# Clunking/rattling during light, straight-line acceleration

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/clunking-rattling-during-light-straight-line-acceleration/100541>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** sienna, toyota\
**Created:** [February 27, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clunking-rattling-during-light-straight-line-acceleration/100541 "2017-02-27T21:21:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dustin1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f0a364/32.png) [@dustin1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dustin1)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clunking-rattling-during-light-straight-line-acceleration/100541/1 "2017-02-27T21:21:55Z")

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I’ve got a 2007 Toyota Sienna, **AWD** , with about 230,000 miles on it. Lately, when accelerating lightly (i.e. this doesn’t happen if I stomp on the gas) I _hear_ and _feel_ (through the _body_ and the _steering wheel_) a moderate to strong **clunking/rattling sound**. Its **frequency is proportional to the vehicle speed** rather than engine RPMs. _When turning during acceleration, the noise is less apparent or even nonexistent._

The more **gently** I accelerate, the **louder** it is and the **more** I feel it.

_Sometimes_, the sound and vibration returns _when braking_.

At **highway speeds** , there is sometimes a noticeable _vibration/shimmy_ in the front end that _transmits through the steering wheel_, which may or may not be related.

Finances are tight right now, so I’m wondering what the range of issues could be with these symptoms before having a mechanic take the whole front end apart. There’s _no clicking or grinding or screeching sound_, just the clunking and vibration as described above. The van is otherwise maintained regularly.

Any thoughts? Ideas to further diagnose/rule out the issue?

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clunking-rattling-during-light-straight-line-acceleration/100541/2 "2017-02-27T23:46:19Z")

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There’s no way to diagnose it over the internet. It needs to be looked at.  
My wild guess would be that you have a CV joint that’s history… probably an inner one… but don’t consider this a diagnosis and take it to the mechanic. It’s only a guess.

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**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clunking-rattling-during-light-straight-line-acceleration/100541/3 "2017-02-28T18:46:35Z")

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Check the heat shield attached to the underside of the body above the muffler. The heat shield on my wife’s 06 Sienna came loose a month ago and was resting on top of the muffler.

As for the shimmy at highway speeds, at least verify the lug nuts are tight on all the wheels.

Ed B.