- :
- 2008.5 Mazdaspeed 3
So I finally decided to do something with the crazy rattle inside the left & right rear bumpers. I can't hear it inside the car but if I stood outside near the back, when the real deep bass hits, I could hear this flapping sound coming from inside the bumpers.
Here goes how to fix it.
<b>
Passenger side:
</b>
(1) Remove the two clips by popping out the center thingy with a small flathead screwdriver or finger nail. Pull the panel straight up, it's held in place by like three retaining clips.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/hatch_clips.jpg" </img>
(2) Remove this panel by pulling it up and push it out of the way. It's unnecessary to separate it from the seat belt. It helps if you use a screwdriver to pry it up (gently). Remove this clip.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.upper_panel.jpg" </img>
(3) Remove this clip behind the rear seat.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.seat_clip.jpg" </img>
(4) You can now pull this panel straight out. If you want more room to work with, you can totally take it out by removing a few more clips behind the seat. I didn't completely take it out because I had enough room already.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.panel_open.jpg" </img>
(5) Behind the jack, this is the box that's flapping against the metal body (very hard to see). You can feel that it gives a little if you push on the bottom edge. There are also two rubber flaps attached to the black box, I think they serve as some sort of moisture prevention devices. The rubber thingy also flaps with the air created by the bass. Although for my car the box on the passenger side is rattling the most so I left the rubber alone.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.box1.jpg" </img>
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.box.jpg" </img>
(6) To stop the rattle of the box, I simply squeezed a piece of rag between the underside of the box and the metal part. I couldn't think of anything else to put in there. Maybe a piece of thin rubber?? But it was good enough to stop the rattle on passenger side. I also duck taped the rag to the body so it's more stable. (low tech but viable solution).
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.rag.jpg" </img>
Note: You could feel the black box by simply removing the little panel hiding the jack, but it's almost impossible to see the black box or do anything to prevent the box from flapping. If you found another way, let me know.
<b>
Driver side:
</b>
Very similar.
(1) Remove similar panels and you will see what's behind.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/d.panel_open.jpg"> </img>
(2) On this side I completely removed the 2 rubber flaps as they were flapping like crazy. You can take them out by pulling on the little prones on the rubber. I couldn't think of any other way to stop the rubber from flapping or flap silently so I took them out. I'd rather not, but seeing how low tech they are I think taking them out would not be such a big deal. Or after removing the rubbers, you can duct tape the opening...
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/d.rubber_rem.jpg"> </img>
(3) Duct tape covering the rags.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/d.ductape.jpg"> </img>
(4) Put your sub back in the trunk, close the hatch and test if anything else is rattling.
(5) Reassemble and you are done.
There are no rattles in the bumpers anymore. My setup sounds as nice inside and out (cool)
Here goes how to fix it.
<b>
Passenger side:
</b>
(1) Remove the two clips by popping out the center thingy with a small flathead screwdriver or finger nail. Pull the panel straight up, it's held in place by like three retaining clips.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/hatch_clips.jpg" </img>
(2) Remove this panel by pulling it up and push it out of the way. It's unnecessary to separate it from the seat belt. It helps if you use a screwdriver to pry it up (gently). Remove this clip.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.upper_panel.jpg" </img>
(3) Remove this clip behind the rear seat.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.seat_clip.jpg" </img>
(4) You can now pull this panel straight out. If you want more room to work with, you can totally take it out by removing a few more clips behind the seat. I didn't completely take it out because I had enough room already.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.panel_open.jpg" </img>
(5) Behind the jack, this is the box that's flapping against the metal body (very hard to see). You can feel that it gives a little if you push on the bottom edge. There are also two rubber flaps attached to the black box, I think they serve as some sort of moisture prevention devices. The rubber thingy also flaps with the air created by the bass. Although for my car the box on the passenger side is rattling the most so I left the rubber alone.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.box1.jpg" </img>
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.box.jpg" </img>
(6) To stop the rattle of the box, I simply squeezed a piece of rag between the underside of the box and the metal part. I couldn't think of anything else to put in there. Maybe a piece of thin rubber?? But it was good enough to stop the rattle on passenger side. I also duck taped the rag to the body so it's more stable. (low tech but viable solution).
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/p.rag.jpg" </img>
Note: You could feel the black box by simply removing the little panel hiding the jack, but it's almost impossible to see the black box or do anything to prevent the box from flapping. If you found another way, let me know.
<b>
Driver side:
</b>
Very similar.
(1) Remove similar panels and you will see what's behind.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/d.panel_open.jpg"> </img>
(2) On this side I completely removed the 2 rubber flaps as they were flapping like crazy. You can take them out by pulling on the little prones on the rubber. I couldn't think of any other way to stop the rubber from flapping or flap silently so I took them out. I'd rather not, but seeing how low tech they are I think taking them out would not be such a big deal. Or after removing the rubbers, you can duct tape the opening...
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/d.rubber_rem.jpg"> </img>
(3) Duct tape covering the rags.
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~redkatanax9/d.ductape.jpg"> </img>
(4) Put your sub back in the trunk, close the hatch and test if anything else is rattling.
(5) Reassemble and you are done.
There are no rattles in the bumpers anymore. My setup sounds as nice inside and out (cool)
