I belive my MSP has the worst trunk rattle on the forums

[BrianV]

My rattle is SO bad that I almost can't stand this car.

I love the car but the rattle is SO damn bad. After a search for trunk rattle I have come to the conclusion that mine is worse then everybody elses. If your's was as bad as mine you'd post horrible things about it.

What pisses me off is it's been in for warranty twice and nothing has fixed the problem. In fact, they have claimed 'they can't hear it' which is BS. Not a single person who has ridden in my car hasn't mentioned how awful it sounds.

I'm really frustrated and don't know what to do. It's embarrassing to drive people around in the car, especially since it's a 'new' car.

I really feel screwed here, and don't know what to do. I don't want to take it in for warranty service again because nothing will happen and it's a huge hassle for me to take it to the dealer.

It appears to be coming from the plastic deck lid, and it even rattles when I'm not moving (that's how bad it is). The subtle engine vibration when the engine is cold is enough to make it rattle. Applying pressure to the speaker lid usually stops it. Sometimes hitting the rear deck lid makes it stop for a few minutes.

To be honest, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have bought an MSP simply because of the rattle. All the other details are minute, but this one is so bad. I think the dealers may have made it worse attempting to fix it because it appears to have gotten worse.

We had people in town from work this past week, and I had to trade cars with my g/f because I was so embarrassed of the MSP. Her tore up 95 Camry was less embarrassing to drive.

Please advise, is there anyone higher up the foodchain I can talk too, is there any TSB. If it's related to the stereo problem, I'd be willing to just have Mazda rip out the entire stereo and I'd shell out of my pocket a replacement stereo, I don't care too much about the warranty or anything like that, right now I just want the rattle to stop, if it can't stop then I CAN'T OWN this car. Again I stress this isn't a little rattle, it's pretty overpowering.

Thanks for listening to the rant; I'm in serious need of advice.

 

[AutoBox]

cant u take a mazda tech out with u and spicifically show him the sounds? i made my mom do that for her '00 accord when the dealer stated they couldnt hear antyhing, when she took a tech out with her and pointed out the definat sound, they changed their minds and sourced it.....worth a try....

 

[BrianV]

Yeah, but my work schedule doesn't work well, and they're not open on Saturdays.

That's what I really need to do, but it pisses me off that they 'can't' hear it because it's so blatantly bad.

I'll call them tomorrow and ask if they can stay open a little later to accomidate my needs.

 

[Zray]

Which dealer are you taking it to? t3ase (also from Austin) was saying the guys at Premier Mazda in Georgetown were awesome - maybe ask him who to talk to down there?

 

[AutoBox]

yeh some dealers are lazy as s***, unless ur car is spewin oil or something else that is majorly wrong they dont give a s*** and beat around the bush until u get on their ass....drive over there and get ur money's worth, i know i would.......

 

[SP33D]

Are you talking about the back dash? Mine is really bad too, but only when the subs hit. I'm gonna dynamat the entire thing.. possibly the entire trunk, don't know if that will help in your situation though.. because I haven't actually heard your car.

 

[MazdaSpeed0020]

Yea my MSP is really really bad too. There is so much noise coming from everywhere in my car. It sounds like the doors are open the entire time I drive my car. The trunk is the worst of it all though. So loud. Now since i got backed into, i am having this weird kinda shreaking sound coming from my front end whenever i hit a bump. It sucks really bad.

Matt

 

[overstreet31]

I had the same problem, my decklid rattled like sh!t. I had to take it in to get the amp and sub replaced and when I left it was even WORSE!! I broke down and shoved a couple of short but kinda thick peices of styrofoam between the sub box and a couple of rods between them. Good luck fixing it. Make them fix it if you can't.

 

[yashooa]

Mine sounds ******* horrible now. It is driving me crazy it sounds like the clunk and the trunk are working together to produce an orgy of irritating sounds.
Of course it also sounds like the endlinks may be beating the s*** out of the underside of the car. I am calling the dealer tomorrow and geting the new bushings because this is total bulls***. It damn near ruins the whole car. This cold wet weather has really brought out the bad side of the rear suspension.

Ok besides this and the fuel cut I really love my car; rant over.

 

[MikeyK 5]

yeah, i drove my car for the first time when it was below freezing out 2 days ago. And WOW. What a cacophony of horrendous noises. I have clunk, decklid rattle, engine compartment cover rattle, and front suspension creaks. The only one I had heard before was the clunk, which is now incredibly worse. Blegh. Looks like its off to the dealer with high hopes that will inevitably be dashed.

but i still love my MSP

 

[t3ase]

One suggestion for the trunk:
Go buy some (quite a bit of) thick foam. Remove the sub/amp rack & cut the foam to fit the top of the rack. Now reinstall the rack with the foam on top of it inbetween the rear deck metal and the rack & that'll help some of the rattle.

 

[loj68]

I had that rattling problem too in the decklid. My dealer contacted Kenwood and Kenwood said they knew of the problem and replaced the whole sub enclosure. I've been 100% rattle free ever since.

 

[BrianV]

Yeah the Georgetown guys could never hear it, but they did say the re-cocked the entire rear stereo area.

I'd prefer not to add foam or anything, I feel the car should be rattle free without me spending too much time or money on it.

I'll contact the dealer and print this thread out, the guy's real cool, and I'm sure if they can hear it they'll fix it.

 

[SP33D]

dynamat is 500 times > foam.

 

[Zray]

So does pretty much every MSP suffer from this rattle issue? Should I have them just get the Kenwood replacement (in the quote below) right away, or wait first to see if the rattle develops? Are the 2003.5's immune to this problem?

I had that rattling problem too in the decklid. My dealer contacted Kenwood and Kenwood said they knew of the problem and replaced the whole sub enclosure. I've been 100% rattle free ever since.

 

[BrianV]

2003.5's have it as well, I'd just check to see if you have it first, it may develop after a few hundred miles.

 

[AutoBox]

i only got 155 on my msp, i know th emin i hear somehting im goin straight to the dealer, im not gonna put up with a new car rattling and playin musical chairs on me...

 

[Ezeikiel]

i dynomated the rear deck under the trim and put foam weatherstripping (the kind you use around the doors in the house) between the trim and the deck area. took care of almost all of those rattles. i can hear my 2 jl's over the rattles now. still have the bowling ball clunk back there though

 

[CHICO2003]

I was beginning to think I had a lemon! Glad to see there are others out there in as much misery as I! Seriously, I wouldn't have bought this car either if I knew about these quality issues. One of the things I needed to have in my car was a good quality interior. I figured, Mazda- being Japanese and all, would offer that - compared to the dodge I had before! Not even close!! I'd go back to my Status in a heartbeat if I could! (interior noise wise that is) I'm guessing Mazda pretty much decided that it wasn't worth addressing since most of the people that would be buying this car would have the radio blasting at al times. I don't know.... it just really blows! Love the handling/speed and looks... hate the quality of the interior. more vibrating plastic than a fat girls sorority house.

 

[BrianV]

UPDATE:

I played around with things in my trunk, and I really can't produce any noise from my stereo area. Putting the foam in would not help the problem. Actually my strereo installation seems pretty good.

I later found that the noise has to do with the plastic top piece visible from behind the headrest of the rear seats. It seems like the plastic is rubbing against the glass rear window and producing the rattle. I'm going to have the dealer drive with me and get this straightened out.