back seat creaking...

[garyd9]

I've started to notice that the back seat in my 2014 is starting to make creaking (groaning?) noises when anyone sits back there (and moves around.) I can repeat the noise with the engine off by just opening the back door and putting varying amounts of pressure (with my arms/hands) on seat.

The sound is what I can only describe as "old car creaking."

Is this something that'd be covered under warranty, or is there something I can do about it myself?

Thanks
Gary

 

[paris1]

If your car is under 12 months old and has less than 12k miles, the dealer will take care of you under the "adjustments" clause of the warranty. Otherwise, you're probably on your own.

 

[garyd9]

I'm at 22 months (20k), but I just ran it over to the dealership anyway. The service "adviser" repeated the problem and went ahead and made an appointment. He thinks that it might be covered under the 3/36 bumper to bumper (or that Mazda will just say "too bad.") There's no TSB that we found for it, and I have to be honest that I really have no clue how those seats are put together, so no idea what the noise could be.

 

[garyd9]

I just looked up the rear seat in the service manual... Wow, getting that thing out just to LOOK underneath (to see what is making the noise) will be a major PITA for the dealership. It makes matters even worse when you consider that they might have to take it out, see what's wrong, order a part, put it back in, and then do everything over once any replacement part comes in. ugh.

 

[Bcdad182]

I had an issue where one of the support rods was tapping against the frame. I padded it with foam and it has been gone for quite a while.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123830693-Creaky-Rear-Seat&highlight=

 

[garyd9]

Update:

Took it to the dealership this morning, and they determined that the noise was coming from a hinge. They claimed that they lubed the hinges and all is well...

The actual service order states:

TECH VERIFIED CONCERN. TECH FOUND CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM LEFT REAR SEAT HINGE. TECH LUBED ALL REAR SEAT HINGES. NOISE NO LONGER PRESENT AT THIS TIME

I've verified that the noise is now gone, but I have a very hard time believing that it was a hinge. Which hinge could be making that noise if there was no noise when lowering or raising any of the seat backs? Is there some other hinge associated with the backseats? Also, the noise was most pronounced when pressure was shifted at the FRONT of the rear seats, farthest away from any "hinge" near the seat backs.

The noise is gone, and I'm happy about that, but I'd really love to chat with the "tech" who resolved the issue to find out exactly which "hinge" he lubed to make the noise go away. Part of me thinks that they took the back seat apart, lubed it, and the noise went away as a side effect of taking it apart and putting it back together (and had nothing to do with any hinge.)

Gary

 

[GP 2004]

Update:
The noise is gone, and I'm happy about that, but I'd really love to chat with the "tech" who resolved the issue to find out exactly which "hinge" he lubed to make the noise go away. Part of me thinks that they took the back seat apart, lubed it, and the noise went away as a side effect of taking it apart and putting it back together (and had nothing to do with any hinge.)
Gary

I agree. I worked as a line mechanic at a Dodge dealer in the seventies. I became the person for repairing squeaks and rattles at this dealership. Many times I've 'fixed' a squeak be a disassembling and then reassembling the offending part of the car, but something must be entered on the paperwork.

 

[thedaddyb]

Update:

Took it to the dealership this morning, and they determined that the noise was coming from a hinge. They claimed that they lubed the hinges and all is well...

The actual service order states:

I've verified that the noise is now gone, but I have a very hard time believing that it was a hinge. Which hinge could be making that noise if there was no noise when lowering or raising any of the seat backs? Is there some other hinge associated with the backseats? Also, the noise was most pronounced when pressure was shifted at the FRONT of the rear seats, farthest away from any "hinge" near the seat backs.

The noise is gone, and I'm happy about that, but I'd really love to chat with the "tech" who resolved the issue to find out exactly which "hinge" he lubed to make the noise go away. Part of me thinks that they took the back seat apart, lubed it, and the noise went away as a side effect of taking it apart and putting it back together (and had nothing to do with any hinge.)

Gary

The GT's have an additional hinge at the front of the seat where it attaches to the floor board. This allows the bottom seat cushion to move slightly forward and down to give a completely flat cargo area.