This one is going to be tough to find. I have an annoying dash squeak. Sounds like plastic on plastic. It only squeaks when one tire hits a bump or hole. If I am driving down a paved road with groves across the road and both wheels hit the groove at the same time then no squeak. If I hit a man hole divot where the dip is an inch or so the dash squeaks. Almost like the truck frame needs to rack or twist a bit to make the noise.

The squeak sounds like it is coming from the left side of the drivers side floor. I was thinking it was the parking brake. But I am not sure. The squeak is coming from one definite location. Not everywhere. Last year the heater core was replaced by a dealer.

Here is what I have tried. I removed the dash trim on the drivers side. I removed the instrument panel. I removed the light switch assembly. I pushed the parking brake on and wedged the pedal hard from one side to the other. I have sprayed silicon spray around to various locations. I have tightened the bottom parking brake nut. I tightened the every trim screw I can find, however the sound is much further up inside. More like on the firewall.

Is there a method people have used to find squeaks? Is there a place that squeaks might occur? Is there something I should be looking for? Can someone tell me where all the dash bolts are so I can tighten them? Has anyone out there replaced a heater core before, and can they tell me which screws and bolts to tighten? (Drivers side)


Thanks,

Only advice I can give you is to keep looking. You will find it eventually.. I had one on the passenger side and it took me about 2 weeks to track it down and get it stopped. Nothing fancy used to find it just had someone in that seat keep listening and pushing on dash till I found out what was causing it... Good luck

Although mines a gasser, I had the same squeak. It turned out to be a palstic clip that holds the tranny cooler lines together underneath the tunnel. The clip was rubbing against the tunnel. Moved it and it went away..

Does anyone have any ideas on how to make a stethoscope to listen for squeaks? The squeak is on the drivers side which make it impossible to stick my head down there while driving.

I would be willing to bet you have some sort of nerf bar installed.

If you do, and they mount to the body mounts, make sure they do not come in contact with the frame, or they will squeek when the body mounts move. I have fixed this condition on many vehicles, and it often can sound like it is coming from the dash, but it is just transferring through the nerfbar bracket and into the body.

I checked the Nerf bars and they don't seem to be the cause. I wrenched on them as hard as I could up and down and back and forth. I also checked the frame clearance.

Take off the dash bezel and lower cover below the steering wheel. Go for a test drive keep wiggling stuff after squeek is heard, maybe you can pinpoint the noise better.

I think I found the squeak!!
To make the truck squeak I would drive up and down the street in front of our house and hit the manhole covers. This would predictably reproduce the squeak. While trying to pin point the squeak I turned my focus to the hood latch handle. Pushing and pulling didn't seem to make a difference. However when I popped the hood the squeak was gone. I disconnected the hood latch handle and silicon-ed the cable and parts but the squeak stayed. I left the handle disconnected and the squeak stayed. The only way to stop the squeak was to pop the hood. I then sprayed silicone on the hood hinges, rubber hood stops, and the windshield trim on the drivers side. Now the squeak is gone. I did have the windshield replaced earlier this year and the trim might have been the squeaker. If the squeak comes back I will be more targeted in my silicone spraying to know for sure where the squeak lives.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions,

You have to be selective about what you spray with silicone spray too, it will make metal on metal squeeks louder, but works good on rubber/plastic.

also try adjusting the rubber hood stops out a little and lube the stops

When I was working at Toyota, we used to lightly spray the plastic on plastic contact areas of the panels with silicon spray. Samething for window weatherstripping tracts. Works great. Glad you found that one.
I've got one that sounds like a chinking noise from the back seat area that's been driving me nuts lately. Sounds like a couple of loose coins clinking back 'n forth when I accel & decel.

The squeak came back so I was able to isolate were is it coming from. Looks like it is the rubber that is on the trim at the bottom of the windshield. The rubber looks like windshield wiper material. I suspect any time the truck twists the rubber drags across the windshield and squeaks. I lube that spot and the squeak is gone. If the lube doesn't last very long then I might just put some clear tape along the windshield for the rubber to slide on.

I guess the good news is that I found the squeak.