Rear Deck "popping/clicking/tapping/ticking" noise.

[mr. slim]

Yay!
But does the dealer need to hear the sound first before they can do the repaia? Because from my experience my cars have no problems going to the dealer and when coming back home it rises. Like when we were kids we didn't want to go to the doctors haha

[irxproductions]

I love my FR-S but this car sure is one rattly/tappy mess. Like others, I'm experiencing the tapping noise discussed in this thread. In addition, I'm also hearing a chirp every 15-20 seconds when driving with the air conditioning on, buzzes from the doors when any music with bass is played, and a variety of rattles and buzzes from all around (it's like Dolby Digital Surround Buzz in there).

To the car's credit, I will say that I live around Portland, Oregon and the freeways here in the Pacific Northwest (both OR and WA) are in the worst condition I've ever seen, and I've lived all over the U.S. (MI, TN, CA, AZ, NY, and NC, too).

I went ahead and submitted an inquiry using Scion's website (contact form: http://www.scion.com/contact/). I don't know if it will do any good, but I would recommend everyone send a quick note so we can make them aware of the issues (Subaru's contact form is here: https://www.subaru.com/shopping-tools/contact-us.html)

Side note: this is an absolutely awesome club forum. You guys rock!

[Sigh-on-Rice]

Originally Posted by mr. slim

Yay!
But does the dealer need to hear the sound first before they can do the repaia? Because from my experience my cars have no problems going to the dealer and when coming back home it rises. Like when we were kids we didn't want to go to the doctors haha

I know what you're saying. It happened to me before (not this car). But even when they were not able to hear the noise, it still was counted as one try out of the three tries for the lemon law. So, I'd think they would try their best to reproduce the noise. For this problem, it's happening consistently, so I think they won't have problem reproducing.

[Sigh-on-Rice]

Originally Posted by irxproductions

I went ahead and submitted an inquiry using Scion's website (contact form: http://www.scion.com/contact/). I don't know if it will do any good, but I would recommend everyone send a quick note so we can make them aware of the issues (Subaru's contact form is here: https://www.subaru.com/shopping-tools/contact-us.html)

Thanks for mentioning this. The more of us complaining to them, the more they get serious, and the earlier we get our cars fixed. Both the first gen and second gen tC had popping noise problem with the roof. Second gen tC, for example, took almost 2 years for the TSB to come out. Too many owners had the mentality of "someone else would do it" and some others settled with "turn the audio volume up" as the solution. It only takes 5 minutes of your time to submit the form in the link irxproductions posted above. Everyone who has this problem should spend 5 minutes to submit the form for his/her own sake AND ALSO for everyone else's who might end up with this problem in the future. Let's all take an action!!!

[cobrabyte]

Are you simply bending out the spaces where the plastic rivets go through the plastic piece? I'm having a hard time visualizing what the *fix* is. I pulled the plastic rivets out of the plastic piece and attempted to use a conical punch to bend each space between the weld points. There is, for lack of a better word, a 'metal envelope' between each spot weld and the next. This is what I attempted to 'open up' a little more.

This didn't really fix anything for me. Perhaps someone can clue me in on this one.

[irxproductions]

I've decided to bite the bullet and be the guinea pig that gets some of our issues front-and-center on the Scion end. Next week, I'll be taking in my FR-S to have the dealer look at the following issues:

1. Air conditioning chirp every 15-20 seconds while car is in motion.
2. DRL Customization (using TSB #S-SB-0009-12 for a new ECU to turn off the Daytime Running Lights)
3. Rear deck tapping (using TAS #122230369 for the repair)
4. Buzz in passenger door when speaker plays music with any bass

I will definitely update everyone with the dealer results.

I'm in Vancouver, Washington, so it will be interesting to see what kind of service the Pacific Northwest offers.

[Sigh-on-Rice]

Originally Posted by cobrabyte

Are you simply bending out the spaces where the plastic rivets go through the plastic piece? I'm having a hard time visualizing what the *fix* is. I pulled the plastic rivets out of the plastic piece and attempted to use a conical punch to bend each space between the weld points. There is, for lack of a better word, a 'metal envelope' between each spot weld and the next. This is what I attempted to 'open up' a little more.

This didn't really fix anything for me. Perhaps someone can clue me in on this one.

It's hard to tell the location you're describing. But when you talk about the plastic rivets on the plastic piece, it makes me think like you're talking about the front of the deck right behind the rear seats. I believe the noise is from the metal panel right below the 3rd brake light rubbing against the body. When you stick your head in the trunk from outside and look above, you will be able to see both the metal panel and the body.

