my dash started rattling out of no where... its driving me mad

 

After 11 months with my 05 (July 04 build) MCS, I can report I don't have an issue with my dash rattling. After some investigation, I have found the rattling came from stuff inside my glove box or my office ID card lanyard rattling around in the cupholder.

I do think I have an issue with something in the seatbelt mechanism banging against the inside plastic covering of the b-pillar. But figure I can get that addressed in my next service. I think I'm being knit picky here.

 

Had sane problem,just moved clip up and pulled seat belt in/out till it seated.Noise stopped.

 

Please keep us informed. This is a big problem that needs to be addressed and fixed on a broader scale. Jimbo

 

As I've posted before, I've had the bubble wrap noise off and on during cold weather. Never as loud as some apparently do. It did it again a couple weeks ago and aggravated me (which it usually doesn't) so without thinking I slapped the dash above the instrument cluster fairly hard and it actually stopped and (fingers crossed) I haven't heard it since.

I thing Lot15 mentioned this remedy in an earlier post. I hope its permanent!

 

Well, as originator of this thread I had to update my bad-*** crackiling dash rattle, which got worse over the winter and only when the dash heated up in the sun--never rattled cold. I inserted some gasket material between the A-pillar cover on the driver side and the dash, but that only worked for a short spell before the crackling returned. GAHHHH

So during my first scheduled maintenence I told my SA--who had known about this problem all along--that if this rattle continued it'd be a deal breaker and I'd get rid of the car--yes it was that loud and that bad.

So after the car passed the first mtce with flying colors, the dealer (Schomp, Denver) took it out for a drive and YESSSS the rattle crackled with all its glory! They over the course of the next three days they blew out the old windshield, removed the top of the dash, got new A-pillar covers, and foamed/siliconed/felted every single contact point of the dash top and main unit. So I returned and the SA and I went out for a cruise, CC and radio off, and took it on some rough cobbly roads and hard cornering and YESSSS the rattle has disappeared I can now hear my small B-pillar rattle again, but who cares?

It's been almost four weeks now and NO rattle, no matter how hot the dash gets, no matter how hard I take roundabouts, etc. (plus they got rid of another dash rattle that sounded like a marble rolling around inside.) Still, the dealer admitted they had no idea what was causing the crackling sound, they just decided to literally isolate everything that had a contact point and make sure the new windshield was set correctly. Good job guys I have my car back!

Plus, got a brand-spanking new windshield out of the deal. YESSS! Jimbo

 

We recently developed a nasty buzz/rattle in my wife's '05 MCS (only when the ambient temp is cold).

I could have sworn it was coming from the dash but we finally tracked it down to the rear-view mirror.....weird.

 

What is that!! I always said it sounded like bottles, marbles is a good way of saying it also! I've got it going crazy in my 05/05. It's somewhere behind the glove box on the passenger side. Time to do a search for some answers.

 

What blows me away is that nearly 3,100 folks have looked at this thread since I started it a little over a year ago! Sounds like an epidemic (or just a lot of curiousity?)

 

Glad you got it fixed Sequence. Just to update my last post it did come back once since I whacked it real good, but mine has never been bad enough to really bug me and lately its gone again.

 

Mine came back with a vengence over winter and I got it sorted out a few weeks ago. They told me the dash was missing a whole bunch of clips. The only problem now is the dash is higher up on one side than the other, I suspect the top is warped.

I still have the odd rattle here and there but for the most part it's good.
Luke

 

my dealer said nothing about missing clips, but maybe they did not want to mention possible manufacturing defects and spaceouts. dash is still silent tho for the most part except for a minor buzz on rougher pavement. actually as i put more miles on this car the less it rattles.... JB

 

I have a little rattle on my drivers door on rougher pavement, sunroof rattle that comes and goes but I've just noticed a dash rattle when taking off in first gear. That's why I came to this thread. Warranty is good for another 5 months so I will be taking a trip to the dealer soon.

 

One tip: be persistent--and hope that, like my car, your rattle will get so bad that there will be no issues of rattle-going-away-in-the-service-bay. Proud to say that despite some 27 miles of washboardy road construction on a recent road trip, the bad dash rattle in my car has not resurfaced, so my dealer must've done something right. And, with time, U learn to live with the less troublesome minor rattles and creaks, ones that can be drowned out easily. After all, my friend's 2006 Acura TL rattles more than my MCS....

