic and enthusiast like the Tacoma and 4Runner, so the problem we hear are more prominent.

Out of curiosity what else did you look at and read to lead you back. I am very close to pulling the trigger but feel hesitant with some of the issues. Or is it that the 4R community is so big that you hear the complaints easier…

Archer · Jul 3, 2025

That would drive me nuts.

Did they say it sounded the same when the panel was off or was the sound different. Because that sounds like interior material rubbing against each other. Could be from the frame of the door flexing and making the material rub like that????

.

Chicane · Jul 3, 2025

outdoorCO said:
Out of curiosity what else did you look at and read to lead you back. I am very close to pulling the trigger but feel hesitant with some of the issues. Or is it that the 4R community is so big that you hear the complaints easier…

It comes down to all vehicles/ manufacturers have their quirks and issues. Not one vehicle is bullet proof, so that brought me back to Toyota. I’ve owned a truck since I started driving and naturally I was going to buy another truck. I then started looking at SUV’s and the 4Runner is the best of both worlds. I current own a 14 TRD Sport with the cherished V6 4.0 and on my many test drives, the 25 4Runner blows it always in terms of steering feel, comfort and throttle response. I drove. 23/24 4 Runner and that thing felt like a pig with slow steering and the high center of gravity body roll made it feel heavy. The 25 4Runner to me feels like a sports car in comparison. I test drove Tacomas, Honda Passport Trailsport, Ford Ranger and a few other SUV’s. The 4Runner also fits my lifestyle more than any other SUV as I mountain bike and take trips to Utah.

2222CareBearStare · Jul 3, 2025

Archer said:
That would drive me nuts.

Did they say it sounded the same when the panel was off or was the sound different. Because that sounds like interior material rubbing against each other. Could be from the frame of the door flexing and making the material rub like that????

.

They said they could recreate the same noise by pushing in the interior components. They tried adding foam to prevent rubbing but it’s still there. Now the dealer is trying to tell me it’s “intermittent” and they don’t hear anything. They wanted me to come back for the 5th time to show them the noise, even though I was there 5 days ago and showed them and they didn’t even look at it until yesterday.

Not only am I disappointed in the car but the quality of service at the dealership is terrible. Toyota is loosing me as a customer.