I've been trying to track down a rattle coming from the rear of the car. Last week when it was in at the dealers they said they'd 'tightened up some trim panels', but it came back within a day. Anyway, I just decided to look for myself and found a (broken?) plastic clip in the spare wheel well. I also found some small stones showing how well the dealer looked but that's another story. Pics of the clip in question attached... anyone know where this is from? Just wondering if I need to get another to replace it? It's about an inch long by the way.

Thanks.

Unfortunately that plastic clip or the many small stones I found in the spare wheel well weren't the cause of the rattle. The clip remains unidentified, but this morning in trying to investigate further, I discovered neither of the rear D pillar interior trim panels, the ones that hold the rear speakers, were clipped in properly. Both had at least one trim clip not clipped into the body.

Apart from the fact I'm very hopeful this will have cured the rattle, I despair at the quality of service I received from my dealer on this matter. They assured me they'd investigated it and tightened? some trim panels but since then I found the broken clip and stones in the spare wheel well and now these two panels.

What does worry me is that the pictured white clip is definitely broken. The spiky bit that would push into a hole in the body somewhere is missing. I'm hoping very much this hasn't been pushed through into some encased part of the body no one will ever get to and is now sitting there merrily rattling away.

Oh well... first need to find out where the clip is from

Is it off the rear luggage space retractable cover? ...

Be true to yourself. That way happiness lies...

I had a rattle coming from badly secured towbar electronics box. it's located behind left most rear trim panel. it's a large box fitted by the dealer, not factory, and in an effort to save a few minutes they only rivet one side of the box. Hope this helps. Cheers. MY10 TD4 SE Auto

Thanks for the replies fellas... I'm certain the clip is not off the retractable cover but thanks for the suggestion. Hm, it is a metalic/hard plastic rattle and my car does have a tow bar although I thought it was fitted by the factory... in any event, if my latest discovery that the D pillar trim panels weren't fixed correctly hasn't cured then rattle then I'll be finding out how to get the inside trim panels off to go looking behind.

Thanks,

The easiest way to stop snapped off clips from rattling away if that's what you think it is is to spray a load of wax oil in all the cavities.
If theres anything in there that shouldn't be it will soon be stuck in wax oil.

As for the dealer investigating the problem, That will be an apprentice going round the car hitting all the trims hence you now have a few snapped clips

I had a rattle coming from the passager side for ages,drove me nuts till I got the wife to have a listen.cut along story short it was a broken pen in the pen holder in the glove box. Never heard the end of it after that.

Have a tap around the rear windows along the hard plastic verticals. My R/OS passenger window surround was loose and vibrating, and having had that sorted at the dealer the R/NS surround has started doing the same

Well having been out for a run tonight I have certainly cured the worst of the rattles by securing the D pillar trim panels correctly but there is still a feint light metallic sounding rattle coming from somewhere at the rear so I suspect I will be trying to remove the trim panels to find this tow bar electrics box next.

It's a great shame that I can't trust a dealer to do the job properly as the car's still under warranty.

I know it's a long shot but can anyone tell me how to remove the rear side trim panels?

Thanks,

It’s been a while since I’ve fixed my rattle so there might be something missing from the following steps. I don’t think I got the trim off completely, just enough to clearly see behind it, locate the problem and stick my hand in there to fix it. I used double sided tape between the free metal legs/brackets of the electronics box and the vehicle body.

Step 1: Lower the rear seat flat.
Step 2: Remove the retractable curtain thingy.
Step 3: Remove wheel cover/ floor
Step 4: Remove horizontal trim that circumvents the lock loop by pulling on it (as per first picture). It is held in place via white synthetic clips just like the pillar trim.
Step 5: Undo the nut and remove the small storage compartment (as per second picture).
Step 6: Remove the “shopping bag holder” by rotating it 90* anticlockwise.
Step 7: Now you can start to gently pull at the large trim panel that spans the boot space. From memory, the light fitting and the cigarette lighter have enough wire on them to come away with the trim a little way. I don’t recall having to disconnect them.

As long as you can get your hand in there, and apply a bit of lateral force to the box, you should be able to reproduce the noise.

Hope this helps.









 MY10 TD4 SE Auto

Thank you for that great description. Very much appreciated. I'll take a look as soon as I can. One thing I know that is different on the 2013 is that in step 5 that isn't a nut, just a press in plastic clip.

Thanks again.

Further discoveries today although I will admit to not having the side trim panel off yet. It does look like I might need to though if only to get the D pillar trim panels off complete with speakers. It seems both of these despite now being clipped in properly are still capable of rattling. I've tried to make sure they're both fitted absolutely correctly, but next ride on normal UK roads will say for sure.

Oh, the white clip is a rear headlining clip. There's just one in the middle of the rear of the headlining and so I'll assume for now this one broke on the assembly line and was never retrieved.

Oh, and another Oh ... between steps 6 and 7 and before you can start pulling at the side panel you need to unbolt/remove the luggage strap loops I believe... the metal D rings.

Regards,

Hi Dave, I'm 99% sure that the clip is for the headlining. I fitted a LR standard interior light in my headlining just above the loadspace AND I bust the centre clip whilst doing it. Memory tells me that the white bit you have slides into a channel socket in the headlong.
.
Second , before you attempt prising the rear interior panels off buy say 6 new clips of Dan at Duckworths as you are guaranteed to break some - I know first hand from doing it!!
.
Kind regards from Fred
. 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

No question it was the D Pillar trim panel rattling and further investigation revealed that the left one had one of it's clips missing which I found after removing the left side trim panel so I could get the D pillar trim panel off. Despite having a clip missing and despite this floating around what was actually rattling was the trim panel itself on the clips. Unlike other panel clips these don't have any kind of rubber washer and so the panel is loose to rattle on the clip. I used a little silicone gunge on each clip, replaced the missing clip and having reassembled the panel doesn't rattle at all now. I'm 100% satisfied this was all the rattles I heard from the rear as for the first 30 miles yesterday the car was rattle free. As soon as one started, moving that D pillar trim panel stopped it for a few more miles.

Thanks to all for the help and advice and yes, I should have bought some spare clips as I do now have one broken one on the side panel - fortunately, bottom, near the seat belt mount where it can't rattle

Beat me too it... I was going to say headlining clip after I had to sort mine ( see my thread some where ).

Long and short is I think mine was done when they did the sun roof recall and they did not put it back right.

I'm currently tracking down a metallic type rattle from the left front my self having got many others.

Its either the shock / spring ( thats been checked though )
Some thing near the air bag area in side the cabin
Or the wiper mount in the baffle area

Its not serious just annoying.

The last rattle I have to sort is the left rear speaker. It may be damaged but more likly its a rattle as there is no shopping holder and the panels are not flush any more. I plan to add some sound proofing when I get round to it as that seems to have lost its get up and go any may be adding to the issue.

T Terran



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