dreaded dash rattle - omg going insane

J

jeffjcalweb

New member
'13 SR5 with 20K miles ... over the last month i've had a dash rattle develop that is MADDENING. it sounds like it is coming right behind/below/above the steering column. it is really prone to rattle on acceleration and rougher (paved) roads. i don't know how to get the dash off or if i should even go that route, or with 20K miles should it just go to dealer... there's one thing i can NOT stand in a vehicle and that is dash rattles! more rant here than anything else, but who knows maybe someone has a 'magic answer' and its worth asking :)
 
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you sure its not the voices/marbles in your head ?

j/k,

have you tried to look/feel under the dash to see if anything is loose? if you dont find anything right off the bat, then i would say take it in to have them check it.

i know in my legacy i had a rattle, but then i found an item that was loose, tighten it up and it went away. was quicker than taking it in.
 
I feel your pain...
After 8 years of driving a Subaru - "what, you mean that every plastic retainer clip in the dash ISN'T supposed to rattle???" :twitch:

I'd definitely be pissed to re-live that nightmare with my new 4R.
Pester the dealership until it is fixed.
 
A couple years ago some people were having a rattle in that same location and had a fix. No promises but I'll search for you.
 
CaveTroll said:
I feel your pain...
After 8 years of driving a Subaru - "what, you mean that every plastic retainer clip in the dash ISN'T supposed to rattle???" :twitch:

I'd definitely be pissed to re-live that nightmare with my new 4R.
Pester the dealership until it is fixed.
Click to expand...


lol the dreaded subaru OEM rattle©

this was the biggest issue i had with subaru's, coming from toyota's.
 
I've seen threads from 2014 owners complaining about a rattle or squeak that comes from the dash. They figured out that it had something to do with the windshield.
 
Sometimes tiny gravel or dirt get's stuck between the front windshield cowl and the bottom of windshield and causes these rattles that seem like it's coming from the dash. Pressure wash the area out and see if it helps.

Granted, even without dirt there, I still get random rattles from the dash when it's colder out. Just turn up the radio :)

Personally, I wouldn't bother taking it in to the dealer, I mean even if they actually do give a damn and try to help you, would you really trust they will meticulously take apart the entire dash, and put it back together EXACTLY how it was from the factory? You might end up creating new squeaks and rattles in the process of getting rid of this one, lol.
 
I would imagine by 2013 they would have fixed the problem, but I do recall a windshield TSB that was causing rattles and squeaks from the dash area. May be worth looking into.
 
the only rattle I can find in mine is the cup holder insert by the center arm rest. If I put a 1 liter bottle in it (sits on top of the insert snug) I can make the insert rattle. if I put weight on the bottle the rattle goes away or remove the insert.
 
Do you have an aftermarket stealership installed alarm? I had an annoying rattle/buzz under the dash around the steering column area and it turned out to be the alarm brain was poorly zip tied down.
 
I had a rattle behind the dash on my 2010 TE. Come to find out, the noise was made outside the cabin from the front fender liner clips. These are the clips that hold the rubber mud shield on to protect the engine.

It's worth a look.
 
I've got 40k on my 4R and no rattles so this is very surprising to me, but man just be glad you don't drive a Jeep GC, I was chasing down different rattles like every other month with that POS, always different spots.

I have nothing else of substance to add… carry on.
 
My squeak / rattle was coming from the driver's side pillar cover. I worked it back and forth and it doesn't squeak anymore. Probably just dust or dirt in the fasteners or something.
 
I've noticed at least one dash rattle with my 2012 SR5 with 30k miles. I'm focusing on the cable bundle under the glove compartment right now, but still haven't really solved the problem completely. Un-clicking the cable clamp as others have mentioned does help, but doesn't completely eliminate it. I've noticed that removing the plastic trim completely does seem to solve the problem, but I don't see that as a permanent solution. The noise happens at certain engine revs, and I notice it a slower road speeds. Will keep searching.
 
Did you end up identifying the problem? I think Ive been living with the same acceleration triggered rattle but no idea where its coming from.
 
Two rattles, one known

Putting in my two cents for what its worth.

I have two rattles in my '12LE. They both sound the same, small, almost imperceptible until you hear it, then you can't not hear it. Anyway the first is caused by my sunglasses holder, if I have a pair of sunglasses in the holder but do not close the holder then it has a slight rattle. The other is coming from somewhere and I haven't been able to figure it out. Whenever I hear the rattle I hope I left the sunglasses case down, if not it annoys me for a couple minutes and then I forget about it.

Good luck and if you figure it out be sure to post for all of us in the same spot.
 
i have a noise too, i just posted in the other thread about my plan to try looking at the wheel liner clips
 
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