avidoje

Hello everyone,

For some time I am trying to fix very annoying rattle/vibration coming from the dashboard - right corner of the passenger side - close to A pillar. Rattling getting worse when driving on uneven pavement or when hitting a dent on a road. I went to two different dealers in DC areas to fix the problem. They charged me twice to diagnose the problem, but end up doing noting.

I already checked several different places that commonly could cause rattle/vibration (sound like a something is loose):
1) Glovebox;
2) Plastic underneath the glove box;
3) Outside plastic molding (on the windshield and the hood).

However, after careful examining it seams that the rattle definitely coming from the dash. Sound like some plastic got loose or some clip is broken. I am afraid that the only thing to do it is to remove the dash, which is very complicated thing.

Does anyone have any similar experience? Is there any Acura service manual how to remove the dash?

Any help is welcomed. Thanks

Rob144

A solution that worked for me was to wedge some folded black felt into the space between the base of the windshield and the forward edge of the dash where the rattle seemed to be coming from.

Experiment by getting a clean washcloth and wedging it into that area to see if it stops the noise (I used a plastic panel-popper). Experiment with the washcloth in different places. If the noise goes away, then use the black felt, which will be largely invisible.

Much easier than trying to dismantle a dashboard with the potential of making it worse. There's a risk of breaking clips, scratching something, or worse. Things never go back quite the same.

-R-

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

mine was the glove box hinge... so no help here.

titomang

OP, you should definitely double check this. I thought my rattle was coming from the dashboard (same area you described), but turns out it was the hinges on the glove box. I tightened it before, but it got loose again so I put some medium strength loc-tite on it and done deal.

TampaRLX-SH

Rattles and buzzes are always difficult to track down, especially when you can not reach to suspected place while driving to see where it originates.

There may be a few other options to check for before surrendering to dash removal.

1) Inside the glove box, check the owner's manual shelf tray and even the cabin air filter insert for snug or incorrect fit.

2) The vent ducts that attach to the dash vent registers (including the side window de-mister vents) may be rattling. There is a TSB for this where you can felt the duct at the register connection. You can remove the registers without removing the dash.

3) Outside the car the plastic trim strip covering the wipers has been known to vibrate / rattle sounding like an interior rattle. The are small foam blocks on the base that are supposed to dampen the trim piece, but they may have disintegrated from age.

4) Check the kick plate under the glove box for loose screws or components.

avidoje

First of all I would like to thank to everybody for your suggestions and advice. Much appreciate!

I could not agree more that dismantling the dash is very risky and unpredictable business. I already tried to put something inbetween A pillar, the dash and the vents,but it did not work out (I just use 3M floor protection pad).

I will definitely double check the hinges on the glove box and outside molding which is the well known source of rattle. The vent ducts and cabin filter clips is something that I planned to check out. I already checked kick plate under the glove box (it is very strange shape and one side is loose). I removed it and drove without it for some time and the same time rattle continued, so I eliminated the kick plate.

TampaRL is completely right (all other guys) that it is very difficult to be sure where the rattle comes from. Since this is not my first "rattle case" (owned some strange Italian cars with similar problems), there is an "old fashion rattle testing methodology" to hit gently dash plastic and listen :-) There is one type of vibration sound when you hit the glovebox, and totally different when you hit the wood veneer plastic on the dash (hitting with the lower angle). One could spot that edge of the dash by the windshield vibrates. It is the same or very similar type of sound (rattle/vibrate) that hear while driving. Rattle is the recent problem which started when I start to experience problems with right front wheel suspension. Again it sounds to me that something is broken or loose (when you have loose peace of plastic). I will try all your suggestions and get back with the results.

THANKS AGAIN!!!

avidoje

Hello again,

I tried most of the things you suggested.

1) The hinges are firm;
2) It is not outside molding or a wiper.

I used my "old school testing method" and the rattle definitely comes from the dash right corner in between A pillar and the air vent. It seams that when dash plastic touches the windshield, its produces the rattle. When I put my palm on the dash plastic (close to the windshield went) the rattle is gone.

Having said that, the only remaining question what to do to permanently fix the problem without removing the dash (my dash is brown). Any suggestions?

HEAVY_RL

iTrader: (1)

push a piece of felt in there.

avidoje

Thanks :-)

Blues Legend

Yup - a big roll of felt in required.

They only do it in the cold and it seems to be the wood trim has a different frequency over bumps from the plastic. Japanese Elm Disease!

You can yank it up from the side to relese the clips and put felt round the air vent and on the top & bottom of the wood and press it back down again. And where it meets the side closing plastic panel.

Good luck.

PS - also found the back bolts of my undertray were loose (near the transfer case) and that was the cause of another rattle...

Himura357

I have this exact rattle now. Top right corner of the dash is the culprit close to the windshield. When my wife places her hand on the area it goes away completely.

Does anyone know how I can stuff the soft foam tape tht I got from Acura back there? In my old civics and such, you could just pop off the trim on the A pillar, but I'm not sure how our RLs work.

Anyone know if I can pop off the A pillar trim like a civic, or have another way for me to access that area?