dash rattle of death!

T

tddvrrn

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2008 cosmic blue mazdaspeed 3
i've got an intermittent dash rattle that is driving me insane. truly..(silly) just ask my wife.

it sounds as if it's coming from inside the center of the dash. i've taken all of the dash garnish off and reseated it with butyl rope and i've done the cowl tsb thing... 4 times. there is nothing left to rattle. and still it rattles. (boom06)

i'm thinking it may be some of the ductwork.. it sounds like a piece of plastic seated loosely and rattling in its seat. it's not always there, but when it is it's all i hear. (bang)

do you think it's cowl creak that just won't leave? or something so deep in the dash i may as well get the funk over it? or maybe one have you as been through all of this and has my solution... please?
 
when you hear it make sure it's not the e-brake button. I thought my rattle was coming from the dash too, but it's the e-brake.
 
i have a bit of e brake buzz, but it is not that. most definitely the dash.. i'm hoping someone has had the same problem and found the offending piece of plastic. i've solved most of the cabin noises, this one is my only mystery left..
 
I had the same thing happen to me, always thought it was something loose under the passenger seat, cuz it would echo in the foot area, after 2 weeks of searching, ended when I open the glove compartment door the noise would go away so never did figure out what it was but when it pisses me off enough I just open the door and bam no more noise, so I'll get around to getting raid of it permantely when it get a bit warmer out.
 
so i've narrowed it down to either the cowl (highly unlikey, i've done the cowl fix 4 times now, there's nothing possibly left to rattle) or some satanic piece of plastic right under the solar radiation sensor (that's what that little black button on the dash is). only problem is i have to take out the dash to access under there. or borrow one of those flexible handyman video cameras to see what i can find.
gah!
i'd stick with the 'drown it out with music' method, but sometimes the wife and kids don't want to be blasted by sound. how strange...
 
I've never heard it called a solar radiation sensor. My guess is that it wouldn't work so well unless our magnetic field decided to stop working, thus allowing for solar radiation to be in full force on the earth's surface

Its just a photo-eye or light sensor

And instead of getting one of those expensive cameras you could get a stethascope, either medical or automotive. The automotive ones gather sound through a long rod, its meant to find problems with injectors or other engine problems but I'm sure you can use it to locate your sound issue
 
spdjnke said:
I had the same thing happen to me, always thought it was something loose under the passenger seat, cuz it would echo in the foot area, after 2 weeks of searching, ended when I open the glove compartment door the noise would go away so never did figure out what it was but when it pisses me off enough I just open the door and bam no more noise, so I'll get around to getting raid of it permantely when it get a bit warmer out.
Click to expand...

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123763051-Glove-box-rattle...
 
@ kvndoom - i hit up the glove box rattles a few weeks ago and butyl roped that duct into silence. this is for sure right in front of me somewhere.

i'm liking the stethoscope idea. i might try the camera since a friend's dad has one

and yeah, it is a solar radiation sensor. check it out in the repair manual. the rain and light sensors are behind the rearview base. 5th post down, check it:http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123743716-Ambient-temp-incorrect-where-is-sensor
edit: you all are rocking for the support! keep throwing ideas as they spew forth..
 
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Hmmm...I'm guessing that's the sensor used for the auto headlights then. I was under the impression that the auto wiper sensors activated the auto lights as well
 
it's actually used for the auto AC. apparently it measures the radiant heat coming into the dash to help adjust the climate control properly. weirdness..
 
mine is rattling and I am about to puke. It sounds like it is coming from where the windshield and dash meet directly in front of the steering wheel.
 
same old problem seems to NEVER get fixed, I did the TSB on the "replacement bushings" for the cowling and it helped for 1 season and now it's back, just not as severe.
 
man, i've done the tsb for the cowl, but i used butyl rope instead of loop velcro, so everything sticks together and is mega cushioned. i mean, maybe i've missed a spot or two, but after 4 times you'd think i would have gotten it all. i'm thinking i might take the cowl off for a few days and see if the rattle is still there. then i will at least know whether it is the cowl or not.

so, i've used a whole roll of butyl rope on my car now. i stuffed loads up in the rear bumper, between the styrofoam and cover and styrofoam and frame. it helped tons. last night i took out my instrument cluster and silenced the odometer and light buttons and worked on the armrest/ebrake/ashtray area. huge difference. oh, i did the e brake too. no more button rattle and i've made the e brake handle completely solid.
just this stupid mystery rattle left. sometimes it will be total silence and then rattle like a completely loose piece of plastic, then stop.. wtf?
 
I have no idea if what I dealt with is the same noise that OP is describing, but I had an annoying plastic-derived rattle that I eventually figured out.
Basically, the little plastic cover for the CD load slot had come ajar at some point, so I pushed in the corner closest to the driver's side and heard an audible 'click' noise. That's all it took. Haven't had an issue with it since.

I circled the area I pushed below in yellow:
eatumup.jpg


I've got a little noise problem of my own with the plastic covers that surround the steering column...there's a slight gap between the upper and lower halves right behind the wheel that rattles when I'm on rough roads or hit speeds above 45mph. I've tightened all the screws/fasteners but it won't subside. Looks like I'll need to implement something to cover the gap.
 
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