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Passenger Air Vent Rattle

JSwag420

JSwag420

Ready to race!
This rattle is going to be the death of me. For months now, whenever I'm slowing down or going over a rough road, a horrible plasticy rattling sound comes out of the passenger side air vent (the one all the way to the right). I removed the vent and I still hear the sound coming out of the area where the vent is. Any ideas? I can't figure it out. I've tried everything at this point to locate it. I can 100% say the sound is plastic rattling. It's not the fuel line rattle or anything. When I reach in there, everything is tight and firm. I can't replicate it in any way.

I feel like I'm going to have to pay the dealer just to figure it out because it's starting to become unbearable. I've never been in a car with some many rattles in my life.
 
ThatVWGuy

ThatVWGuy

Ready to race!
When I unplugged my soundaktor, I removed the plastic tray just below the windshield for better access. I reinstalled everything back into place (I thought) but for a couple of weeks I heard a similar plastic sounding noise. The noise on my car ended up being that plastic bit below the windshield was loose and rattled around until I got it snapped back in. I could have sworn it was inside the car. Might be worth a quick check.
 
JSwag420

JSwag420

Ready to race!
bmllr8 said:
When I unplugged my soundaktor, I removed the plastic tray just below the windshield for better access. I reinstalled everything back into place (I thought) but for a couple of weeks I heard a similar plastic sounding noise. The noise on my car ended up being that plastic bit below the windshield was loose and rattled around until I got it snapped back in. I could have sworn it was inside the car. Might be worth a quick check.
Click to expand...

I actually have not checked that yet. Will be checking there tomorrow! Thanks!
 
zVp

zVp

Go Kart Champion
I have this problem too.

It seems to be coming from the bottom side of the vent (when the actual vent piece is removed).

I can't pinpoint it since I rarely have a passenger or have anyone to drive.

This occurs mostly when it's colder outside.
 
HYDE161

HYDE161

Go Kart Champion
Take the rain tray off and on the passenger side at the bottom of the windshield there will be a water tray that tends to come loose or even crack, that could be your rattle.

It could also be a retaining screw in the fender liner, they have a square plastic peg in the sheetmetal that the plastic fender liner screws to, if this peg came out of the sheet metal you have a tiny little hammer now that will bang into the metal.

Could also be under tray lighting wiring rattling around if you took this out to change over to LEDs

Could also be the access panel on the side of the dashboard, open the door and see if the panel on the side of the glovebox is loose. From taking mine on and off many times for wiring, I had to bend the metal retaining clips back into shape for a tighter hold.
 
JSwag420

JSwag420

Ready to race!
HYDE16 said:
Take the rain tray off and on the passenger side at the bottom of the windshield there will be a water tray that tends to come loose or even crack, that could be your rattle.

It could also be a retaining screw in the fender liner, they have a square plastic peg in the sheetmetal that the plastic fender liner screws to, if this peg came out of the sheet metal you have a tiny little hammer now that will bang into the metal.

Could also be under tray lighting wiring rattling around if you took this out to change over to LEDs

Could also be the access panel on the side of the dashboard, open the door and see if the panel on the side of the glovebox is loose. From taking mine on and off many times for wiring, I had to bend the metal retaining clips back into shape for a tighter hold.
Click to expand...

Hoping it's one of these things. Thanks dude!
 
ThatVWGuy

ThatVWGuy

Ready to race!
HYDE16 said:
Take the rain tray off and on the passenger side at the bottom of the windshield there will be a water tray that tends to come loose or even crack, that could be your rattle.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what caused the noise in my car. Not sure if it was the soundaktor unplugging or windshield replacement in that same time frame but during one of those times when it came out it wasn't reinstalled correctly.
 
zVp

zVp

Go Kart Champion
HYDE16 said:
Take the rain tray off and on the passenger side at the bottom of the windshield there will be a water tray that tends to come loose or even crack, that could be your rattle.

It could also be a retaining screw in the fender liner, they have a square plastic peg in the sheetmetal that the plastic fender liner screws to, if this peg came out of the sheet metal you have a tiny little hammer now that will bang into the metal.

