The annoying dashboard rattle continues

Noise coming from centre / top of dash. I stripped out the horseshoe, PCM, PCM frame, cup holder, air vent and glove box. Drive around the block and its still there. I think its coming from the centre alarm sensor / warning light area in the centre just under the windscreen. I've removed the trim and bluetac'd the sensor and its still there. I think the GPS sensor has been changed as there are two connectors at the back of the pcm - one going into the loom and a single wire on its own - the latter connected to the PCM. The black plastic plate holding the alarm warning light and GPS sensor has 1 torx screw and one pozi so I think its been out. I've jammed two bits of plastic tube between the dash and windscreen either side of the centre trim which qwells the rattle most of the time. Two questions 1) Is it easy to remove / install the black plastic cradle holding the alarm / GPS gubbins? 2) There seem to be two plastic trims between the leather dash and windscreen containing the vents - do these come out with the dash in place? Any other help greatly appreciated. Ian

Yes those trim pieces come off with the dash in place. I think the centre piece is easy enough to get out. MC

So, had another attack today and partially removed the n/s trim that covers the windscreen vents. It wont come out, not in one piece anyway. I've found a trim clip in the dash below this trim that is in the exact point the noise eminates from. It is very loose in the hole and potentially the plastic peg on the trim is loose too. There is no room to get it out. My current thinking is to daub something guey onto the clip and push the trim back on. In stock we have non setting gutter sealant or sanitary silicone. I dont want to use anything that will make the trim even harder to get out. I have a 1.5 inch gap to work in! Any thoughts / suggestions or shall I flip a coin?

Would a blob of blu-tac work?... might at least dampen any looseness-related rattle whilst not being permanent if you want to fish it back out.

Went with black silicon - fingers crossed the rattle is sorted! Ian

Still there - grrrrrrr!!!!!! I think is passenger air bag out next!

Just leave it. Old cars always have to have a rattle somewhere. If you fix one another will appear. The next one might be worse!

The passenger airbag cover on mine developed an annoying rattle/squeak which stopped when I put pressure on it. Surprisingly it stopped after I gave the leather a refresh with some Gliptone, which I now do every year and no more rattle/squeaks, I think the leather dries out over time... Andy

There are others I can live with (sunroof, rear relay shelf) but this one is so distracting / annoying to the extent it would put people off buying it! (Not that I'm selling any time soon). If I have a passenger, if they press quite hard between the airbag and horseshoe it stops. I'll keep looking - I like a challenge! Ian

996 workshop manual is here .. http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=83491 You would want body interior for removing components . Windscreen trim , the outer screen rubber can cause chirping noises .. teflon tape under it is the fix . Airbag noises passenger and you can try and tighten the bolts or remove and tape or krytox the edges of the leather .. krytox is like gummi fledge but porsche brand . I'm afraid there are many places that can cause noises but its one of those jobs i need to see to have an idea .

Its more of a buzz / rattle than a chirp / squeek. I imagine it to be a fixing with a washer thats not done up fully and the washer is zzzzing. It seems to be worse when travelling on a coarse road surface when the noise becomes constant. The next journey it might not appear. From the drivers seat, it eminates from the direction of 11 oclock. Speaker pulled today - no rattles on that. The odd screw from the GPS/alarm bracket has got me wondering - has it fallen down the vent? Did a bit of magnet dishing and nothing pulled out! I also drive a caterham 7 which has a lot of transmision shunt / whine and everything vibrates, so I'm not being overly fussy - its this one noise (probably one of the few frequencies where my hearing is 100%!) I'll get the air bag out and drive around the block. Ian

Your description would indicate airbag so as you say .. get that out and drive it to see . You will need a tester to clear the fault code afterwards though or the light will stay on .

I had this on my old GT3. Bottom right corner of airbag used to buzz/rattle. There's a felt tape around the metal frame the airbag sits in. It had peeled/worn off. Airbag is bolted in from the back though so it's not a 2 minute job. It's not terrible either though. We had Craig's entire dash out in a couple of hours and we'd never done it before. We even got it back in with no screws left over. :grin: I'm with you though. I cannot live with rattles. Rattles alter the whole feel of quality in the cabin. :x Good luck. :thumb:

Like Mark said, 2-ish hours and it all comes out Looks worse there than it is, once out though you can jusr wrap everything in foam tape and put it back together :thumbs: Easy :floor: Maybe a little excessive though..... :?: Wish you luck finding the issue !! :thumb: Craig

You can deal with the airbag frame with the dash still in, but it is the classic upside down in the footwell job after you've done the easily bit of removing the air vent ducting..... a bit of prestretching/yoga definitely recommended I have pretty much the exact sounding buzzing rattle at the moment, so checking in here re. your progress(!)