Sedan rear rattle fixed

noahrexion^2 · 05-24-2007, 11:06 PM

So incase anyone is interested I have a 07' Si Sedan with 2800 miles on it. At about 2000 miles it started to develop a plastic rubbing/creaking/rattling type noise from the rear driver C pillar. I rode in the back and it sounded like it was coming from right where the airbag was. I got so annoyed after pulling off the panel and not finding it that I finally to it into the dealer and had successful results!

They had it for 1.5 days. The tech tried so many different configurations to source the creaking noise and found it after 5 test drives. It turned out to be at the very bottom of the C pillar where the seat belt (retractor) is located. It sounds like it is coming from up higher where the c pillar and the rear deck meet; however the source is down a bit lower. Covering the general area with insulation tape fixed it immediately.

My car is now rattle free again and the trip to the dealer for warranty work was someone painless. The salesmen are always dipshits, but what can you expect really. Hope this helps someone! I would definitely attempt this by myself for anyone interested. In either case maybe someone has the same noise and can bring this information to their dealers' attention.

chelmsford · 05-25-2007, 01:59 PM

I think I have the same problem as you. Are you able to post a picture of where it is now insulated?

noahrexion^2 · 05-25-2007, 11:49 PM

chelmsford: Ive read your posts and it seems you have been chasing this down for a while to no avail.

My only suggestion, if you plan to do it yourself, is to eliminate one thing at a time until you find it. Thats how Ive dealt with the other rattles. The point of my post was if someone was going to attempt this themselves or take it to the dealer, they would be able to have a better idea where it may be coming from.

The part that is wrapped is basically the inner panel inside where it comes near the seat belt retractor AND the retractor itself. Thsi eliminated the noise immediately. Hope this helps!

***blue rocket*** · 05-26-2007, 12:07 AM

what do i need to remove to get at the spot you are talking about? Can you take a pic of the interior and point it out exactly?

Help would be greatly appreciated!

***blue rocket*** · 11-05-2007, 11:41 AM

bump?

Muffdiever · 12-27-2007, 10:25 AM

I have this same problem in the retractor. I hear during certain times when i drive, depending i guess on the vibration. If I park the car and bang with my fist on right below the button that is used to lower the seat belt, this will imitate the same sound.

I took it to the dealer in which they said they fixed it. A day later it is back, if not worse and more often. Very frustrated.

I also have a tick or rattle up pn top of the dash near where the windshield meets the dash. I haven't pinpointed exactly what this is, but it has a chance of coming fro mthe defroster vents. Has anyone experienced the same?

av911 · 12-27-2007, 01:17 PM

Waiting for pics.....

***ThaJazz*** · 03-04-2008, 03:54 PM

I think I've got this same thing. Somebody post a pic of where to insulate!

***Special Ringpop*** · 03-04-2008, 04:08 PM

I have a coupe, but I have a severe "metallic" clanking rattle, especially over bumps, coming from the rear deck. It's definitely on the driver's side...

I bet you it is this same rattle. What the hell is with these cars. It seems like we have rattles in the EXACT same spots constantly.

I have to make an appointment to get a new steering wheel (trim peeling off already, surprise), and this fixed. I hope he can fix this rattle. I'm so bloody sick of it.

rp215 · 03-04-2008, 04:13 PM

I'm trying to figure out if we have the same problem or not. My noise comes from what sounds like the rear glass windshield where it meets the car. Only happens at low rpms where the exhaust vibrates most (around 1700-1999rpm)

reaper702 · 03-04-2008, 04:26 PM

the only rattle that i had was fixed the first time i took it to the dealership under the tsb. rattle free since then.

***ThaJazz*** · 03-04-2008, 04:40 PM

Mine showed up this weekend without warning and sounds like it's from the right rear in my sedan. I saw something about pulling the deck and tightening speaker bolts. Don't know if I want to go through all that.

ryanmcm83 · 03-04-2008, 04:54 PM

I've had the same problem for awhile and just got fed up enough to pull off the c pillar covers and find out as well that it is the seat belt retractor mechanism. My dad took all of the auto tools with him on a road trip for a couple of days so I haven't been able to pull of the mechanism and fix what is rattling inside. It sounds like the spring that retains tension on the belt spool is making the noise, but I will confirm and post a reply with the end fix.

For now I simply tried wedging some foam insulation between the metal pillar wall (facing front of car) and the plastic housing on the retactor to dampen the vibration from opening and closing the door. That killed the rattling caused by opening and closing doors but I still experienced a lot of annoying rattling driving over unsmooth road surfaces.

When i get tools back today, I will post pics of the offending part and what I did to fix the rattle.

rp215 · 03-05-2008, 12:23 AM

Does it sound like the rear glass to anyone else?

ryanmcm83 · 03-06-2008, 11:14 AM

Well, I guess I couldn't find the part that was rattling inside my c pillar. Fortunately taking off the seatbelt retainer and all the interior panels to get to it, then reinstalling and tightening things down has seemed to completely fix all of my rattling, no matter how rough the road is. /throws up hands

05-24-2007, 11:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
noahrexion^2 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: socal Age: 26 Posts: 234 Nikon Squad #7 iTrader: 1 / 100%	Sedan rear rattle fixed So incase anyone is interested I have a 07' Si Sedan with 2800 miles on it. At about 2000 miles it started to develop a plastic rubbing/creaking/rattling type noise from the rear driver C pillar. I rode in the back and it sounded like it was coming from right where the airbag was. I got so annoyed after pulling off the panel and not finding it that I finally to it into the dealer and had successful results! They had it for 1.5 days. The tech tried so many different configurations to source the creaking noise and found it after 5 test drives. It turned out to be at the very bottom of the C pillar where the seat belt (retractor) is located. It sounds like it is coming from up higher where the c pillar and the rear deck meet; however the source is down a bit lower. Covering the general area with insulation tape fixed it immediately. My car is now rattle free again and the trip to the dealer for warranty work was someone painless. The salesmen are always dipshits, but what can you expect really. Hope this helps someone! I would definitely attempt this by myself for anyone interested. In either case maybe someone has the same noise and can bring this information to their dealers' attention.

