Dash Clunking/Rattle noise

Sup fellas. Hoping someone can help pinpoint this rattle. Only happens when I initially drive the car going over bumps. Stops after its been warmed up.

Seems like the dash infront of the drivers cluster is flexing. I'm thinking something under the dashboard is loose or my cowl touching something when its flexed. Anyone experience this?

I have something similar i think, except it doesnt go away when warm. I've heard it might be a slightly loose strut bar and so i'm going to check that this weekend.

I've had a rattling/tapping sound when driving over bumps and on textured roads for quite some time. Your thread finally inspired me to remove the cluster and take a look.

When I removed the cluster, I did not really see anything back there that would cause the noise I was hearing. I tapped on everything (there's not much in there really). I then noticed that where the cluster meets the dash at the top where the two torx screws are, its basically plastic (cluster) on metal (the clip/receivers for the torx screws).

I have always noticed that when I would get the rattle, if I put pressure on the left side of the cluster, the rattle would go away. Because of this, yesterday I put very thin felt washers on each spot where the cluster fastens to the dash (torx screws). I drove about 15 miles last night, on roads I usually get the rattle, and never heard the noise. I will update this thread after the weekend and some more driving to confirm.

Maybe this will help some of you guys.

This might help. In my case it was the actual instrument cluster moving
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?p=17044738#post17044738

So my earlier fix did not work after all, but I think I narrowed it down to being the small defrost vent on the top left side of the dash, just above the AC vent. I was able to replicate the noise and touched the vent and it went away. If I lightly tap the vent I can hear what seems to be the same rattle I get. Going to see if I can remove the vent later today and see what's going on in there.

gfisher99 wrote

So my earlier fix did not work after all, but I think I narrowed it down to being the small defrost vent on the top left side of the dash, just above the AC vent. I was able to replicate the noise and touched the vent and it went away. If I lightly tap the vent I can hear what seems to be the same rattle I get. Going to see if I can remove the vent later today and see what's going on in there.

That's exactly it. That stupid vent. keep us posted.

Mine wasn't the strut bar either. I swear it's coming from the center inside of the dash....

Only hear it on sharp depressions in the road and haven't been able to replicate tapping the dash....

I have that too, but I have ccc and I read in some old thread that the disc drive is rattling.

None of this has worked for mine. Padded the cluster and nav screen today, and checked/tightened the bolt behind the NAV. Still there, seems to be coming from the middle of the dash?

Mine is 100% my small triangle side window defrost vent. I just need to figure out how to pop it out and either felt it or add something to it to tighten it up.

Theodore wrote

Has your dashboard, trim or center HVAC/entertainment stack ever been removed for a repair or modification?

Not to my knowledge based on service records, etc. but i have only had the car 10 months.

I'm starting to think its actually in the suspension and not the dash itself. it happens only on really big depressions in the road at speed (probably 35/40+). I'd think a dash rattle would be more persistent than that.

Those fixes didn't work for me either. Mine is audible on cold starts when I initially make a turn and car flexes. I'm going to try to see if its something by the cowl. Would hate to take the dash out

I flipped through this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By4JxAsujRN7NFNBRTR0OXhMS3M/view

I honestly don't know what could be loose in the dash that i haven't tightened (i tightened the center bolt behind the NAV screen, but it was already quite tight). The rest of the bolts seen nowwhere near where i hear the rattle from (dead center inside the dash). I'm going to try to pop off the vent at the top center of the dash and see if that happens to do anything, but i doubt it.

Also having my mechanic re-torque the strut bar as the center nut that joins the left/right sides is effectively in the middle of the dash, and if for some reason that bolt is loose i think it would explain my noise.

After that, i guess i live with it until i eventually strip the car to make a dedicated track car.

Anyone had any luck with this? It is driving me insane.

I'm now pretty sure its not in the dash. I've pulled the Nav (and checked the bolt behind it), pulled the instrument cluster, and popped off the center grill at the top of the dash. Noise continues unchanged. I cant think of anything else in the dash, and the noise seems to be at/in front of firewall.

I've also re-tightened the strut bar and tried lubing the little knobs on the hood hinges (common creak point on e46). Nothing.

Noise is only consistent present on dips in road hit at speed (sharp suspension compression?). Its between a squeak and a ticking/clunking depending on severity. I swear i can feel the noise in the wheel.

Could it be sway bar end links?

tripalthreat wrote

Anyone had any luck with this? It is driving me insane.

I'm now pretty sure its not in the dash. I've pulled the Nav (and checked the bolt behind it), pulled the instrument cluster, and popped off the center grill at the top of the dash. Noise continues unchanged. I cant think of anything else in the dash, and the noise seems to be at/in front of firewall.

I've also re-tightened the strut bar and tried lubing the little knobs on the hood hinges (common creak point on e46). Nothing.

Noise is only consistent present on dips in road hit at speed (sharp suspension compression?). Its between a squeak and a ticking/clunking depending on severity. I swear i can feel the noise in the wheel.

Could it be sway bar end links?

I'm going to try to check the cowels this weekend by the cabin filters. On my infiniti the plastic piece was hitting the cowl and making the noise so I'm hoping somethings touching something.

good idea, i'll poke around those too.

Anyone else have ideas here? Driving me mad!

bumping this thread back up.

I think I finally found my rattle. Need some help though.
When you tap on the corner I can hear something touching and source of the sound.


With the side pillar removed, when I press the vent on the passenger side and tap the dash, there is no more sound. That's the source of my issue.


Here's my question. Should I try to access the area through the vents or by the pillar?


Any input would be appreciated.

Hate to bump a 6 yr old thread, but I feel like the description of these clunks is most similar to mine, specifically what tripalthreat is mentioning regarding the click/clunk at speed around the dash area on larger bumps. At this point I’ve retorqued the front subframe, got new endlinks, torqued all suspension bolts, strut tower bar (all bolts), strut mounts, sway bar mounts, steering rack, ball joints.

Any leads? No other clunk / noise thread I’ve found mentions these symptoms. They’re all related to low speed steering clunks or vibrations….

E92 m3

turugara wrote

Hate to bump a 6 yr old thread, but I feel like the description of these clunks is most similar to mine, specifically what tripalthreat is mentioning regarding the click/clunk at speed around the dash area on larger bumps. At this point I’ve retorqued the front subframe, got new endlinks, torqued all suspension bolts, strut tower bar (all bolts), strut mounts, sway bar mounts, steering rack, ball joints.

Any leads? No other clunk / noise thread I’ve found mentions these symptoms. They’re all related to low speed steering clunks or vibrations….

E92 m3

Did you ever figure anything out?