Could also be under tray lighting wiring rattling around if you took this out to change over to LEDs

Could also be the access panel on the side of the dashboard, open the door and see if the panel on the side of the glovebox is loose. From taking mine on and off many times for wiring, I had to bend the metal retaining clips back into shape for a tighter hold.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I will try these this weekend (and not when it's -10 in Canada...)
 
JSwag420

JSwag420

Ready to race!
HYDE16 said:
Take the rain tray off and on the passenger side at the bottom of the windshield there will be a water tray that tends to come loose or even crack, that could be your rattle.

It could also be a retaining screw in the fender liner, they have a square plastic peg in the sheetmetal that the plastic fender liner screws to, if this peg came out of the sheet metal you have a tiny little hammer now that will bang into the metal.

Could also be under tray lighting wiring rattling around if you took this out to change over to LEDs

Could also be the access panel on the side of the dashboard, open the door and see if the panel on the side of the glovebox is loose. From taking mine on and off many times for wiring, I had to bend the metal retaining clips back into shape for a tighter hold.
Click to expand...

Did some quick investigating. Nothing around the rain try appears to be loose after tapping around it. I'm going to take it off later for a better look. Drove around w/ the side access panel off, still heard it so it's not that. Never touched the wiring and they appear to be pretty solid in place. I'm not able to replicate the noise with the wiring. I wonder if it could be the door rattling instead of the vent area. Everything seems solid there though. I'm still at a complete loss haha. I wonder if it could maybe be coming from behind the glove compartment as well.
 
Carlosfandang0

Carlosfandang0

Autocross Newbie
I have over some time located and fixed all little annoying rattles in my GTI, all I can say is they are never coming from where you think they are, as mentioned try the fender liner screws as when I had just one screw next to the front shock loose i thought is was in that vent area, also the arm rest lid rattle sounded like it was coming from the footwell as did the sunglasses holder when it was just my glasses rattling, also maybe the parking brake button, there is a thread on here about rattles so have a search.


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JSwag420

JSwag420

Ready to race!
Carlosfandango said:
I have over some time located and fixed all little annoying rattles in my GTI, all I can say is they are never coming from where you think they are, as mentioned try the fender liner screws as when I had just one screw next to the front shock loose i thought is was in that vent area, also the arm rest lid rattle sounded like it was coming from the footwell as did the sunglasses holder when it was just my glasses rattling, also maybe the parking brake button, there is a thread on here about rattles so have a search.


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Click to expand...

I've actually gone through just about every page on those few rattle threads. Still no solution. My e-brake button was rattling though however. Fixed that by removing the plastic around it and attaching a piece of tape to the area of the button that was covered. Gonna check out the blower fan and the cabin air filter. I'm starting to think it's something up there which is why I'm hearing the sound come through the vent. Will double check the fender liner screws again though.
 
Carlosfandang0

Carlosfandang0

Autocross Newbie
JSwag420 said:
I've actually gone through just about every page on those few rattle threads. Still no solution. My e-brake button was rattling though however. Fixed that by removing the plastic around it and attaching a piece of tape to the area of the button that was covered. Gonna check out the blower fan and the cabin air filter. I'm starting to think it's something up there which is why I'm hearing the sound come through the vent. Will double check the fender liner screws again though.
Click to expand...



Also check the sliding cover over the sun visor mirror as these can rattle, and the trim around the radio, I would bet that the rattle is not coming from where you think it is.


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Carlosfandang0

Carlosfandang0

Autocross Newbie
Oh and the centre console trim on the side of the footwell above the carpet.


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Carlosfandang0

Carlosfandang0

Autocross Newbie
And every last screw I could find in the car I tightened, you would be amazed at how many were loose!


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JSwag420

JSwag420

Ready to race!
Carlosfandango said:
Oh and the centre console trim on the side of the footwell above the carpet.


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Click to expand...

The center console trim is plastic on plastic I noticed. Good possibility that could be it as well. I'm really thinking it's something in the dash though because when I removed the vent and drove around, the sound became louder and projected through the hole where the vent is. It's plastic on plastic for sure and I'm positive it's on the interior.
 
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