 

Wow, talk about timing. After driving nearly 27 miles of Wyoming highway road construction (washboardy) my infamous bubble-wrap-popping dash rattle reappeared two days after my last posting, right below the center vent area. Needless to say I was disheartened. Anyway I call my SA and he said the timing is good here, because BMW released a Service Bulletin about three weeks ago that addresses and (supposedly) fixes this problem, something to do with the insertion of foam "blocks" around the contact points in the center of the dash. Actually there are 2 SB's, one for 02-04 models with the 5 piece dash, another for 05s and 06s with the three piece unit.

Finally! How long did it take them to discover the problem and issue a remedy? I just hope the interiors in the R56 are much better engineered than the overal cheapness of the R53; that's been my one big gripe about this car. Cheers

 

That is great news, but darn it all, mine just had the initial service and I won't take it all the way to Milwaukee anytime soon unless something else happens. Oh well, it isn't too bad on mine.....yet.

 

i have a mini cooper s with a 9/02 build date. it has this rattle and has been that way for years. im kind of used to it now. sometimes it is off and on, or constant. its basically part of the car now and its not important enough to rip the dash out, besides, something might get messed up or a new rattle might form if not put back in right.

 

Sequence, is there any way to get some sort of reference number from your SA for the bulletin? That info might be really good for those of us who will be dealing with this issue at our dealers in the future. Thanks in advance if you can get the info!

 

Fixing dash rattles is an ongoing project that may take multiple attempts before finding the right treatment. Some techs are not willing to take the time that’s true; the first time I removed the front dashboard trim there were pieces of plastic tubes in the crevices. This was after the dealership had supposedly removed them to add non-existing vibration tape. But some do the best they can based on information written in the service request. By all means have the dealership service department try to fix it, but after that, it’s your turn. I know this thread is all about venting frustration and complaining but that won’t get you peace. Arm yourself with weather stripping, adhesive backed felt in various thicknesses, a pair of scissors, and a methodical mind set.

Take the dash top off first and live with that for a few days and see if you still have the noises, if they’re still there, remove the instrument fascia, glove box, knee bolster, and the steering shaft trim until you get at the source. Getting at the source may mean removal of the head unit faux supports and center console if creaking or rattling still persists. For the 05 and later model owners this thread has a good how to for dash removal https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=58517
For center dash creaks and buzzes the speedometer lens is a good thing to target, the air vent trim is another, the instrument fascia & hard foam backing another. If it makes noise when tapped with the finger, then that’s a potential problem spot. That goes for doors, pillar trim, kick panels, and any other interior trim. Here's a picture of an early model dash.


In this photo notice the thick felt weather strips (one is at the passenger wiper stalk) placed between the windshieald and dash. At the bottom of the picture is adhesive backed felt placed on the speedo lens. Shown in the center is weather stripping on the dash vent. What can't be seen are felt pads inserted in the dash panel's mating grooves.

 

When I take it in on the 10th of Oct I'll get those SB#'s from my SA. He's very open about this kind of stuff.

 

Please do follow up and let us know what happened.

 

And, that number is: SIM #51-04-06. It covers 2005-06 models; there's another one for 02-04s but I dont have that. It involves taking the top dash panel off and inserting small foam blocks and tape at every contact point. They call it a "creak kit."

So far so good, except the tech failed to place the two passenger side Torx screws back in. I noticed a few blocks from my d'ship and went back, man was my SA embarassed.

They also lubed both of my window regulators due to shaking and squealing when goin up and down (SIM #51-07-05) and fixed my H-K speaker buzz (SIM #51-02-06). Nice to have service bulletins on these issues.

 

Hi , I have various dash rattle symptoms too, particularly when plastic is cold. I had good results jamming some black neoprene strips [cut from an old mousepad ! ] into the gap between the windshield and the dash. It seems to absorb some of the vigration.


good luck!

robc

 

I believe the 05 dash is the same as the 04. Had a very similiar noise and fix. Took it to Shomp couple of times and they were not able to find the source. Had the wife use my stethescope and it turned out to be the red sensor light in the middle of the dash. I couldn't believe it as it appeared to telescope throughout the dash. Pushing back and down around the area of the speedo appeared to dec. the noise etc, but holding the base of the red sensor made it go away. Took it back to schomp, they needed to remove the windshield to get at the area, and I have been rattle free the last 35,000 miles

 

Some TSBs for dash noise are online:
7/04 to 3/06 builds: http://www.alldata.com/tsb/BMW/11596...406/index.html
pre-7/04 builds: http://www.alldata.com/tsb/BMW/1157094000000_1160377200000_M510805/index.html