11-05-2007, 11:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
*blue rocket* The Sticker Man Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: CT Posts: 3,165 GrafiXpressions.com iTrader: 94 / 100%	bump? __________________ * Steering Wheel Emblems, Console Emblems, Replacement Decals & More!!! *

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05-25-2007, 01:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
chelmsford Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chelmsford, Mass Posts: 10 Tom Carroll iTrader: 0 / 0%	I think I have the same problem as you. Are you able to post a picture of where it is now insulated?

05-25-2007, 11:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
noahrexion^2 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: socal Age: 26 Posts: 234 Nikon Squad #7 iTrader: 1 / 100%	chelmsford: Ive read your posts and it seems you have been chasing this down for a while to no avail. My only suggestion, if you plan to do it yourself, is to eliminate one thing at a time until you find it. Thats how Ive dealt with the other rattles. The point of my post was if someone was going to attempt this themselves or take it to the dealer, they would be able to have a better idea where it may be coming from. The part that is wrapped is basically the inner panel inside where it comes near the seat belt retractor AND the retractor itself. Thsi eliminated the noise immediately. Hope this helps!

05-26-2007, 12:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
*blue rocket* The Sticker Man Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: CT Posts: 3,165 GrafiXpressions.com iTrader: 94 / 100%	what do i need to remove to get at the spot you are talking about? Can you take a pic of the interior and point it out exactly? Help would be greatly appreciated!

12-27-2007, 10:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
Muffdiever Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 6 iTrader: 0 / 0%	I have this same problem in the retractor. I hear during certain times when i drive, depending i guess on the vibration. If I park the car and bang with my fist on right below the button that is used to lower the seat belt, this will imitate the same sound. I took it to the dealer in which they said they fixed it. A day later it is back, if not worse and more often. Very frustrated. I also have a tick or rattle up pn top of the dash near where the windshield meets the dash. I haven't pinpointed exactly what this is, but it has a chance of coming fro mthe defroster vents. Has anyone experienced the same?

12-27-2007, 01:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
av911 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Francisco Age: 26 Posts: 1,436 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Waiting for pics.....

03-04-2008, 03:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
*ThaJazz* Master of the Sixth Speed Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 3,127 iTrader: 13 / 100%	I think I've got this same thing. Somebody post a pic of where to insulate!

03-04-2008, 04:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
rp215 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: East Orlando, but my heart is in Kailua Posts: 1,412 Ronnie iTrader: 2 / 100%	I'm trying to figure out if we have the same problem or not. My noise comes from what sounds like the rear glass windshield where it meets the car. Only happens at low rpms where the exhaust vibrates most (around 1700-1999rpm)

03-04-2008, 04:26 PM	#11 (permalink)
reaper702 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sin City Age: 21 Posts: 4,308 iTrader: 8 / 100%	the only rattle that i had was fixed the first time i took it to the dealership under the tsb. rattle free since then.

03-04-2008, 04:40 PM	#12 (permalink)
*ThaJazz* Master of the Sixth Speed Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 3,127 iTrader: 13 / 100%	Mine showed up this weekend without warning and sounds like it's from the right rear in my sedan. I saw something about pulling the deck and tightening speaker bolts. Don't know if I want to go through all that.

03-04-2008, 04:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
ryanmcm83 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Longview, WA Posts: 140 Ryan iTrader: 0 / 0%	I've had the same problem for awhile and just got fed up enough to pull off the c pillar covers and find out as well that it is the seat belt retractor mechanism. My dad took all of the auto tools with him on a road trip for a couple of days so I haven't been able to pull of the mechanism and fix what is rattling inside. It sounds like the spring that retains tension on the belt spool is making the noise, but I will confirm and post a reply with the end fix. For now I simply tried wedging some foam insulation between the metal pillar wall (facing front of car) and the plastic housing on the retactor to dampen the vibration from opening and closing the door. That killed the rattling caused by opening and closing doors but I still experienced a lot of annoying rattling driving over unsmooth road surfaces. When i get tools back today, I will post pics of the offending part and what I did to fix the rattle.

03-05-2008, 12:23 AM	#14 (permalink)
rp215 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: East Orlando, but my heart is in Kailua Posts: 1,412 Ronnie iTrader: 2 / 100%	Does it sound like the rear glass to anyone else?

03-06-2008, 11:14 AM	#15 (permalink)
ryanmcm83 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Longview, WA Posts: 140 Ryan iTrader: 0 / 0%	Well, I guess I couldn't find the part that was rattling inside my c pillar. Fortunately taking off the seatbelt retainer and all the interior panels to get to it, then reinstalling and tightening things down has seemed to completely fix all of my rattling, no matter how rough the road is. /throws up hands