Going to the extreme for a NASTY E90 Dash rattle

[davedNconfused]

At some point in my ownership, the car developed a dash rattle (attached). I never did any mods to the interior before it started but I did have Ohlins installed and the windows tinted (including the windshield) shortly before I noticed it so there could be a connection however, myself and others who've ridden in the car all seem to believe it's coming from the dash.

It's a metallic twangy sound like a thin metal bracket that's pulled back then released. It's not always there, just rough pavement. Please give it a listen below!

Over the years, I've done things like removed the dash speaker cover and the nearby sensor, instrument cluster, climate controls, dash trim, nav screen, and driven the car pressing on different things with no difference. Before installing an Apple multi-media box I removed a lot of major assemblies in the center console and added foam to some areas that looked like it could be causing it and did numerous drives while pressing, and exploring to see if anything would make a difference--nothing!

It's been torn down, tapped, poked, flicked, etc. to find anything lose and foam put in place to limit any movement but so far no luck. I'm DESPERATE, please comment if you have any suggestions on where to look/focus!

Audio 20sec (Removed the video because it was a considerably larger file size. In the video, I'm traveling down the freeway over different pavement types at around 60mph while filming the center of the dash just below the windshield then hovering closer to the instrument cluster hump then back, nothing that really helps TBH.)

[kimiraikkonen]

Originally Posted by davedNconfused

At some point in my ownership, the car developed a dash rattle (attached). I never did any mods to the interior before it started but I did have Ohlins installed and the windows tinted (including the windshield) shortly before I noticed it so there could be a connection however, myself and others who've ridden in the car all seem to believe it's coming from the dash.

It's a metallic twangy sound like a thin metal bracket that's pulled back then released. It's not always there, just rough pavement. Please give it a listen below!

Over the years, I've done things like removed the dash speaker cover and the nearby sensor, instrument cluster, climate controls, dash trim, nav screen, and driven the car pressing on different things with no difference. Before installing an Apple multi-media box I removed a lot of major assemblies in the center console and added foam to some areas that looked like it could be causing it and did numerous drives while pressing, and exploring to see if anything would make a difference--nothing!

It's been torn down, tapped, poked, flicked, etc. to find anything lose and foam put in place to limit any movement but so far no luck. I'm DESPERATE, please comment if you have any suggestions on where to look/focus!

Audio 20sec (Removed the video because it was a considerably larger file size. In the video, I'm traveling down the freeway over different pavement types at around 60mph while filming the center of the dash just below the windshield then hovering closer to the instrument cluster hump then back, nothing that really helps TBH.)

I might have the same issue...it's coming from the top of the instrument cluster near the windshield (so near that metal bracket on your pic). If I push down slightly on the top of the dash near the area, it goes away. Did you get a new windshield reinstalled recently?....I have a feeling for me it's rubbing in that area after my windshield install and causing the faint rattle for me.

[Redd]

OP, I feel your pain. Few years ago I had the exact same problem. Similar sound, seemed to be coming from dashboard area below the windscreen. Mine was more intermittent and somehow seemed to be temperature related (less likely to happen on warmer days). I stuffed carpeting down between the dash and firewall. Foamed/taped/lubed anything with a contact surface on the upper dashboard. No difference. Then I decided to pay a professional to take the dash apart to check for broken clips/mountings, which led to me rewrapping the dash in leather, which then led to rewrapping the entire interior in leather and alcantara (Might As Well Syndrome at its finest). None of it fixed the problem, and there were no broken clips in the dash.

Anyhoo, several thousands of dollars later, the problem turned out to be some loose exhaust heat shields under the car. Some of the heat shields had missing screws/clips and were vibrating and transmitting that vibration into the cabin. Tightening and replacing the missing screws made the sound go away. $5 fix for missing screws. I hope this solves your problem also.

[Bmwdeven]

I wish to someday develop this sort of sheer determination 😂

[Redd]

Originally Posted by Bmwdeven

I wish to someday develop this sort of sheer determination 😂

If you have that rattle that I had, you will develop that determination. It's enough to drive someone to insanity.... 😅

[Bmwdeven]

Originally Posted by redd

if you have that rattle that i had, you will develop that determination. It's enough to drive someone to insanity.... 😅

😂😂

[GORDON.M3]

I've circled everything where I'd check first for the issue.
On the first top two circles, the metal bracket has a foam that slides between the dash. If that plastic section on your dash is cracked or damaged, it will leave a gap that will make the dashboard rattle.

The rest of the circles, make sure the bolts and screws that go there are secured and tight. What you could do is also add a layer of Fire Resistant Automotive Felt to those metal brackets which will help dampen the material from rubbing against the dash.

Looks like you have an extended fox red dashboard, which I just recently also swapped into my own FR car.

Originally Posted by kimiraikkonen

I might have the same issue...it's coming from the top of the instrument cluster near the windshield (so near that metal bracket on your pic). If I push down slightly on the top of the dash near the area, it goes away. Did you get a new windshield reinstalled recently?....I have a feeling for me it's rubbing in that area after my windshield install and causing the faint rattle for me.

There should be clearance from the windshield and the dash, there's like half a CM worth of space/gap so the windshield would not be rubbing on the dashboard.

[hotwired78]

my god i feel for you. had a similar rattle in my jeep grand cherokee and decided it to just sell it. didn't even get as far as taking anything apart. just the subtleness of the rattle made me think it was going to be near impossible to find it.

i wish you luck and hope you find it. i managed to fix all the rattles in my e92 m3 from cupholders and a metal bracket underneath the CIC unit

[BP709]

Originally Posted by davedNconfused

At some point in my ownership, the car developed a dash rattle (attached). I never did any mods to the interior before it started but I did have Ohlins installed and the windows tinted (including the windshield) shortly before I noticed it so there could be a connection however, myself and others who've ridden in the car all seem to believe it's coming from the dash.

