[r0w3r]

Hello,

I've got a '58 plate E90 LCI and am having trouble identifying an occassional rattle coming from the centre to passenger side of the dashboard.

Please may i ask for your help?

The rattle happens only when going over quite sharp bumps, such as those from a pothole. It doesn't happen every time though but it's rare there's a journey when it doesn't. Sometimes it happens over only a slight bump and it sounds like something metallic against metal or hard plastic. It also sounds like something is quite loose - it's a properly rattly rattle!

I've had the glovebox out, the rear view mirror housing off, the centre console trim off, the centre vent and trim off, the centre horizontal vent in the dashboard off and both under dash panel trims off.

I've been in there like a miner with a head torch and looked about to see if anything looks loose but cannot find any thing. I also took off the passenger air bag to see if it was that.

No joy.

I also tightened the strut brace bolts (using torque wrench) to make sure they were at the correct torque settings.

Still no joy!

It's getting on my nerves now and I was wondering if anyone on here had experienced anything similar and managed to get to the bottom of it?

Many thanks for your time and help!

Darren

[chrisa2912]

hi matey, please tell me you found the cause. I'm giving serious consideration to getting rid of the car, sort of sounds like a CD is balanced inside the dashboard and whenever I go over certain bumps it "tips" and makes a noise.

I've had as much apart as I dare......

[makkan00]

I would like to know the answer aswell.
Mine is pre-LCI and I do get the same but it is more from the bottom of passenger side front pillar (airbag) or the passenger side dashboard.
I never sat there, so cannot isolate the reason.
I hope somebody knows the answer.

[m1bjr]

Noises can travel a long way.
And often the source is a long way from where you imagine it first to be.

I had a rattle like that in my old car. A year gone by and found the rearview mirror backing was slightly loose

I have a clatter like this too in my 56 E92.
IMO it originates around the dash trims, right below the centre vents/hazard switch.
Firm pressure here stops it.

In my case I think the metal trim is vibrating on the backing frame of the dash trim,
or one of the large metal push-pins behind the trim is rattling in the trim slots on the back.

I have a noisy exhaust too, and at one specific RPM it causes the iDrive knob to buzz!
Just no time to play!

[xenon]

Quite a few reported cases (on here) with rattles behind the dash that turned out to be broken spot-welds.

[E92westy]

I had a similar thing and pulled the centre trim out to fit anti-rattle tape to the back of the trim etc.
Worked for a while but it's back occasionally.
I think mine is the centre vents, so I'm 'going back in' with the felt tape again when I get a moment.
BTW, I went in a mate's Fiat Panda* today that was totally rattle and creak free....









*It was still a shit car though...

[dxb335d]

Did you tell him it was shit tho?

[Boyd1963]

Originally Posted by xenon

Quite a few reported cases (on here) with rattles behind the dash that turned out to be broken spot-welds.

+1

Yep had it in my last car and they never managed to fix it.

[E92westy]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Did you tell him it was shit tho?

He's a mate!!!







So, yep!