# How do I remove the front map light housing?



## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I have a buzz and rattle from the front of my headliner and map light. I want to remove the map light housing but I don't see any fasteners and I'm afraid to pry on it very hard for fear of breaking something. I found this image in one of the online parts sites. I'm talking about item 14 and the associated assemblies.


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## yourdoinitwrong (Aug 7, 2011)

It's just held in by tabs around the edge. When I replaced my bulbs with LEDs I jammed my fingers between the plastic and the fabric headliner and pulled down, gently, until all the tabs were out. As long as your are careful with it you shouldn't have any problems.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

That screw & fastener numbered 18 and 13 look like they're part of the assembly. I kind of thought you pull the lens out for the bulb and then the screw might be visible. I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to interior trim but I've got a terrible buzz from this overhead area.


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## yourdoinitwrong (Aug 7, 2011)

Dale_K said:


> That screw & fastener numbered 18 and 13 look like they're part of the assembly. I kind of thought you pull the lens out for the bulb and then the screw might be visible. I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to interior trim but I've got a terrible buzz from this overhead area.


I only took the surround off and nothing else so I'm not sure about that screw. If you are still within the bumper-to-bumper warranty I would let the dealer address it. That way you don't risk breaking anything and you never know what you are getting into up there. I had a 2009 Malibu with a rattle behind the sunroof and it took our techs four different tries to nail down what was happening. It's hard to fix something that you can't actually see rattling. I would have driven myself nuts and most likely would have broken something in the process.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I used a dull knife that you'd normally use to butter toast and stuck it in there and pried gently and the lower cover came off pretty easily. Thanks for the tip. The main housing was still in the headliner but as soon as the lower cover came off I could see what was making the rattle. There is a small black item with a wire going to it. It looks like a sensor of some kind. It was laying loose and I could see right away how it might be the source of the rattle. It had a couple of tabs where it was supposed to snap in someplace and when I looked at the cover that I'd removed I could see it was supposed to fit in a little enclosure. It goes right above the little holes at the left rear corner of the lower cover. Anyway I snaped it back into place. I haven't test driven the car yet but I'm almost positive that was the problem. 

Thanks for your help.


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## yourdoinitwrong (Aug 7, 2011)

Dale_K said:


> I used a dull knife that you'd normally use to butter toast and stuck it in there and pried gently and the lower cover came off pretty easily. Thanks for the tip. The main housing was still in the headliner but as soon as the lower cover came off I could see what was making the rattle. There is a small black item with a wire going to it. It looks like a sensor of some kind. It was laying loose and I could see right away how it might be the source of the rattle. It had a couple of tabs where it was supposed to snap in someplace and when I looked at the cover that I'd removed I could see it was supposed to fit in a little enclosure. It goes right above the little holes at the left rear corner of the lower cover. Anyway I snaped it back into place. I haven't test driven the car yet but I'm almost positive that was the problem.
> 
> Thanks for your help.


No problem, hopefully you have it fixed. Squeaks and rattles are my biggest pet peeve with cars so I can understand wanting to get it stopped ASAP.


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## JasonLS1 (May 27, 2012)

Dale_K said:


> I used a dull knife that you'd normally use to butter toast and stuck it in there and pried gently and the lower cover came off pretty easily. Thanks for the tip. The main housing was still in the headliner but as soon as the lower cover came off I could see what was making the rattle. There is a small black item with a wire going to it. It looks like a sensor of some kind. It was laying loose and I could see right away how it might be the source of the rattle. It had a couple of tabs where it was supposed to snap in someplace and when I looked at the cover that I'd removed I could see it was supposed to fit in a little enclosure. It goes right above the little holes at the left rear corner of the lower cover. Anyway I snaped it back into place. I haven't test driven the car yet but I'm almost positive that was the problem.
> 
> Thanks for your help.



That is exactly the problem im having as well ! now i know how to get that darn cover off lol


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Now put some leds in there. 
Much better light plus it makes your center console look classier 

If it continues making noises, have your dealer handle it. Don't ghetto rig it.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Thanks for the writeup, mine has this issue intermittently from the exact same place.

EDIT: I took the overhead console completely off, and found some broken clips up there. Instead of wasting time dragging it to the dealer, some superglue was applied to the offenders to hold them steady. Some padding material was also placed onto the areas that contact the roof of the car, and then everything was tightened down again. I tested it, and no rattle!

I could reproduce the rattle by letting the passenger side sunshade slam into the headliner. Something in the console rattled on demand then.


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