Dash Board Rattle

[jstombres]

I have an annoying ticking/clicking sound in my dash board when it is below 50 degrees. The dealer can't/won't fix it. Anyone else experiencing the same problem?

[Fairtax4me]

Can you tell roughly what area it's coming from? Left/right, top/bottom?

 

Sometimes you can take pieces off one at a time and see if the rattle stops. Then when you put it back together line the areas where screws or clips touch with a bit of fabric tape.

[Meeeeow]

We have the same issue. I don't really notice it, but i drives my wife nuts. I'm pretty good with car stuff since I grew up in an auto body shop environment. The windshield pillars (left and right trim) do rattle a bit when I lightly tap on them, but I'm not going to mess with either. However, it's a place to start. If I did feel inclined to remove it and fix, I'd likely remove and pad the inside with something like a home door weatherstripping or something to dampen vibration.

 

Wife thinks slamming the glove box door helps, but I think that's nonsense. It'll likely make the glove box rattle if she keeps that up.

 

When the car was new, she did have a rattle/squeak coming from the back hatch door latch mechanism. Dealer fixed by lubricating it with a grease like substance - likely a graphite grease. That stopped the noise.

 

Most interior noise comes from two pieces of plastic rubbing against one another, or the piece rattles because the clips can only snug up the item so tight, with a bit of tolerance for expansion and contraction. Harbor Freight sells an inexpensive trim removal tool set. If you feel good about trying it yourself, this set will help a lot. And you can, like I mentioned earlier, use weatherstripping or other sound/vibration dampening material to stuff inside the piece to deaden the rattle or vibration. It's what I like to call "MacGyvering it ( as in the 80's tv show MacGyver).

 

But beware that you run the risk of making matters worse if you break a clip, or stretch the plastic. All these clip on parts have a magic trick way of removal depending on the type of clip or fastener it is. If in doubt, refer to an after-market repair manual like Chilton (sold at PepBoys, etc.)

Edited April 3, 2018 by Meeeeow