I thought I'd have these issues... say... two weeks from now

I know Minis are full of rattles. I just wasn't expecting something like this. The noise comes exactly in front of the tach. If I push hard on top of the dashboard, the rattles go away.

It's not a soft rattle, either... sounds as if the dashboard was ripping itself appart!

I noticed that, when I hit the top of the dashboard with my knuckles, it makes the same rattling noise. The exact point is in the middle of the dashboard (front to back) in front of the tach.

I "fixed" it by prying loose the cover that is to the left of the drivers' vent (the oval shaped one). Then I took out the entire left assembly. This let me look inside of the vent, and a bit of the top of the dashboard. I couldn't find anything wrong, but I noticed that with a bit of pressure underneath the dashboard, the rattle almost disappeared.

So, I wedged one of those little ***** that bounce quite high between the dashboard and part of the vent assembly. The ball applies pressure tothe dash, and almost stops the rattles.

My $28,000 car depends on a little ball not to rattle. That's... aw.

I'm hesitant to bring it to the dealership. I suppose such a huge rattle is not normal, but I don't know if they would fix it at all. So far, the rattle is almost gone with the little ball.

If it wasn't such a blast to drive, I wouldn't know why I bothered again with buying one! :D

 

yes, they would fix it, but I'd take the ball out first and don't tell them you went in there.

 

rattles in the dash??? Hmmm thats unusual for a MINI You would think they would have learned from the dash rattles in R53. It should be an easy fix but agree take the ball out and dont mention you messed with the dash.

 

good luck getting help from a mini dealor. i have had my car serviced twice( i paid for one). their comment about a serious rattle under my car was," service employee couldn't hear rattle". one of three things: 1) he never drove the car to check for the rattle, 2) he's deaf, or 3) he did not bother because basis for his pay made it expensive to even bother to check.
back to audi's. i didn't realized how spoiled i was.

 

If your car is under warranty and you have a problem, don't mess with it. Let your dealer fix it. If your dealer can't or won't fix it, be sure they document it in your MINI's permanent service record online.

I'm surprised you have any rattle at all. My 2007 MCSm with the hard-riding combination of sport suspension and summer performance runflats did not rattle anywhere, at all!

My 2009 MCCm with sport suspension and all-season runflats does not rattle at anywhere, at all!

 

Have your MSA ride witrh you so they can document the rattle/noise.

Also a small note on rattles for your future reference; I have inadverdently created my own rattles by where I have placed things ie: pen and tire gauge in armrest compartment, small container of hardshell gum in the cup holder.

 

just duplicate the issue with your SA in car or take him for a ride and if under warranty should fix it.

 

how to deal with MINI dash rattles 101:

--first, a MINI sans any dash rattle is a rare car indeed. I have a couple minor ones in my 09.

--second, first gen cars, esp the 02-04s that had 5 piece dashes (05s and 06s had 3-piece) had MUCH worse dash rattle issues than the 2nd gen cars.

--if U try a temp fix, do it so it can be removed when U go to the dealer, like when I stuck folded gasket material between the a-pillar and dash of my 05 MCS, which spent a week in the shop getting all of its dash rattles quieted down

--sometimes it's just best to let the rattle(s) get so loud and frequent so they can be easily replicated at the dealer

--dont let the rattles get to you. sometimes they are created by road surface harmonics, and there's nothing one can do except roll the windows down, turn up the stereo, or sing loudly to yrself

 

Hi, sorry for pushing up this thread but i think i still have this problem and i want to fix it before going nuts....... ....

My dealer is still unable to fix it and so i could find the "place" from where the rattle noise is coming.....

When i am knocking on the dash at he passenger-side about 6" from the vent to the windscreen (see picture) i can reproduce the noise.....

I opened the tach and the hidden-glove-box to see if i could find anything, but i was not succesful....

So what have i to do to fix it ?!??! pls. help me...........

 

have your tried cramming pieces of dense foam in the areas around there with a flat head screw driver? that's what I'm going to do if my dealers can't fix the rattles.

 

...there is a huge hole under the dash.....you need a lot of foam........

 

I'm of the "It's a new car under warranty, let the dealer fix it" mentality too....

