Rear suspension squeaking

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by ShihFa, Aug 16, 2025 at 3:57 AM.

  1. ShihFa

    ShihFa Junior Member

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    Hello All,

    I have tried to read all posts regarding squeaking possibly from the rear non-driver-side suspension, and I seem to be leaving with more questions than answers. From what I read, when people ask about squeaking from the suspension, people seem to want to know whether the squeaking is happening at high speed or low speed, braking or accelerating, and is it when going over bumps and such.

    I will try my best to answer these question.
    1. High speed or low speed?
    A. It feels like both. As long as my car is moving, it is squeaking

    2. Braking or accelerating?
    A. The sound seems to happen when the car is going over the road. No discernible difference when accelerating or braking.

    3. When it is going over bumps or not?
    A. Basically, when the car is driving along the road, it squeaks, and it may be more pronounced when I roll over a bump or groove.

    If there is any other questions that I should ask in this diagnosis, please let me know

    Thank you and regards,

    Shih Fa Kao
     
    #1 ShihFa, Aug 16, 2025 at 3:57 AM
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    So then by your description you should be able to take a long 2x6 piece of wood like a 16 footer put it on shoulder try n lift up n down if you can really rock the car you may be able to duplicate the squeak . Usually it's trailing arm bushings stuff like that in the back of the car stuff that moves when the car undulates a little bit . The brakes can squeak but usuually on release.
     
    #2 Tombukt2, Aug 16, 2025 at 11:12 AM
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    Has the car been in any accidents?
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Aug 16, 2025 at 11:22 AM
  4. ShihFa

    ShihFa Junior Member

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    Nothing major besides a few bumps here and there.
     
    #4 ShihFa, Aug 16, 2025 at 12:14 PM
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  5. ShihFa

    ShihFa Junior Member

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    Tire guy showed me this today; is this piece called the trailing arm bushing?

    I am also running into a discrepancy regarding what these are called. Dealership service advisors seem to want to call these control arms at the rear, and indie mechanics and you all call these trailing arms. Has anybody else noticed this discrepancy?

    The first photo shows the worn piece’s position in relation to tire.

    The second photo shows a close up of the worn rubber on that piece

    The third photo shows the back view of the beam that the worn piece is attached to
     

    Attached Files:

    #5 ShihFa, Aug 18, 2025 at 11:08 PM
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2025 at 12:05 AM
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    Definitely cracking on those bushings, might be the culprit but I’d want to be more sure. Spray with silicone and see if noise changes??
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Aug 19, 2025 at 8:07 AM
  7. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    How many miles on the car? Have the hubs been replaced? Any recent brake work?
    How worn are the pads? Have you cleaned and regreased the slide pins on the caliper?

    The first photo doesn't show any wear, that is where the wheel well cover was.
    You can see the threaded stud on the left.

    The 2nd photo just shows normal cracking. Just because it's cracked, doesn't mean it's bad.

    The 3rd photo doesn't show anything except something touched the top of the bar.
    Look above it and see if there is anything in that area that might have hit it, or might still be there
    to hit it.

    Since it happens when you are moving, obviously, it wouldn't make a noise if you aren't...
    suspect wheel bearing. Or maybe the brake shield got bent when you ran over something and it
    bent it. Also check the brake pads, they could be rubbing.

    Is it a steady squeak, like something IS rubbing, or doesn't it vary, like the shock moving up and down?

    You could spray wd40 or silicone on the strut mounting point, then drive it. If it goes away, you found
    the issue. If it doesn't, spray it on the chromed shaft, then drive.... etc....

    ONLY spray one thing at a time, or you won't know where the noise is coming from.

     
    #7 ASRDogman, Aug 19, 2025 at 9:23 AM
  8. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Those round circles of rubber can be pressed out and nyce replacements available from almost all bushing makers in various formulas urethane different durometers of rubbers etc they Don't really cost much. Online from places like Detroit Axle you can buy whole arms etc e crappy rubbers already in . Or by the circles of the good shiet . And install . This models really not worth that like AE 86 would be
     
    #8 Tombukt2, Aug 19, 2025 at 11:20 AM
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