I have a 03 SE which I bought back in Sept. of this year. Since the weather was nice at that time (always over 40 degrees F), the car dash was built excellent to me (tight with no rattles or noises). But we are experiencing a very cold winter here (Philadelphia) so far so the temperature has been under 40 degrees very often. So what I am now experiencing is a terrible rattling from the dash - primarly from the passenger side dash and center console! Every little bump in the road would cause all sorts of noises from everywhere. It's sure annoying (not acceptable to me for a $27000 car) but I am somewhat afraid of taking it back to the dealer since it seems obvious from all the posts in here that Nissan service sucks and it's always possible they could make the problem worse.

So the rattling has been happening daily due to the cold weather but today, the temperature got up to almost 60 degrees and as I drove to work this morning, the interior was quiet as can be.

Is anyone else experiencing this? I know this is happening primarily from the expansion and contraction of the dash materials due to the varying temperature but you would think Nissan should have corrected this by the final year of this car's generation. I love my Max but love it even more on warmer days and love it less when the temperature is under 40 degrees. This little issue makes me a adequately satisfied Maxima owner but I would be an extremely satisfied Maxima owner if Nissan would have addressed this rattling issue.

I see from the TSB's that the A pillar could be a main cause of the passenger's side dash rattling but I am not sure how to remove the A pillar. Any advice?

Thanks,

 

My pillars rattle also, and I live in Florida, since its gotten colder around 50 or so Degrees I can hear little rattles and ticks from the dash, I took it to the dealer and they tightened some wires and placed padding and its fine now. I dont know if this is the same problem you are having, its annoying for the price we paid; The dealer said it was the cold weather tighting the plastic and in the heat the plastic loosens up.

 

I get a wicked rattle from the ice block on my trunk, held in place by the spoiler. But it's gotta get a little colder than 40 for that to happen.

 

Had my Max for over 3 years and the rattles started about a year ago. I have the same cold weather rattles. I have one that is in the dash on the right side of the gauges to the left side of the clock. Sometimes, I can touch the left side of the clock and the rattle stops. This is by far my worst rattle and usually only experience it durring cold weather or after washing the car.

 

Mine has a vinyl squeak from the passenger airbag panel when cold, but if I crank the heat through the dash vents, it goes away as soon as the car warms up.

 

Anything rubber or the like stiffens when temperatures drop and oil (such as in shocks/struts) becomes less viscous. End result - slightly harder ride and more rattles.