vincent_esq

After bringing my car into the dealer to have the Infotainment repaired for the flickering problem, my dash started to rattle. The dealer took it apart a second time, and the rattle was still there. The rattle is intermittent, and random. I can go over the same road and the same speed on two different days, and it will rattle one day but not the other. Usually the rattle is at highway speed only. It seems like it's coming from straight inside the dash, or by the Nav. unit.
Anyway, I started to tap on the top of the dash, and it made exactly the rattle I'm talking about. I pulled it apart and put some padding on it and now the rattle is gone. As I tap up on top, the same sound (like metal on metal) is still there, but it does not rattle on highway anymore.
Now I know why on some luxury cars, like my lexus, the clips have a thin layer of felt pad sticker on it. It's so that when you clip the panels on, the felt sticker will prevent metal to metal rattles. Why did GM not do this simple step to prevent rattles, I don't know. I still have that darn rattle behind the passenger door that I have tried many times to fix but have not found the answer yet. Here are some pics to illustrate where to tap and put padding. I'm so relieved. This rattle has been driving me nuts!

Larry/car

You have got to play the radio louder!

Bluemill

I own a C5, a coupe. I chased a rattle that I thought for certain was in the center of my dash for years. I had the dash out of the car several times, and even began to dissect the HVAC unit thinking it must be in there. Sounds in cars can be deceiving, and this is a good example.

Only after something else needed repair did I find what was really causing the rattle. My sun glass roof panel had delaminated in the sun, and I ended up replacing it with a re-manufactured one, which included all new weather stripping. I was happy with the rebuilt part, and I soon realized the rattle was gone too.

Then it dawned on me, it was the roof panel to the top of the windshield rapping when you hit bumps on the road, likely a result of a bit of cowl shake. All was good until the hot weather, and the foam rubber of the weather stripping got soft. The rapping came back.

I went a few years with jury rig of small hunks of foam rubber on the windshield frame, and tape on the roof panel cones of the top latches, which would work until it got hot again. Then I'd redo the tape around the cones again- but it wouldn't for last for long in the summer.

Then one night browsing this great forum I came across a C7 thread on an easy and effective way to get rid of the rap/rattle. Jeez I thought, even the new car has this problem. The fix - O rings, just the right size
around the base of the cones. It works great, it works long term, it's easy, it's cheap, and there is minimum of friction on the latch handles which was not good with the tape configuration.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Bluemill

Mobil 1

The vent in the picture rattles on mine. If I point the airflow of that vent all the way to the right the rattle stops.
I'm not the only one with a rattling center vent. Open your vent and bang on top of you dash pad to check.

halt00

Another reason I hate taking it to the dealer, it always comes back with some other annoying problem or broken something...

NoOne

I have this problem too, I just move it a bit and it stops.


There is a TSB for a new part number that fixes this but have to take the whole dash apart. So I just move the vent.

vincent_esq

wow, all this time, and doing all my repairs, and the noise is still there, and I check the vent and it is the culprit! Not sure if I want them taking my dash out for the vent replacement.

Vetteman Jack

Rattles and squeaks can be extremely hard to find and fix. And they sure can put a damper on owning a vehicle.

AmmoVet

My brother in law had the vent rattle but could not pin point it. Ride shot gun I found it . His fix was quick and easy. Soft foam ear plugs, used one in between the vent louvers and it works. Paint it black and done.

Red Rochester

stupid reply

LBRc7

This vent has rattled on mine since day 1.. and moving the vent to the right also works for me like others have stated.. but then I get hot

Thanks.. I will be trying this little trick

pbergmann

do it.... it works great.

beaversstonehaven

My intermittent rattle is very similar to the OP's. I will have to try these fixes. It is kind of funny how it comes and goes.

DWillys

montanaman

Yep my new 2017 has the center vent rattle too. Does this only happen on carbon fiber dash's? This has been happening since 2014 so why didn't they correct it going forward? I don't want to try and take the dash apart myself no matter how "easy" it is. My luck and and I won't be able to get it back on. I also don't really want to have a service dude pull it apart either. I'll try these fixes. Thanks

montanaman

Interesting this dash rattle. It's definitely coming from the center vent and only happens on certain types of roads on my car. I tried propping some rubber material in the gap between the carbon dash area and the vent but it did nothing. When I tap on the top of the dash it rattles so that's where the problem is. Kind of hard to swallow on a 70k car. I really don't want to take it in and have someone pull the whole interior apart or is it easier than that for them to fix. Kind of a bummer.

Berrys12

Can you be a little more specific about were to put this foam ear plug, maybe provide a picture?

PatternDayTrader

You better look a little closer. GM does tons of things to limit rattle and squeak noises.

Frodo

My '15 coupe has started this same type of rattle. I haven't pinned it down yet but with this new information I'll attack it again. Thanks CF members! I did have the dash ripped up to replace the info system but the rattle didn't start until 2 years after that. Hummm…. I'm also interested in the ear plug solution. As an addition to the rattle which seems to come from the vent area, I also have the problem some have with the vent not staying pointed straight out when I have the air speed set to max. The vent flips itself to the far right. That has been happening for over a year. Are the two problems somehow tied together? Thanks again, everyone.

wgood

Well mine sounds like a gremlin popping popcorn if that makes you feel better !!!!! Wayne