Nut came loose from overhead panel?

[katmar]

A nut (see attachment) came loose somewhere above my 2013 Touring's plastic overhead panel (where the overhead light switches, sunroof switch, sunglasses container, etc. are). It was rolling around and rattling above the panel, so I bumped the panel with my hand and eventually got it to roll out in the gap at the front of the panel at the windshield.

The car goes to the dealer wednesday, but just curious if anyone knows what it might have been for? It's an "8" nut.

 

[craigo]

Very surprising. It might have simply been loose and in there from the assembly line. A weird example of this: Edmunds' mazda3 had a stray washer in a control arm: http://www.edmunds.com/mazda/mazda3/2014/long-term-road-test/2014-mazda-3-suspension-noise-fix.html

 

[RedBaron]

It could be attaching something up there. See this pic (from thread: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...-Bluetooth-Microphone-with-Aftermarket-Stereo ) and there's definitely similar stuff up there - though that looks to be a bolt in the pic.

 

[katmar]

It could be attaching something up there. See this pic (from thread: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...-Bluetooth-Microphone-with-Aftermarket-Stereo ) and there's definitely similar stuff up there - though that looks to be a bolt in the pic.

Excellent find, thank you so much! It does look like that nut. I may just try this myself