NOTE: This is only my guess from reading multiple people describing the fixes that were done to their cars (Only one in U.S.). So, I'm not 100% sure if I'm correct.

[Sigh-on-Rice]

Originally Posted by irxproductions

I've decided to bite the bullet and be the guinea pig that gets some of our issues front-and-center on the Scion end. Next week, I'll be taking in my FR-S to have the dealer look at the following issues:

1. Air conditioning chirp every 15-20 seconds while car is in motion.
2. DRL Customization (using TSB #S-SB-0009-12 for a new ECU to turn off the Daytime Running Lights)
3. Rear deck tapping (using TAS #122230369 for the repair)
4. Buzz in passenger door when speaker plays music with any bass

I will definitely update everyone with the dealer results.

I'm in Vancouver, Washington, so it will be interesting to see what kind of service the Pacific Northwest offers.

I hope everything works out well!

[alrashwa]

Originally Posted by irxproductions

I've decided to bite the bullet and be the guinea pig that gets some of our issues front-and-center on the Scion end. Next week, I'll be taking in my FR-S to have the dealer look at the following issues:

1. Air conditioning chirp every 15-20 seconds while car is in motion.
2. DRL Customization (using TSB #S-SB-0009-12 for a new ECU to turn off the Daytime Running Lights)
3. Rear deck tapping (using TAS #122230369 for the repair)
4. Buzz in passenger door when speaker plays music with any bass

What is TAS 122230369?

[Sigh-on-Rice]

Originally Posted by alrashwa

What is TAS 122230369?

There is a LINK in the first post of this thread.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by irxproductions

2. DRL Customization (using TSB #S-SB-0009-12 for a new ECU to turn off the Daytime Running Lights)

Someone posted a thread today saying the new ECUs for this fix are screwing up the the recognition of the car's keys. Best to wait on this until the issue is fixed.

[irxproductions]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

Someone posted a thread today saying the new ECUs for this fix are screwing up the the recognition of the car's keys. Best to wait on this until the issue is fixed.

I saw that. I just received an update call from McCords Toyota here in Vancouver. The Regional Manager will be on-site - he wants to hear the noises himself - so I will verify with them that the ECU swap won't end up neutering my car.

The appointment's on for next Tuesday (August 28), so I should have new information for all of us very soon.

Curious to see what my loaner car will be. Scooby owners seem to be getting Outbacks and Foresters and complaining about it; anything's more interesting than the rest of Toyota's line-up. I just know I'm gonna end up in a freakin' Sienna.

[irxproductions]

Yet another quick update (tired of hearing from me yet?): the email form I submitted yesterday to Scion (http://www.scion.com/contact/) yielded a phone call from Scion Headquarters. I wasn't able to answer the phone, but in the voicemail, I now have a case number and service manager at Scion central (in addition to the appointment I have with my dealership and the Regional Manager on Tuesday).

Everyone who has a problem with their FR-S or BRZ needs to fill out the online form. Obviously, Scion is not like car manufacturers I've bought from in the past - they actually read and, more importantly, respond to emails submitted on their website.

Once again, that link for Scion is: http://www.scion.com/contact/ and for Scooby: https://www.subaru.com/shopping-tools/contact-us.html.

Do it. Five minutes may result in significantly less headache in your car.

[NRGBalanced]

I've added my comments in on Subaru.com using the links in this thread.

Anyone else, please feel free to use what I submitted in your comments to Subaru/Toyota/Scion, if it helps you find the time to enter your comments!

I have encountered an issue shared by a number of Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ owners, and the fix for the issue has been identified by Scion/Toyota service centers.

My car makes a metallic tapping noise frequently while in motion.
Description of the noise:
- Noise comes from rear that sounds like clicking/tapping.
- With the rear seats down, the noise becomes sharper that sounds more like popping/ticking.
- It happens regardless of the vehicle speed.
- It happens even on a smooth road.

I have ruled out many other reasons for this tapping sound and believe I have narrowed it down to this issue recognized at Japanese dealerships already:
"Below the 3rd brake light mount, there is a panel that is welded on to the body. Some cars don't have enough weld and the panel rubs against the body causing the noise."

In Toyota reference material, this fix was known as TAS# 122230369. I would appreciate it if Subaru would share information with Toyota/Scion in this matter to devise a warrantied fix for the issue. Thank you.

Thanks to @Sigh-on-Rice for the concise descriptions.