Had to come in to the office early this morning so I drove the car...it's not the windshield creaking. I used a ton of Ice Wax in all the right places and the rattle remains. Next...

 

 

Guys,

I have a similar dash rattle problem on my 2002 996 Carrera. I have spent hours trying to isolate the source of the rattle. I took the instrument cluster out, the speakers, glove box and the air ducts but I still can’t find the source of the rattle. I took a video with my phone as the rattle occurred and have it on YouTube:

Is this the dash rattle noise some of you have reported in this thread?


I asked my Porsche mechanic to find the source of the rattle on two separate occasions but they failed. The noise seems to come from somewhere in the middle of the dash close to the air vents. I have tried to use a stethoscope to help pinpoint the source but no result. I even went as far a purchasing a device called “Rattle Tracker” from the US for about US $1000 that shakes the car at different frequencies when the device is placed under the wheel, but the problem could not be reproduced. The rattle seems to usually occur in 2nd gear at around 2000 rpm under load while driving. I am not sure what else to try to help isolate the source of the dash rattle …. So any advise?

 

i once had a rattle(s?) so bad in my 993 i had pcna entirely dismantle the car and replace r&r dash and all manner of stuff. was an epic situation, and i learned to deal with pcna. not for the meek or timid, ya gotta talk for "yours", when it comes to "them" lol

 

That's a tuff one and have been through similar situations, all you can do is keep looking trying different things. I would stick cardboard in gaps along with lithium spray in openings like metal to metal or plastic and usually found source. Good luck.

 

something broke inside ??--> best way to fix that rattle is to take entire dash board out, its very time consuming but i dont see any other way to fix that.

 

Taking the entire dash out may be the last option to try. I have been looking under the dash with the spot light for possible areas where the noise maybe coming from and stuffing gaps with cloth and foam bits to see if I can make the rattle go away and give me an idea on the area where the nose is coming from, but so far no luck.
I had a look at TSB 6460 (Noises in the Wind Shield and Rear Window Area) but from what I can see there is a cord around the window area – not surprising given that this is a 2002 model. I also had a look at TSB 7018 (Noise in Dashboard Area). I see I had already checked most of the causes. One theory I have come up with is that perhaps a mechanic dropped a screw/bolt through the front defroster cover last time the car was in the workshop to repair in the sunroof area. I see I should be able to take the defroster covers off after removing the A pillar covers, but I think I will try to use strong small magnet to route it through the slots in the defroster covers and see if I can fish anything out. I have just ordered some 5mm x 2mm Round Rare Earth Neodymium magnets from eBay (for about a dollar). Let’s see if I have any luck with this approach….
Thanks!

 

as noted upthread the foam and dash noise are notoriously common. i didn't hear the rattle that is pushing you over the edge in that vid but i would rethink all the previous fixes that pcna/porsche has which always has mixed results and is often little more than strategically placed addition of felt strips etc.

but i do have to thank you for leading me to a TSB 6460 which might well explain a horrible intermittent one i have that is either b pillar headliner or could well be the rear window seal as i have just retightened and padded my coat hook and re-affixed completely my teq roll bar, thinking perhaps that was the cause. it continues but only when really pushing the car and stress on all parts is doubled. so i'll live with it, as my focus is on preservation of my life mostly, not rattles.

this sh*t never really ends, he asks rhetorically. sheesh. gl with it.

 

I have had several issues with the car (noise, flat spot, suspension etc) and I have had all of them fixed and now I love driving this car. This is the last annoying issue. I am confident I will get this fixed. Thanks everybody for your feedback and advise.

 

i hear stuff from time to time, lol , i just turn the music up. ^_^

 

Curious to hear if the cars that are still stock and have the oem exhaust have the same creaks and rattles as the ones with aftermarket exhaust, suspension or any other mod which might be causing the issues.

 

just thought i had mine sorted. buddy in the car isolating it, padding the hook etc. of all the things that can rattle, its up in the headliner/b pillar and its driving me insane in the membrane.

 

I have had rattles in new cars but usually they come on with the miles, I have a couple cars getting up to 100k and they have acquired rattles that needed attention= fixed with a little tightening/shimming etc.

 

Today I decide to have yet another go at trying to find the source of the rattle. I have had at least four different friends as a passenger to try and help me find the general location of the rattle. They all concluded it was from towards the defrost vents in the dash area. I got a hold of a small magnet now. I take the A pillar covers off and much careful trying I get the Defrost vents off (it wasn’t easy). I push the small magnet in (at the end of a wire) through the vent hole but nothing comes out. I go for a drive without the defrost vents and the rattle is still there.

I don’t give up. I slide by head under the dash and start taping different areas under the dash with a rubber mallet. Nothing, no rattle. Just as I about to give up, I decide to gently punch the roof area (near the visor) with my fist. I HEAR A RATTLE!!! With one had I press against the central lighting module on the roof and punch the roof again - no rattle. So now I finally know the source of the rattle. The roof lighting module comes off very easily (just two screws). I take it if off punch the roof – no rattle. Examining the lighting module closer I see the clear lens cover is lose and one side can be pulled back easily. I add a small drop of glue to secure the lens cover and fit the module back to the roof.

I go for a drive on the roughest road I can find and….. NO RATTLES!!!

I have read on my different forums that source of the rattle noise inside a car can be very deceiving, but this is ridiculous! The source of the problem was literally before my very eyes all the time!!

Go ahead, have a good lough at my expense. I am just glad I finally managed to resolve this most annoying rattle in my car. Now the only real nose I hear is the sound of the engine and the beautiful exhaust note. I LOVE driving this car more than ever before!!!

 

we dont laugh, we applaud the effort and success

i haven't been as fortunate.. yet.