My '09 Clubby had a terrible rattle in the center of the dash from new, putting the car under load - like going slowly up a steep hill or dragging the brakes slightly - made it very evident, but it still took them a week and 2 tries to fix it. In the end, they got it all nice and quiet tho and I'm now a happy Clubby owner....

 

MINI dashes still rattle?

 

when i removed the speedo/stereo to install newministuff's bluetooth, i stuffed a diaper (only thing i had in the car at the time) right under the center of the dash before putting the speedo/stereo back in. took care of my rattle.

 

The only rattle I ever had in my 2009 JCW turned out to be the passenger side seat belt metal part hitting the side between the seat and side of the car. Easy fix. Just moved the position and rattle gone. I thought I would have more rattles because my car has the sport suspension. I just turned 13,000 miles and still no rattles. This car is as tite as the day I bought it in Oct. of 2008.
I did have a 98 Corvette that rattled so bad I always thought it was coming apart. It never did come apart but the rattles were horrendous. I just turned up the radio in that car most of the time.

 

I can't even tell you how many rattles my car has that the dealer "can't hear," so good luck! (definitely take the ball out if you decide to go get it checked out)

 

bssiesmth - anty resolution to this problem? I'm asking because ours developed this exact same sound just yesterday morning as soon as we pulled out of the drive. Exactly the same as you described - right behind the tach, can put my hand on it while driving to make it go away, and if I tap on the dash there even when not driving, I can replicate the rattle. This is more than an annoying squeek of vague sound - it is loud and irritating...

 

Good news - the tachometer rattle is a known issue at MINI dealers. When I took mine in for a rattle they were hell-bent on fixing the tach rattle (that was non-existant for me). I had to repeat, over and over, its near the SPEEDO, not the tach. They fixed the speedo rattle too by taking out the radio stuff and insulating it. All in about an hour.

But again, the tach rattle is an actual TSB (or at least an official one) from what I understand. MINI service knows about it.

 

Hi, can you give me the TSB number.... ......

 

I meant to say it's an "unofficial" TSB. Mistyped. But again, my dealer didn't even look at my car and wanted to perform the tach fix. I guess they were on autopilot with regard to the many tach rattle complaints.

 

Hi, my problem is that my dealer (and other dealers also) are not able to fix this rattle........ ...........drives me crazy.....would be intresting how your dealer fix the problem.....is it possible to get more details... ....i still want to have fun again with my cooper, without rattling all the time............
Rgds
Ralph

 

I know this might be a stupid question but bear with me.

Be sure it is not your passenger side seat belt that is rattling.

Be sure it is not something in your glove boxes or secrete compartmet.

Take your car to a dealer and if they can not repair the problem you can get the car replaced under the lemon law. (That is how it is in Florida) I'm pretty sure that it is in just about all of the states.

There should be nothing on that car that can not be repaired. The car is under warrenty so it is up to the dealer to fix the problem.

Check with the lemon law in your state and follow through. Way to many dealers selling any brands of a car just want to sell cars and not take care of customer problems. It is a problem and the dealers just don't care.

I sure am lucky to have a good dealer here in Orlando.

 

Hi, i checked the seat belt and the glove box (including the hidden one...;-..).....the noise or better the rattle is definitly cominmg from the dash......the problem with your so-called lemon law, it still does not really exist here in Germany.. ....

If somebody could tell me what the dealer is still fixing, i try to fix it by myself or i am going to my dealer and tell them how to do it.... ............

So please, give me some details about it.......(before i am going nuts).........

 

When I took delivery of my '09 - 1 year ago this month - I had a buzz at about 2500 RPM. Sounded like it was behind the speedometer, but hard to locate. Turns out it was the panel that's next to your right foot that covers the heater core. I removed the panel and installed some high-density foam near its rear tab to keep the panel engaged and quiet. Buzz gone for a year now.

Also had a ticking sound near my left ear. Very intermittent, and I thought it was from the seat-belt guide in the B-pillar. I took the thing apart and was convinced the flex circuit for the mood lights was rubbing & popping, but not so. It was actually the A-pillar/dash interface and was fixed by stuffing some foam at the junction.

The third annoying sound was a pop from somewhere in the rear. A quick shot of WD-40 to the rear seat and rear hatch latches was the cure.

 

My mini only rattles when it's on!