# The disappearing passenger side rattle...



## Pete Teoh (Jan 27, 2002)

... So my car has picked up this annoying rattling noise when going over bumps. It comes from somewhere on the passenger side. It could be the seat or the B-pillar. I was about to start ripping into the car to find the origin yesterday but decided that it was too nice outside and it was a perfect day for a drive down to the beach.

I drove down to the big lake and shot some pictures. On the way back, I turned off the music so I could listen to the I-6 at work. It makes a beautiful sound.

Then I noticed it, or rather, the lack of it. The mystery rattle was gone! I even tried driving over some bumps on the road to see if it would start rattling again, but it was truly gone! :yikes: 

I didn't know E46s have X-men healing powers. :thumbup:


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## ERK (Mar 22, 2002)

Around 5K mi. I developed a rattle coming from the center of the dash, just behind the center vents. It would come and go throughout the day and it drove me nuts. I am not the kind to go running off to the dealer for every little thing. After about a month it got to me and I was ready to take it in and let them tear the dash apart. One day the rattle just disappeared and it had been gone ever since. Go figure? :dunno:


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## JonW (Jan 6, 2002)

A similar thing happened to me. I had a rattle somewhere on the passenger side. Maybe in the door or dashboard or... Idunno. I found it to be temperature dependent. On cooler days (around 70 F and less), I can hear it quite well. Around 80 F and above, no rattles at all. Probably higher temperatures make things expand and fill the space where the rattling used to take place.

So see if you have the rattles come February.


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## Pete Teoh (Jan 27, 2002)

JonW said:


> *A similar thing happened to me. I had a rattle somewhere on the passenger side. Maybe in the door or dashboard or... Idunno. I found it to be temperature dependent. On cooler days (around 70 F and less), I can hear it quite well. Around 80 F and above, no rattles at all. Probably higher temperatures make things expand and fill the space where the rattling used to take place.
> 
> So see if you have the rattles come February.  *


Hmm... I'll have to pay attention to that next winter... Perhaps the CWP bun warmers will keep things hot enough to prevent rattles.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

it is very much temperature dependent on my coupe.


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

Too bad you don't drive a coupe, otherwise I can explain what and where the rattle came from.

My wife, when riding in my car, would hook the seat belt latch on the seat mechanism that lifts and tilts the passenger seat up for rear seat entrance when she gets out of the car. So, for the longest time I've been baffled about a passenger side rattle coming from where the B-pillar is, until one day I saw her latch the seat belt on that. Then I closed the door (I open and close car doors for all my ladies) and heard clearly where the rattle is coming from...It's the seat belt latch rattling against the armrest on the passenger side.

My guess is that your seat belt must have been latched onto something on the passenger side and it finally rattled loose yesterday.


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## geomax (Dec 22, 2001)

HW said:


> *it is very much temperature dependent on my coupe. *


Yup, me too - comes and goes with temp changes.

Physically, makes sense. As metal cools in contracts, so if the rattle was caused my a screw or washer, it would become looser and rattle all the more.


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## ERK (Mar 22, 2002)

This may be really obvious, but have you checked your glove box and door pockets for loose items? Every once in a while I get a buzzing sound that sounds like it is emminating from the passengers side but it turns out to be my phone in the cup holder. A simple repositioning and the rattle is gone.


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## rwg (May 10, 2002)

I said it before the last time this came up and I will say it again and again and again. :thumbup: 

If you have a rattle that is coming from your right while you are driving, check the change holder. Move it around. Play with the coins. ESPECIALLY if it is a buzzing type rattle. (Same type of thing as ERK said, but the change holder has always been my problem.)


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## Pete Teoh (Jan 27, 2002)

Yeah, I've checked for loose items... nothing in the door pockets, nothing in the console tray, nothing in the glove box... It sounded like it came from either under the passenger side seat or the B-pillar... or perhaps the right rear door.

Like I said, the noise stopped yesterday... so I'll only start obsessing if it starts again.


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## Pete Teoh (Jan 27, 2002)

rwg said:


> *I said it before the last time this came up and I will say it again and again and again. :thumbup:
> 
> If you have a rattle that is coming from your right while you are driving, check the change holder. Move it around. Play with the coins. ESPECIALLY if it is a buzzing type rattle. (Same type of thing as ERK said, but the change holder has always been my problem.) *


Change holder? I don't have no stinkin' change holder! :bigpimp:


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## geomax (Dec 22, 2001)

ERK said:


> *This may be really obvious, but have you checked your glove box and door pockets for loose items? Every once in a while I get a buzzing sound that sounds like it is emminating from the passengers side but it turns out to be my phone in the cup holder. A simple repositioning and the rattle is gone. *


Wish it were so simple. But the noise stops when I press the door panel in the lower right corner.


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

How long until we see a thead "My passenger side rattle has returned"

:dunno: :bigpimp:


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

geomax: it is exactly that on my coupe as well. i shouved a small pillow/cushion between the door panel and the passenger side seat and drove around. it was driving utopia! no rattles/ticking!!! however it would be ridiculous having to get my passengers to position the pillow whenever they close the door. i tried slipping badminton grip tape (thin black foam) between the door panel edge and that worked for a while but it's back again. i had service trying to fix it in 3 attempts but still nothing. i've almost gave up. they've tried using clips from the e39 which have these rubber o-rings to put a load on the clips but that didn't work. the reason is that it is the outer edges of the door panel that is causing the sound. i've also noticed that the door sheet metal (just under the door lock mechanism) itself makes a similar sound when i press against it. as for the interior door panel, some have said that it is prone to warping thus causing the rattles.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

I have 2 rattles from the passenger side. One is the notorious B-pillar rattle. Another appears to, according to passengers, come from underneath the glovebox. :dunno: 

The most annoying one, though, is a vibration that comes from the gauge cluster between 3000 and 4000 rpm.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

kaz: isn't there a TSB for the b-pillar rattles?


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

HW said:


> *kaz: isn't there a TSB for the b-pillar rattles? *


Yes, there is.

My 'fix' involves moving the height adjuster. It goes away for a while, then comes back.


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## phlin (Jul 22, 2002)

Pete Teoh said:


> *I drove down to the big lake and shot some pictures. On the way back, I turned off the music so I could listen to the I-6 at work. It makes a beautiful sound.
> 
> Then I noticed it, or rather, the lack of it. The mystery rattle was gone! I even tried driving over some bumps on the road to see if it would start rattling again, but it was truly gone! :yikes:
> 
> *


the same thing happend to me, but it turned out to be my tweeter. the dealership replaced it, and the rattle is gone -- unless you count the rattle and hum from my music.


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## ERK (Mar 22, 2002)

Kaz said:


> *
> 
> Yes, there is.
> 
> My 'fix' involves moving the height adjuster. It goes away for a while, then comes back. *


Here's mine: I slid a nickel in the upper left corner of the adjuster slide and it stopped the B-pillar rattle!


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## GimpyMcFarlan (Aug 13, 2002)

Hi Pete,

I also had a noise from the passenger side but it was a sweak from the front window. Even in the fully "up" position it would occasionally generate a faint sweak when I hit a bump every so often. I had my local dealership lubricate the window mechanism because they would grind when I lowered / raised them and the squeak stopped after that. Anyone else encounter a similar grinding noise?


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