# Dash/A-pillar rattles



## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

My 2012 Eco with 1400 miles on it has a pretty bad rattle over the instrument cluster, and in the driver's side A-pillar. Off to the dealer it goes, since a 1400 mile car should still be rattle-free. A friend's 2011 with 4k miles on it is rattle-free.


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## cruzin_right (Sep 8, 2011)

Mine at 800 miles has the same rattle in the A-Pillar. I think its the seatbelt height adjuster. Let us know what the dealership says and does.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

cruzin_right said:


> Mine at 800 miles has the same rattle in the A-Pillar. I think its the seatbelt height adjuster. Let us know what the dealership says and does.


Uh, the "A" pillar on a car is the one between the windshield and the front door. The seatbelt height adjuster should be in the "B" pillar between the doors. 

Jim


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## Jaycruze (Jul 11, 2011)

I noticed a rattle coming from my dash too when I reached high RPM's. But I realized this rattling was actually coming from the little keyring on my Cruze key.

Also make sure the panels and center console pieces are all pushed in correctly, The plastic part that goes around the center heater vents and console display was not all the way in on mine. I had to pop it into place.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

It's definitely not the keys. Grabbing the instrument panel cover makes it stop. It also happens more on bumpy roads. 

The A-pillar rattle sounds like it's near where the pillar molding meets the headliner. I'm wondering if something backed off getting bounced around on the roads around here.


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## Crewz (Jul 12, 2011)

I've notice the chrome trim around the gauges squeak a little when it's hot out and there's a rattle in between my a and b pillar above the passenger side door. I wrote it off as wiring rattling in there. I can live with it. It's not very noticeable, or noticeable at all some times.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Got it into the dealer today. They took a look at it, and we re-scheduled for next weekend when they have time to properly look at it. They were concerned about the instrument cluster being able to rock up and down quite freely with not much force being applied. We'll see what they find out next Saturday.


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## davranyou (Sep 27, 2011)

sciphi said:


> Got it into the dealer today. They took a look at it, and we re-scheduled for next weekend when they have time to properly look at it. They were concerned about the instrument cluster being able to rock up and down quite freely with not much force being applied. We'll see what they find out next Saturday.


Please keep us updated. I just got ours back from the dealer today for the very same problem.

I have a buzzing noise that varies with intensity that is either from the driver's door speaker or the A pillar.

I also have a rattle that is from either the Steering column or gauge cluster.

The dealer said that could not find replicate either sound so they did not investigate further.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Here's where my dash rattle happens: over large bumps, at 30 mph or faster, and in between the speedometer and the fuel gauge. Squeezing the trim pieces together makes it go away. I told my dealer all of that and the stretch of road nearby the dealer where they could hear it rattle. I believe they replicated it. 

We'll see what happens this weekend.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Got it into the dealer, and their computer was down so they had no disassembly instructions. Will update when I'm in there again.


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## Kruise (Sep 28, 2011)

I got a rattle in my dash. Holding the silvered, tricircular trim piece around the gauges seems to have stopped it. This rarely happens, but when it does I do get annoyed. Maybe I should bang on the piece with a mallet until it rattles no more...


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Kruise said:


> I got a rattle in my dash. Holding the silvered, tricircular trim piece around the gauges seems to have stopped it. This rarely happens, but when it does I do get annoyed. Maybe I should bang on the piece with a mallet until it rattles no more...


Funny, that's EXACTLY where one of my dash rattles happens. Is it right between the tachometer and the DIC?


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

The original problem is fixed. Somebody at Lordstown did not tighten down the cluster sufficiently. Unfortunately, the instrument cluster itself is now making an awful rattling sound where the polycarbonate over the speedometer meets the trim bezel, right in between the 60 and 80 mph marks on the speedometer. Pressing on that area makes the sound disappear. 

So back again I go. Fortunately I work right nearby, so it's easy for me to drop the car off during the day.


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## Kruise (Sep 28, 2011)

I can't pinpoint where the rattle comes from exactly. I have tried but I haven't had a rattle for a long time.


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## Bluman (Oct 1, 2011)

I have a rattle also but it seems to come from the sunroof shade area.


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## Kruise (Sep 28, 2011)

my rattle only seems to happen when driving up a moderate hill.


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## cruzin_for_a_bruzin (Mar 4, 2011)

Bluman said:


> I have a rattle also but it seems to come from the sunroof shade area.


My sunroof rattles too. Have you figured out exactly where and how to fix it? I can't seem to find the exact location of the rattle.


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## tvicars (Mar 30, 2011)

*Rattle from the Passenger side, glove box*

I have a rattle that sounds to be coming from the passenger side, glove box area.. I took everything out of the glove box to make sure that wasn't it..

The rattle is consistant with the rpm of the engine, more RPM, louder rattle...

Dealer said it was the Variable Valve Timing.. as its intermittent, I didn't persue it further.. when i go in for an oil change I will have them look at it..​


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

Bluman said:


> I have a rattle also but it seems to come from the sunroof shade area.


Edit - I re-read the post I just quoted and realize the fix I mention below isn't really for the problem you mention. My car doesn't have a sunroof but there is/was a buzzing/rustling sound from the forward area of the headliner. I'll leave the rest of the post in case it helps someone.

