I was driving home from work yesterday afternoon, and I was cruising in 4th gear at around 2k rpm and my dash was vibrating really bad. I pulled in to my neighborhood, and was cruising in 2nd gear @ 2k rpm, and the same nasty rattle. I tried to pat down the dashboard to get a feel for it, but the top is solid. Sounds like it was coming from inside.

I couldn't get the rattle to reproduce this morning, but the engine was extra cold, so maybe that could have something to do with it? Anyhow, I am affraid to take it in to the dealer (can they even do anything about it?). I don't trust them taking it apart, probabily say they found nothing wrong, then have it back with even more rattles.

Should I take it in?

EDIT: I should say the car has about 950miles and is less than 3 weeks old.

 

Mine has a rattle that comes and goes...almost sounds like a buzzing. It seems to be coming from behind the area near the tach. There is no way I would trust anyone to take the dash apart to try and locate it.

My first X5 had a similar rattle, a few years ago. The dealer took the entire dash apart, had the X5 for two weeks, and never did find the rattle...so I just do what I did on the X5...I turn the radio up.

 

Thanks for the reply and advice. It's really sad to hear that a car like a MINI (let a lone a X5!!!) has problems like dash rattles :( That's just sad. I guess I will live with it then. Anyone else?

 

Anything in your glove box that can be rattling? My tire pressure gauge was loose in my box so I moved it inside my manual folder and the rattle was gone. Then my daughter moved my box of mints into the glove box and the rattle is back! Sounds more like maracas this time...

 

Personally, I hate rattles. I don't see why you should not take the car in to get it fixed. If they make it worse, take it back again. It is highly unlikely they'd take your dash apart unless they had a good idea what was causing the rattle.

 

I have the same rattle or buzzing sound at about 2500 rpm...it's only a week old.

 

Actually, in my case of the X5, they had no clue as to what was causing the rattle, which is why they did take the whole dash apart.

 

Romi has just over 620 miles on her and she still sounds solid as a rock. But, when the inside and outside temperatures are right, I can hear a slight sort of dull popping sound (really is soft) which is happening as the drivers window tries to slide about on the rubber seal when I hit bumps.

Basically the glass is griping the rubber seal and when it has to move it pops loose. I'll be applying a light coating of silicone this weekend which should cure that issue.

 

I used to think I had two rattles behind my dash, but after a search and destroy operation, I found the rattles were actually coming from the plastic trim down in the driver-side leg well and inside the depression under the climate system. By pressing my finger on the seams, I was able to find where exactly they were coming from. Seems that putting tape or some kind of deading material on the backside of the seams would kill the rattles.

Not sure if this would be the same rattles mentioned above, but if so, it's an easy enough self-fix. Sure beats having the mechanics take the dash apart.

 

I wish it was that simple... but it actually sounds like it's coming from closer to the windshiled. Only thing in my glovebox is that little pouch from the dealer with the manual.

 

Exactly... how else will they find out where it's coming from if they don't take the top cover off From what Coffeeman said I simply don't trust the guys at the dealer... but I really want it fixed :(

 

Do you plan to do anything about it? Does it bother you?

 

I have the same buzz in my dashboard. It's intermittent and it first developed when driving home when I first picked up the car. If it were constant I would probably ask the dealer about it. But being intermittent, the dealer probably wouldn't even be able to reproduce the buzz. It usually happens on a rough road, though.

 

Mine is intermittent too, and I really doubt they will find the rattle. It just bothers me beyond belief that a new car has this issue.

 

I bet it's a disgruntled factory worker who convienently leaves a few nuts and screws loose and then watches the mini forums laughing his **** off.

 

I have had my R56 dash apart to run power and speaker wiring for my Garmin Nuvi Nav and MP3 system. Actually the first time was to replace the dash trim with the checkered flag trim.

On the left side, lower the steering column, remove the two torx screws holding the tach pod in place and just let it sit there. The dash trim just pops out. Use a wood or plastic flat stick, or put plastic tape around a wide flat blade screw driver. I started on the left side and pry'd the dash piece off. Check to make sure all of the screws under that panel are tight.

Now under the steering column there is that long plastic piece. On the bottom there are three screws, remove them. Now get your head down there and pull the bottom piece out a little and look in there for anything loose that may be rattling. If you have a fat head like mine, a mirror may help and of course you will need a light source.

That's as far as I have gone on the left side.

On the right side, it depends on how new your R56 is. The original R56 had a hinged dash panel. In this version, under the panel there is either a small compartment for things, or the 6 disc CD changer. This version of the R56 had many rattling complaints. To cure this, they replaced the hinged panel with a pop in panel.

On later R56 models the pop in panel is installed on the right (like mine). You can pry that panel off just like the left side. Under mine there is the mounting and wiring for the 6 disc CD changer.

That is as far as I have gone on the right side.

 

funny you should say... when I was taking delivery, my MA popped the bonnet, and guess what I found? A random bolt just laying there by the motor It didn't look major or anything; looked just like one that held a piece of plastic together. Figured a worker just dropped it and didn't bother looking for it. Horray for build quality. I would expect this from a Neon or any other American carp carp, but not from BMW quality.

 

Thanks for the info minibonkers, but no way in god's name am I taking the dash apart...

 

Remember, they are assembled in England, not Germany.

 

my girlfriend's neon is five years old, and the dash is sold, not rattles. Britts should be able to build a car with no dash rattles.

 

Yes they "should". Seems when things get rushed, like selling more cars than they planned for, quality gets pushed aside for profit. Happens a lot more than it should.

 

Yeah... can't do much about that. I'm just going to live with it, io'm too scared to have the dealer mess with my dash.

 

That explains it! The Brits are all red faced drunks, right? Also they must know which ones are headed for the states(left hand drive?)

 

I'll throw this out for whatever it's worth...on the X5, what ended up making the buzzing rattle, was the window curtain airbag cable connector that runs down the A pillar. Because of the audio reflectivity of the windshield, the sound appeared to be coming from the dash area. I assume that BMW uses similar connectors on the window airbag as MINI does, so this may be worth checking out. They taped down the connector, and the buzzing went away.

 

so you came out OK in the end? Why are you so reluctant on on taking the mini back to the dealer for its rattles?