catalinoiu

Hi guys / gals,

I am really frustrated. I have a rattle / vibration noise coming from the driver side door panel or under dash. You can hear it only on highway speeds. It is more obvious in the morning. I know is hard to describe and troubleshoot a noise over the internet. I'am just wondering if any of you had the same thing and I could learn from it. I went to the dealership three times to fix it. Every time they said is fixed... but I know is there... Yesterday I tried to ignore it, but oh man... is so hard when you know is there...
They've changed some clips on the door panel and inside the a-pillar, but without success. I was REALLY pissed when they told me to drive 65mph and I wont hear it.

My car is a 04 SL (may 04). I've had 5 nissans before, but I've never had this king of problem and I love this (my wife's) car.

Any ideas? Thanks.

dla

My truck has a noise at highway speeds. Air comes off the bug deflector and plays games with the seal on the windshield causing the seal to slap against the windshield violently, quite annoying. Just a thought.

catalinoiu

Thanks. I will inspect the winshield seal and see.

4MySwee

iTrader: (2)

Have you taken them out to verify that they are hearing the same issue you are? Maybe then they'll stop guessing at the issue and actually figure out where it is coming from.

lightonthehill

It has been my experience that, with rattles in an area where the driver can't reach and touch parts while they are rattling, the only solution is to have someone drive the car while you sit in the passenger seat and touch, press, tug, twist, pull, shove ever part in the area of the rattle until something you do makes it stop. That helps you pinpoint the exact location of the rattle.

catalinoiu

Yes. I drove the car one time with a mechanic and a second time with the service consultant who then drove out with the dealership foreman. I feel like is a lost cause...

I will try having my wife driving and me listening and trying to figure out parts moving...

I am frustrated because I put this rattle as a "dealership owes to fix it" when I bought the car and now they are just trying to wash their hands without actually fixing it...

madmik

iTrader: (1)

Yes, had rattle inside driver door on my 05 SE. Dealer fixed it on first try.

I had a few dash rattles also. One was from the A-pillar cover at the bottom, driver side (near car VIN number) rubbing on dash surface. Another was on passenger side, glove box. Did some tightening.

For the dash, I drove on a empty road and touched the different parts of the dash on the driver side until I stopped the noise.

dla

My drivers side door had a rattle when closing the door. Dealer fixed that the first time. I don't think it rattled at road speed.

ma2885

catalinoiu,

I was wondering/hoping you may have found the issue behind the rattle. I have had the same noise myself (04 Maxima), took it to the dealer and they have appeared to trace it down to the windshield's seal. The fix is to replace the seal, which they also told me has a 80% chance of breaking the windshield which would require a new windshield. Before I go buy a new windshield I want to make sure this problem would be resolved if I spent that kind of money.

I looked at my invoice for the diagnostic and the test they ran to prove this was to put masking tape over the outline of the windshield (to deflect the air) and they were unable to reproduce this. I am going to attempt to do the test myself tomorrow, but it only appears to do the rattle when the car body is a certain temperature so its kind of a 50/50 chance of the noise happening.

Thanks in advance

catalinoiu

I just tried this today. (putting blue painter tape all over and I still have the noise). I looked under the dash and I found some loose wires. I will try "insulate" them with some foam or something... The next thing I will do is to remove the door trim and a-pillar and drive like that to see if i can identify the rattle. I am also thinking about the wires going into the driver door...

I can hear this any time of the day (morning or afternoon), but is only over 75mph or slower if im going down the hill on Scripps Poway Parkway. I noticed this all the time on this road (it is open road and windy). Driving on regular highway causes this noise on and off, but I was able to demonstrate the dealership guy every time.

I'll keep you posted with what I find.

ma2885

I have pretty much the same story, the rattle is at it's loudest at about 70mph. If i go above 80 then the rattle will slowly go away, and same thing for slowing down below 70. It gets it's loudest on 163 south going down the hill before the 8 merge. I tried masking tape around the front windshield this morning on the way to work, I was able to hear the rattle, but it was a lot quieter with the tape on. Its looking more and more to what the dealer said. so its very possible a new windshield will resolve the rattle. I am going to see about doing this on monday, I will let you know if this fixes it.

ma2885

I decided to look at the car myself and found the source of the rattle (hopefully will be the same source for you). it is the hood. with the hood shut, pinch the lip (center, right above the grill) and lightly shake it up and down. It appears to be the latch is worn down and is loose in the locking mechanisim.

I still plan on taking the car to the dealer to demand reimbursement and having them fix the issue.

if this is the same issue you got and dont find a fix by then (tuesday), I will let you know if the dealer had any ideas.


Hope this helped man, cause that rattle is very annoying.

Here is some pics of the problem.





oh forgot to add the fustrating part...

3 days at the dealer (yes they are trying to wash their hands of this too), 35 miles of test driving came to the conclusion of replace the windshield...

$327.97 later...

learning safelite is a awesome windshield replacement company...

15 minutes/first time actively searching for it. after following dealer's request to replace windshield... (not too bad though since the old one had some nasty rock hits)...

I figured it out...

Edit: I tied the hood down with some rope laced through the hook on the hood and tied it down to the towing hook under the car tightly... drove for 30 minutes (to work and back which every day has made the sound) and didnt hear a peep.

catalinoiu

I tried the hood and it seems tight. There is something else I noticed. The hood lifts (struts) have a play. I am thinking that hood may flex under wind and cause the rattle. I looked online and they are $25 each.
It appears that you found it... I havent for mine... BTW, which dealership do you go to?

ma2885

mossy nissan in kerny mesa

LA02MAX

iTrader: (3)

My dad bought a car there. I used to hate their radio commercials

The rattle could be anything, really. The first thing you need to do is decide if the noise is coming from interior trim, or something else (ie: hood latch/struts, suspension components, etc.) If it only happens at highway speeds, I suspect it to be something on the exterior. Maybe a loose weather shield, mirror, hood, etc.

catalinoiu

I've done some more observations before going back to the dealership next week.

The noise is only when outside temperature is below 75F. I drove to the desert the other day (110F) and there was NOTHING at any speed. As soon as the sun went down and it got cooler then I could hear it again. From this, I suspect it is a rubber or a plastic that either contracts and makes a gap somewhere or it becomes firm and noisy when flapping from the wind.

I would be tempted to say that it is the windshield seal, but I want to make sure before doing it. I don't want to spend $300 just yet. The windshield is still good.

I will describe these at dealership to see if they have a better idea.

catalinoiu

Rattle is GONE !!!!

After having the car at the dealeship for a week, they have found it!!! It was a plastic underneath the car close to the driver "underfender" cover. They have spent a lot of time troubleshooting this one...

I drove the car at all speeds and temperatures and it is GONE. On my way to work the other day I was so happy, I almost cried... ;-)

I love this car...

ma2885

good to hear, after adjusting the hood on my car i was without a rattle for two weeks, 1 day before I headed out for travel it appears a slightly different sound is now in the car, so as soon as i get back from tavel that will be the first thing I check...

Lovemycar

check the rear view mirror