I've read some of the "Dash Rattle" thread, but I think what I'm experiencing with my car is a bit different, so I wanted to start a new thread.

Over the past couple weeks, I've noticed a new rattle when I go over especially hard/large bumps. It sounds exactly like a cricket and it sounds like it's coming from the dash area right in front of me.

Is anyone else getting this? It doesn't happen all the time, but it's driving me bananas.

TIA

Kristina

 

check out this TSB
http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/alb...%20console.pdf

 

I had the same "Cricket" noise in mine and it was worst at colder temperature, so I tried a suggested fix taht was to add the foam where the dash meet the metal plate and it's gone.

Here's the instructions I have used:
The source of the rattle is where the dash top panel meets a sheet metal support pad far forward at the windshield base located at the extreme end of the dash on both sides.

Like many of the other symptoms noted in these posts, my rattles seemed to occur when going over bumps, rough surfaces or under certain engine vibration conditions. It gets worse in colder weather because the plastic shrinks and the gap opens up slightly.

What made this hard to track down was the propensity of the rattle to "echo" or travel down the hard plastic dash top. I had difficulty telling if it came from the dash top, the A pillars or under the dash. It seemed to come from everywhere at one time or another.

However, 2 weeks after implementing the fix all the previous rattles have gone. It's the first time in 6 months I've had a rattle-free car!

Here is the fix:

- Remove the A pillar moulding (as described in other posts)
- Look forward through the exposed gap to where the dash top panel meets the windshield (a flashligh may help). You should see a bump on the plastic dash that sits on a metal pad. That is the source of the rattle.
- If you tap the dash panel or lift it up and down you can clearly see how the rattle is created
- Place a small piece of foam with adhesive (like a piece of weatherstripping) on the metal pad. It's hard to get in there, I used a long thin screwdriver with the adhesive backed foam on the end. I lifted the dash top slightly, placed the foam on the pad and pushed down on the dash to grab it, then pulled out the screwdriver.
- Confirm the contact point is damped by tapping the dash top
- Replace the A pillar
- Repeat the fix for the other A piller. Watch out for the wiring harness getting in the way on the passenger side.

Some cars may have other problems like improperly installed A pillar mouldings or loose vent bezels, as noted by some posters. However this problem appears to be generic and should solve a huge number of rattle problems".

 

I have had this problem for the better part of a year. Except for me was the passenger side. This is an excellent fix. I can't tell you how stoked this made me...now that I have a rattle free car. Thanks for the write-up and fix. Also I used a felt pad that I got at home depot(used for furniture) it is thicker so it maintains contact and keeps the pressure on it...
Thanks again
Irish!

 

Its absolutely aggravating. To me it sounds like plastic peanuts mashing together. I just finally noticed that one last Friday night.

 

I will be taking mine in soon..... let them fix it.

 

That's a great analogy. If it has that sound it's probably your shift boot. Mine does it all of the time. You just need to remove the boot and rub some leather conditioner on it to soften it up.

I have another high pitched rattle coming from the 6 disc changer. Possibly a "cricket" sound. If I hit a hard bump in the road one of the CD disc cartridges will start to rattle. A good hit to the face of the radio generally fixes it. if not i'll just switch on the CD and select a different disc. This moves the carousel and get rid of the rattle.

a third rattle is from the knee bump next to the ignition. I haven't got around to figuring out how to silence it yet.

 

[quote=Dineau;668726]I had the same "Cricket" noise in mine and it was worst at colder temperature, so I tried a suggested fix taht was to add the foam where the dash meet the metal plate and it's gone.


Here is the fix:

- Remove the A pillar moulding (as described in other posts)

Do you have a link/location to this post?

Thank you

 

Is there a tool required to remove the A pillar molding or does it just "snap" in and out? I couldn't find the instructions for removing that molding and I have the dash rattle.

Thanks

 

I've been rattle-free since the warm weather started in Spring. I fear that the rattle will come back when it's cold, however, since it just stopped by itself when the weather warmed.

I thought mine would be solved with the hose clamps on the exhaust brackets, but I did that and that wasn't the problem.

