Anyone else experience this creaking windshield??

[spdjnke]

UPDATE!!

Just came from Browns Mazda, Spoke with the head service guy there and apparently there has never been a complaint about this "issue" and he looked it up for me and there is NO TSB!! it's under MTOL-5636. He said it's gonna be a TSB but still not enough people have come to "complain" about this rattle, creak whatever you call the noise problem. They didn't even know there was a fix for it till I showed them the print out. Main thing you have to do is tell them you contacted MAZDA USA and they said to bring the print out to the dealership so there will not be ANY issue, otherwise they say the same BS as usual, MUST BE ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE NOISE. Well it's Cold and the "NOISE" is always there so NOT a problem.

WILL update again on Friday after I get the things worked on at this dealer.

 

[Zimmer]

I just took my tech for a drive. they weren't even listening for the right noise.

 

[vinkalmann]

I would poke around for the posts on this problem. There are several where the fix process is described. You can do it yourself in 30 minutes and $5 for some 1/4 inch insulation tape.

 

[Zimmer]

warranty it is free + pain in the ass then again these days prob not after gas $ driving to the dealer i suppose it isn't free but u can have an excuse to drive ur car ... okay getting off topic .

 

[spdjnke]

I would poke around for the posts on this problem. There are several where the fix process is described. You can do it yourself in 30 minutes and $5 for some 1/4 inch insulation tape.

Alot of US have searched but havent come up with anything, if you have the link please help all of us and post, we would all greatly appreciated.

 

[vinkalmann]

Alot of US have searched but havent come up with anything, if you have the link please help all of us and post, we would all greatly appreciated.

Give these two a try, I think the first one was the one I read when I did this fix last year. Let me know if it doesn't help and I can dig some more.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123685785&highlight=windshield+noise
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123688290&highlight=window+creaking

Basically what's happening is there are plastic clips that hold the cowl (the plastic piece that runs along the bottom of the windshield) to the windshield that creak and pop. The "fix" is to put some sort of tape between the clips and the window. People have use electrical tape and such. I used some foam insulation tape that's stick on one side, the standard stuff that's about 1/4 wide.

It's fairly straightforward to get the cowl off. I can't remember where the screws are other than the ones on the sides. There may be some in the middle, it's pretty apparent though. The hardest part is getting the wipers off, but that's straightforward too. Loosen the nuts and then rock them back and forth until they come off. Pay attention to where they sit before you remove them so you can get them back in the same place when you reassemble. DO NOT OPEN YOUR TRUNK WITH THE WIPERS IN THE UP POSITION (you'll get a nasty scratch on your hood). Once you get the cowl off it's very apparent where to put the tape or insulation. I think there's four or so clips per half of the cowl. When reassembling, be careful not to break the clips when sliding them around the windshield.

I'm sorry this isn't more detailed, but it's been a year since I did it.

 

[builthatch]

Alot of US have searched but havent come up with anything, if you have the link please help all of us and post, we would all greatly appreciated.

do you need help wiping too? sheesh! imagine if you didn't have the internet, let alone one with google and a forum with a perfectly good search function hahaha

 

[derspi]

^^

Yah seriously! 2 posts up has the link and I believe someone earlier in the thread has even posted the actual bulletin # which is MTOL-5636. It's not in the system as an official TSB but more like a "fix it if a customer complains" type deal. I got mine done back in back in June and even though it's getting much colder now I haven't had any creaking sounds from the windshield since.

 

[PCspeed3]

My windsheild AND radio housing sweak like hell when its cold, honestly tho, I love the symphony of squeek-age, somtimes I mute the music just to absorb the beautiful sqeek sounds.(gun)

 

[spdjnke]

UPDATE #2

Okay the dealer put the dampers in today and the noise is gone!!! So far so good, I would suggest if any of you have the same issue to just get it done under warranty, once it runs out then just do it yourself as I will be since I know what pieces they are talking about now...finally!

 

[skubidoobie]

I was wondering what the hell was squeaking, it started a little over a month after getting the car and it doesn't happen all the time. Extremely annoying!!!

 

[spdjnke]

that depends on ur defination of squeeking, this noise comes apparent when the Temps drop below 50 or atleast mine car, it sounds like some one rolling a pencil between the windshield and the top of the dash. The cause of the problem is the 8 retention clips under the cowl that needs to have dampers put in.