It's a metallic twangy sound like a thin metal bracket that's pulled back then released. It's not always there, just rough pavement. Please give it a listen below!

Over the years, I've done things like removed the dash speaker cover and the nearby sensor, instrument cluster, climate controls, dash trim, nav screen, and driven the car pressing on different things with no difference. Before installing an Apple multi-media box I removed a lot of major assemblies in the center console and added foam to some areas that looked like it could be causing it and did numerous drives while pressing, and exploring to see if anything would make a difference—nothing!

It's been torn down, tapped, poked, flicked, etc. to find anything lose and foam put in place to limit any movement but so far no luck. I'm DESPERATE, please comment if you have any suggestions on where to look/focus!

Audio 20sec (Removed the video because it was a considerably larger file size. In the video, I'm traveling down the freeway over different pavement types at around 60mph while filming the center of the dash just below the windshield then hovering closer to [...]

My e90 has a very similar rattle but it’s intermittent. I’d probably look into it being something within the dash itself with how the ducting for the ac vents mounts to the dash. I’ve never seen one with that type rattle when we were working on them under warranty but I’ve probably had the dash out of hundreds of E9x cars to do evaporators over the years. Good time to do yours now that you’re in there…if that ac/heater box has a Valeo label on it 100% it’s leaking slowly. Get a roll of felt tape and start insulating where plastic meets plastic, plastic meets metal, anything meets anything haha. Have you verified the noise no longer present with the dash out? Might have to plug stuff back in and take it down the road. Good luck!

[ilove90m3]

Good luck

[w0w]

Shot in the dark but I had an intermittent noise coming from my dash and it turned out to be the driver cupholder where it slides into the dash. Maybe try removing them completely and see if the noise goes away?

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by Redd

Anyhoo, several thousands of dollars later, the problem turned out to be some loose exhaust heat shields under the car. Some of the heat shields had missing screws/clips and were vibrating and transmitting that vibration into the cabin. Tightening and replacing the missing screws made the sound go away. $5 fix for missing screws. I hope this solves your problem also.

Redd Do you happen to recall which of the exhaust heat shields were loose? I think my car has the same thing going on. I can hear an exhaust rattle when the car idles at cold start but I can also hear a dash rattle with a vibration from behind the instrument panel (and slightly in the steering wheel) when the car is sitting still.. I'm guessing there maybe some heat shields on or near the firewall and perhaps above or around the cats - or perhaps above the back box around the fuel tank? There seems to be a lot of heat shields.. Any help or further details or advice is appreciated.
.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...57#51487059366
.

[Redd]

I had a few loose/missing screws/fasteners in the red box area. Some were at the exhaust heat shielding, some were at the black underbody panels. I don't know which one exactly caused the noise, but after I replaced any missing screws and tightened everything up the dash rattle went away.

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by Redd

I had a few loose/missing screws/fasteners in the red box area. Some were at the exhaust heat shielding, some were at the black underbody panels. I don't know which one exactly caused the noise, but after I replaced any missing screws and tightened everything up the dash rattle went away.

Thank you so much for this excellent post and the image. I know where to look now. I see two of the heat shields wrap upwards towards the headers and firewall. I'll look there first, but will check them all. Wish I had a lift...

[Mvy]

I hope to god seeing all you have taken out its not as easy to fix as it was for me.......

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1060705

[Redd]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

Thank you so much for this excellent post and the image. I know where to look now. I see two of the heat shields wrap upwards towards the headers and firewall. I'll look there first, but will check them all. Wish I had a lift...

Yeah best to get it on a hoist and slowly look for all the screws/fasteners. There's quite a few of them and some are easy to miss.

[turugara]

Subbing for updates!

Your audio reminds me exactly something similar to mine, except I don’t get that metallic “twangy” of thin metal. I hear the same EXACT “clunk” when you hit those bumps……and I’ve been trying to chase the entire engine bay for months now. Getting to the point where I wonder if the clunk is actually behind the dash or not… keep thinking it’s suspension related due to the nature of the clunk, but basically everything in the engine bay is tight down to the windscreen wipers.

(Around 35 seconds into the video, shifting from 4-5th, you’ll hear the clunk, then see the car get unsettled through the bump. I can replicate it at this exact bump on my street every time……)

View post on imgur.com

[Greuceanu187]

Originally Posted by davedNconfused

At some point in my ownership, the car developed a dash rattle (attached). I never did any mods to the interior before it started but I did have Ohlins installed and the windows tinted (including the windshield) shortly before I noticed it so there could be a connection however, myself and others who've ridden in the car all seem to believe it's coming from the dash.

It's a metallic twangy sound like a thin metal bracket that's pulled back then released. It's not always there, just rough pavement. Please give it a listen below!

Over the years, I've done things like removed the dash speaker cover and the nearby sensor, instrument cluster, climate controls, dash trim, nav screen, and driven the car pressing on different things with no difference. Before installing an Apple multi-media box I removed a lot of major assemblies in the center console and added foam to some areas that looked like it could be causing it and did numerous drives while pressing, and exploring to see if anything would make a difference--nothing!

It's been torn down, tapped, poked, flicked, etc. to find anything lose and foam put in place to limit any movement but so far no luck. I'm DESPERATE, please comment if you have any suggestions on where to look/focus!

Audio 20sec (Removed the video because it was a considerably larger file size. In the video, I'm traveling down the freeway over different pavement types at around 60mph while filming the center of the dash just below the windshield then hovering closer to the instrument cluster hump then back, nothing that really helps TBH.)

Don't know if you solved the problem, but in my case, that sound was coming from the interior mirror plastic support attached on the windshield