MK6 Golf dash rattle doing my head in.....

[Lucas_R]

Does anyone else have a metallic type rattle in their dashboard somewhere at around 2.500rpm? I've had this rattle for a while now and it is really starting to do my head in. I have Googled and checked everything I could find that has been previously documented, and removed bits and pieces of the dashboard and trim and tightened up every single bolt and nut I can get at (amazing how many of them were lose actually - id say 90% of all the screws and bolts/nuts I have located needed tightening) but I still haven't cured the rattle.

My climate control module was very loose, my ashtray was loose, my glove box was loose, my steering column trim was loose, my dash cluster was loose, as well as various other screws and nuts around the centre console and dash. I also removed the decorative trim section above the headlight switch where I found a metal clip that was loose - and when I tapped it, it made a very similar/same noise to the rattle I am hearing.....BINGO I thought, I got the bastard.....but it would seem not.

The rattle starts at about 2,500rpm and then goes away at about 2,800rpm, so its in a REALLY annoying section of the engines RPM band where you hear it all the time. I honestly can't believe that I have adjusted and tightened so many screws yet the rattle still remains.

Its sounds like a metallic sound, so ill keep searching. It sounds (to me) like the sound is on the drivers side of the dash, but not sure if my ears are playing tricks on me.

My next attempt at locating this rattle will be to remove the centre air vents above the radio and check that - as I have read that these centre vents can rattle/squeak.

Has anyone else had a similar rattle? If so, what did you pin point the issue to be? Thanks in advance.

[Dutch77]

This sounds a bit like the dude dismantling his Commodore in the Supercheap advert - there's no earrings floating in a tray is there?

Fortunately, while I have a number of annoying rattles in my car, I don't share this particular one.

[SilvrFoxX]

Have you checked all the plastic trim around the footwells, sometimes they need to be clipped back in with a thump

[Lucas_R]

This sounds a bit like the dude dismantling his Commodore in the Supercheap advert - there's no earrings floating in a tray is there?

Ha, if only it was that simple. I don't keep much stuff in the car anyway as I rarely drive it, but have removed all coins/keys etc etc from every single cubby hole and hiding spot. I even removed a small bottle/container of Panadol's because I thought it might have been them rattling.

So im almost 100% confident that the rattle isn't due to something I have left in the car, but more so something that is loose/not aligned etc.

Have you checked all the plastic trim around the footwells, sometimes they need to be clipped back in with a thump

I've thumped just about everything (including my head against a wall), but ill have another look.

[SilvrFoxX]

Something to consider is the windscreen.. sounds odd but unless you have disconnected the soundakator it is located just below the windscreen and is basically a big electric vibrator. I personally think they are fine but given some think they drone it has given me pause to think their palcement and operation is different in each car. Disconnect it and see if it makes a difference and or press around the windscreen to ensure it is not the culprit

[Lucas_R]

Soundactor was disconnected quite some time ago, and i have recently checked it to make sure that the cable hadnt come loose and rattling etc - all seems good i believe.

Good call on the windscreen - might need to thump that when the rattle goes off to see if its the culprit. Ive also read that some VIN labels are loose and rattle, so ill check that too.

The sound really sounds like its coming from the dash directly in front of me, so i may even take the steering wheel off and steering column covers etc and prod around in there. Sounds fun eh.

Thanks for the suggestions so far - keep them coming as im sure you guys will think of something ive overlooked.

[DonJuan]

Goodluck finding the rattle Lucas, I have a rattle as well although mine is different, it only occurs under hard cornering and sounds like something rolling from one side to the other under the dash??? God knows what Swalee lost under there???

[koji]

Lucas, I have the same rattle around the drivers side dash. I hate it too! I just hulk slam the dash and try to see if I can stop it ha ha no luck stopping the rattle as you can assume

[Lucas_R]

Hmm after doing some more dismantling tonight i worked my way up to the roof lining and removed the vanity lights under the sun visors. Each light housing has a metal spring clip which helps hold the light in place. The clips are loose and when i shake the housings i can make the clips rattle and they sound very similar to the rattle i am getting.

Some adhesive silicone and temporary tape has been used to secure the spring clips...could these be the rattle perhaps. I'll find out soon enough.

[elephino]

Something else to check if the vanity lights aren't it is the bonnet hinges. I had this problem on a Subaru I had where the hinge was loose. It sounded like it was the dash but was just echoing through.