I am experiencing a buzzing rattle coming from the left corner of the dashboard in the area near the horizontal speaker. It's not loud but it's annoying. It only happens when the car is moving. It doesnt seem to be affected by the audio system being powered on or off. The best thing I can think of to describe it the sound a Geiger counter makes, but not as loud. Anyone experiencing a similar noise? Any suggestions to diagnose it? Thanks
do you have a cellphone in the car? your description sounds a little like the "gsm noise" that older speakerphones, etc. would couple in when a gsm phone started communicating with the cell network.
Like a small buzz or rattle, coming from somewhere between the air vent and speaker? I have it too!!! It is at highway speed... Not the noise maker and not gsm noise, very familiar with that.
It seems to be continuous as long as the car is moving on pavement. Mine seems to occur at sub-freeway speeds. When cruising at 25mph, I can hear it. No phone. It sounds like something loose vibrating.
I have it too. I think that it's that corner panel right below the corner window. When I hold it secure, that noise goes away. I'm going to buy/make small rubber shims to keep it from rattling.
I heard the same kind of noise from the same general area once too. If the music is loud enough, I don't hear it I will drive with music off for a while to see if it keeps recurring.
Check the mirrors in your sun visors. Make sure they're either full closed or full open. It's one more possibility to exclude...
I just confirmed the location of the noise source. Putting horizontal pressure on plastic corner defrost vent (aimed at the triangle window) quiets the noise. Does anyone know how to pop that piece of plastic off? Or at least where in the parts catalog it is located, or its name, so I can look at an illustration of the way it is fastened?
You need to remove the side pillar garnish first. Its in the PDF I've attached here. Pay close attention to this section: There's an illustration of it. But if you yank on the garnish hard enough and far enough away from the pillar, it may snap that clip. When I removed my pillar garnish (for the homelink mirror), I popped all the clips, then pulled it back far enough to look bheind the garnish to see that special clip that you need to turn 90 degrees. Its like a lock. Also, you need to first pull down the door weather stripping to expose the edge of the pillar garnish. That just slips off my hand. The defroster vent panel looks like it just pops off (see the attached image)
Wow, it's a little more involved than I thought I thought the corner piece just pops out by itself! PS: Thanks for the info!
I think the corner piece sits under the pillar garnish, doesnt it? I think thats why they tell you to remove the pillar garnish first. Removing the pillar garnish isnt that bad. Once you start popping the clips off, they all start to come off. Just be sure to reach behind to twist that one locking clip 90 degrees. You should be able just to reach it with your hand once the garnish is semi-removed. Anyhow, good luck. Just remember if you took it to the dealer, chances are the tech wouldnt be as careful as you would be with your own car .