Mine was the problem where the dash rattled/buzzed when the rpms were between 1800 and 3000 or so, most noticeable under acceleration or deceleration.

I hate rattles.

 

My "cricket" is back now that it is getting colder outside. Every time I hit a bump, no matter how small, dash rattles on the driver side behind the gauges somewhere. Annoying as hell and I'm taking it to the dealer in a week or so. Hopefully it will be on a cold day and they can replicate the problem!!

 

Anyone have an idea on how to remove the A-pillar? A link to a description on how?

 

Thank you thank you thank you!!! As my wife could tell you, I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to rattles and squeeks. I too had the cricket on bumpy roads and it drove me insane! It was getting to the point that it was making me sick to think I spent this much on a car and it was doing this.

So I read this post last night at around 11pm. I was so excited, I ran to the garage in my PJ's despite my wife's rolling eyes. I had some 1/4 inch round self adhesive felt pads for various stuff. So I grabbed those, a flashlight and a really long flat blade screwdriver. I had the A-pillar off in 20 seconds and immidiatly saw the contact point you were talking about. I stuck the very edge of an adhesive felt to the long screwdriver blade and slid it in place and pinched the felt down by pressing on the dash and then pulled the screw driver out, and replaced the A-pillar.

I took her out and drove around the neighborhood seeking some spots that used to make the dash chirp really loud.....I found the spot...anticipated..........NO MORE CRICKETS!!! HOLY CRAP!!!

I drove it all day today and not a peep.......I'm sooo freeking happy!!!

Thank you so much for posting this!

 

YEAH!!! Dancin' 'nanners for you!!!!

:b anana:

Glad you fixed your rattle.
Late night fixes are sometimes the most fun!

 

Look at this post http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showth...pillar+removal

There's even a video showing how easy it is to remove the A pillar

 

Thank you for the great write up on how to access and fix this probelm. It was easy, especially with the top down. I just wish that it had fixed my mysterious rattle. Unfortunately, it was not the case. I'm going to go back in and add some more padding to see if I just missed the contact spot, although under test conditions it seemed fixed. Road testing confirmed the worse that IT WAS STILL THEIR. Ugh. I have pics of the operation and will upload for all to see. Maybe it’s my technique or size of the padding I'm using. As always any suggestions are greatly appreciated.


FYI: The dealer is no help. Their quote specialist gave up on the second try and said it was my aftermarket XM installation. I removed the device and they still could not find / fix the problem. Love my Stang, but when you have the radio tuned up and the top is down you'd expect not to hear the noise. Cold weather is approaching and that means being locked up with that rattle with no escape on the daily commute.

 

BTW MCK3125, if you have a Convertible, check if it's not another sqeak that you are hearing, mine was fixed and when the top was down it seems that it came back, but no mather what I did it was always there.

Last week while showing the car to a friend I sat in the back seat for a short ride (first time in two years, i was time that I try the back seat !) and I heard the squeak, and to my surprise, the new squeak wasn't comming from the A pillar as I thought but from the folded top !

If I shake the top very slightly (when it's completely folded) the squeak is in there, nornmally it won't do it for the first couples of miles but after the top has settle in place it becomes a little loose and it strart squeaking.

It's on the driver side, and if you sit in front it's almost like if it was comming from the front of the car but it's not, it is comming from the back. It's like the sound bounce back in the windshield.

So have a look in case your are looking for a ghost near rthe A pillar.

And no, haven't been able to fix it yet. I have lubricated all moving parts, no success.....

 

Thanks for the heads up; however, my rattle was constant regardless if the top is up or down. I have seemingly fixed the rattle with all of the help from the various discussions and have crated a PDF with photos to illustrate. However, I'm having issues uploading the file, but I’ve enlisted one of the forum admins for assistance.


I never could get the file uploaded so I uploaded it to the web http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=54716

 

I've isolated my "cricket" to the driver sideview mirror housing. Havn't tried fixing it yet.

 

I had the same cricket in my mirror. Looked all around inside the housing and couldn't see what might be causing it. Had the dealer replace the mirror under warranty.
BTW, it felt like I was driving a brand new car again once the cricket was dead.