# My wife's new car



## JEM (May 3, 2003)

Well, no, not really...but in a way it almost seems so.

Pretty much ever since we first got her '98 540i it's had a noisy (folding) back seat. At first it was an occasional crack, then it became pretty consistent any time the car would cross a driveway or otherwise flex the rear structure, then maybe six months ago it became a pretty consistent cacophony of clattering, creaking, and cracking.

I'd made a couple half-hearted attempts to fix it over the years, but nothing that ever managed to actually fix the problem for more than five minutes. 

So late Saturday I began troubleshooting. 

I ripped out the back seat lower and side cushions. No improvement.

I folded the backrest cushions forward. Minor change, but then I knew this from past experience. Still noisy.

I removed the black plastic cover at the top of the opening behind the seat back. Still noisy, not as frequently. 

I pounded on the rear package-shelf cover and it made noises similar to the in-motion noise, so I wedged a towel under the cover. Now it was quiet. 

I then grabbed a roll of the adhesive window flashing (Jiffy Seal) that our framing contractor's been using to flash the windows and doors on our house-under-reconstruction. 

I cut a strip about three feet long, pulled the front edge of the rear-shelf cover out and slid it up under the shelf about as far as I could. Once it had adhered to the car sheetmetal, I then peeled the plastic wrapping off the other side, and cut smaller strips for the corners, then let the shelf cover settle back against the adhesive. 

I then cut two more small tabs and put them on top of the shelf cover, poked holes through the flashing for the plastic pop-rivets that hold the plastic cover on, pushed the cover back into place against the adhesive, and put the rivets back in place.

A hundred miles later and it's blissfully quiet. Amazing.


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

Pics??


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## crete (May 16, 2003)

JEM said:


> *Well, no, not really...but in a way it almost seems so.
> 
> Pretty much ever since we first got her '98 540i it's had a noisy (folding) back seat.
> *


Since I got my 540 I've had something similar coming from the rear area. Anytime I go in/out of a driveway or certain bumps where the rear area is flexed one way or another, I get this cracking or dull pop sound. As if plastic is being bent or snapped out and back again.

If you have any pics of where you placed the adhesive I could maybe zero in on that area myself. I've looked at everything possible in the trunk, backseat area but not the rear-shelf cover.


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## JEM (May 3, 2003)

I'm afraid I'm pixel-challenged at the moment, so I don't have any pictures. 

If anyone in the area wants to try it, I'll provide the Jiffy Seal, you can take the pictures.


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## mottati (Apr 15, 2003)

i'll have to try this on my squeaky-folding-rear-seat 528.
where are you in the bay area?
You put this stuff between the package shelf and the structure below it? 
Mike


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## JEM (May 3, 2003)

mottati said:


> *where are you in the bay area?
> You put this stuff between the package shelf and the structure below it?*


Mid-Peninsula. PM me if you want to get together and go through it; maybe someone can show up with a digital camera?

I can't promise this is the cure for all rear-seat noises, but it's worked for me. It's been another week and another 400 miles or so, and the back seat's still blissfully quiet.

Which makes the creaking in the passenger front door panel that much more aggravating. Next target...


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## mottati (Apr 15, 2003)

i had been thinking my noise was from the parcel shelf area. Mywife won't drive a manual, so i've never been able to ride in the back and push on various parts to see where it comes from.
It did seem to get significantly worse after dinan did the suspension on my car, which i believe is because the parcel shelf has to be removed to get at the rear shock mounts, so it probably never got back in as tight as originally. 
At any rate, i'll get a look at it and see if i can tackle it this weekend, i can take some pics if i get a chance to get it apart...
i'll keep your (JEM) offer in mind if i don't have any luck!
Thanks,
Mike


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## DKSF (Apr 4, 2003)

If you guys get together for a rattle hunt, let me know, I'd like to join you guys if you don't mind. Since I did my suspension it's rattling like crazy.


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