Now the other issue of squeek is from the center dash and the plastic that houses the led display, again same deal needs some sort of sound absorbing damper.

 

[opt_ms3]

I went to my dealer tuesday, dropped off the car, told them about the 3 annoying creaking noises (cowl grill, radio trim, and my sub is blown under the passenger seat, so even when I turn up the music, I can still hear some sort of rattling/creaking!). I even showed them the MTOL with the issue AND the part numbers that they are supposed to use. They called me about 5 hours later and said there was nothing wrong with the car! The apparently took the car for a drive and couldn't reproduce the noise. Not even the sub rattling! I asked if they even turned up the stereo, and they said they listened to a few radio stations, but couldn't reproduce the noise. I asked if they listened to the CD in the player, but he said he didn't know. IDIOTS!!!

 

[Zimmer]

why not just ask to take the Tech for a drive. They drove my car same result couldn't reproduce. As soon as I took them for a quick drive took 30 seconds they knew exactly what to do.

Plus I find they test drive the car with the AC FULL BLAST so I know they coudn't hear it either.

 

[Mpower]

I went to my dealer tuesday, dropped off the car, told them about the 3 annoying creaking noises (cowl grill, radio trim, and my sub is blown under the passenger seat, so even when I turn up the music, I can still hear some sort of rattling/creaking!). I even showed them the MTOL with the issue AND the part numbers that they are supposed to use. They called me about 5 hours later and said there was nothing wrong with the car! The apparently took the car for a drive and couldn't reproduce the noise. Not even the sub rattling! I asked if they even turned up the stereo, and they said they listened to a few radio stations, but couldn't reproduce the noise. I asked if they listened to the CD in the player, but he said he didn't know. IDIOTS!!!

Go to a different dealer cause they are idiots. I took mine in last week and gave the rep the MTOL number and told him that it was about the cowl creak and i need it fixed. I got a call 30 mins later saying it was done and thanking me for the MTOL which helped them out. I am now squeak free.

 

[Zimmer]

ya trouble shooting where sneaky squeeks are coming from is a huge PAIN. I'm sure you saved them a LOT of annoyances good deal!

 

[lestat13]

My cowl creek is AWFUL. Think I'm gonna try to fix it myself. I would make the dealer do it but I don't feel like removing downpipe etc just to take it in to get the cowl creek fixed. ugh...

 

[builthatch]

My cowl creek is AWFUL. Think I'm gonna try to fix it myself. I would make the dealer do it but I don't feel like removing downpipe etc just to take it in to get the cowl creek fixed. ugh...

they arent going to notice the DP, esp for something that is such a quick fix.

 

[opt_ms3]

Go to a different dealer cause they are idiots. I took mine in last week and gave the rep the MTOL number and told him that it was about the cowl creak and i need it fixed. I got a call 30 mins later saying it was done and thanking me for the MTOL which helped them out. I am now squeak free.

Unfortunately, this next closest dealer to me is about 45min away. I work 9-5 everyday, so its kind of a pain for me to get the car there and then get a ride back to work. I just dropped it off for the day and hoped that it would be fixed at the end of the day. Of course, they proved to be a pain in the ass. I will definitely take a tech for a ride BEFORE I leave the next time I attempt this. They even fed me some bulls*** about my car being a Mazdaspeed vehicle, and since they aren't an official Mazdaspeed dealer, they aren't "supposed" to be fixing parts without Mazda's approval. I call :bs: The MS3 interior and cowl grill is the same as the regular 3!

BTW, what does MTOL stand for?

 

[builthatch]

They even fed me some bulls*** about my car being a Mazdaspeed vehicle, and since they aren't an official Mazdaspeed dealer, they aren't "supposed" to be fixing parts without Mazda's approval. I call :bs: The MS3 interior and cowl grill is the same as the regular 3!

BTW, what does MTOL stand for?

there actually sometimes is some red tape when trying to take a MS vehicle to a non-MS dealer...it depends on the repair and issue, but i know what you've said stands true down here. they are very cautious; in fact, many of the MS specific part numbers aren't even in their system, IE shift boot.

but yeah, i mean, for something this easy, they could get paid on it or they won't if you go elsewhere, so i dunno why they'd be a PITA. it's not like it's a Maserati, it's still a Mazda3 when it comes to the cowl.

i too would like to know what MTOL is, i see if as a prefix to all of the Mazda TSBs.