You need to remove the lower cover for the overhead console to get a little access into the area above the headliner. The cover just pulls straight down. There are little clips built into the cover and the main body of the overhead console. When I say "console" I mean the overhead light unit in the headliner by the rear view mirror. You can use your fingers to pull it down or something like a butterknife.

Once it is loose it should hang in the air by a single wire, which is the microphone for OnStar. On my car the OnStar mike had become dislodged, probably while Dent Doctor was dealing with some hail damage. If the microphone isn't in place correctly you will get a nasty plastic rattle over bumps. It just clips into a little recess in the cover - right above the little holes near the left front corner.

In my car, replacing the microphone didn't totally fix all the overhead sounds so I went back in again and poked around. There is a second layer in the headliner that was hanging down and rubbing either the overhead console or the main part of the headliner. You can reach up and feel around through an opening in the overhead console once the lower cover is down. I could raise this second layer up with my finger and when I let it go I could tell it was the same sound that was annoying me. Sometimes the sound would seem to come from the sunvisor area. The true fix would probably be to lower the entire headliner but I found I could stuff a piece of cloth through the hole in the overhead console and wedge it in between the main level of the headliner and the second layer. I actually stuffed 2 pieces of cloth, one on each side of the overhead unit and took it for a test drive today. It stopped all the sounds from the front of the headliner. There is a slight sound above the headliner near the right front door but it's only about 5% as bad and the sound coming from the overhead console area so I can live with it.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I also worked on a dash rattle near the instrument cluster and discovered the little "hood" over the cluster just pops off. Reach around to the front edge of the rounded hood unit (the side nearest the base of the windshield) and gently pry it up with your fingers. It will pop upward with little pressure. The whole hood unit just lifts out. Take your car on a drive over rough roads or wherever you normally hear the instrument cluster rattle. On my car, the rattle disappeared with the hood/cover removed. I'm still working on actually fixing it. So far I've tried a little tape over the part of the hood that slips into the gap at the side closest to the steering wheel and it helped but hasn't completely fixed the rattle. But finding the problem is the biggest part of fixing rattles and I know this is it because the rattle goes away when I take off the hood.


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## Bluman (Oct 1, 2011)

cruzin_for_a_bruzin said:


> My sunroof rattles too. Have you figured out exactly where and how to fix it? I can't seem to find the exact location of the rattle.


Not me or dealer have found the source of the rattle. :angry:


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## oolowrideoo (Mar 2, 2011)

Dale_K said:


> I also worked on a dash rattle near the instrument cluster and discovered the little "hood" over the cluster just pops off. Reach around to the front edge of the rounded hood unit (the side nearest the base of the windshield) and gently pry it up with your fingers. It will pop upward with little pressure. The whole hood unit just lifts out. Take your car on a drive over rough roads or wherever you normally hear the instrument cluster rattle. On my car, the rattle disappeared with the hood/cover removed. I'm still working on actually fixing it. So far I've tried a little tape over the part of the hood that slips into the gap at the side closest to the steering wheel and it helped but hasn't completely fixed the rattle. But finding the problem is the biggest part of fixing rattles and I know this is it because the rattle goes away when I take off the hood.


Do you have pictures of what this looks like removed?... I'm having a difficult time picturing what you're referring to and want to fix the rattle as well.


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

ive been getting a major creaking coming from the rear passenger side door. :cussing:


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

oolowrideoo said:


> Do you have pictures of what this looks like removed?... I'm having a difficult time picturing what you're referring to and want to fix the rattle as well.


Here are some pictures of the "hood" I'm talking about.

Cluster as factory delivered.








Cluster area with hood removed.








Another of the cluster without the hood.








Picture of the hood removed. You cans see some of the anti-squeak tape I've added. There are only a couple of springy tabs that hold it in place on the side that faces the windshield. Once you lift up gently the tabs come free and you can move the hood toward the windshield to free it from the edge nearest the steering wheel.


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## StoneCrab (Sep 14, 2011)

Dale_K said:


> Here arome pictures of the "hood" I'm talking about
> Cluster area with hood removed.
> 
> 
> ...


I have an annoying squeak or rattle from the intrument cluster that will happen over any kind or small bump or ripple in the road. Drives me nuts and I have tried to find and eliminate it. I have removed the top cover as shown here but the squeak continues. If you remove the screws on the top of the cluster you can remove the second underlying cover on the cluster. The two forward most screws underneath that top cover hold the top of the actual cluster assembly to the dash. Removing those loosens the cluster itself, but there are at least two screws holding the bottom of the IC that I cannot easily access. After experimenting with all the bits and various torques on the screws I can access, my rattle continues, but I have isolated it to the interface between the main instrument cluster assembly itself and some insulation material behind it. It it rubbing against this rubber like material and that is causing the squeak/rattle noise over bumps. I need disassembly instructions to really take it apart properly and find the noise. I have an appt at the dealer to have them look at it, and am hopeful they can resolve it. If I could get the cluster removed I think I could easily move that material so that it doesn't rub against the IC.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Okay, bringing this one up to date...

I finally had the time/gumption to really tear into the cluster squeaking that was driving me nutty. It turns out the clear lens was rubbing against the gauge faces itself, and not against the trim bezels. After disconnecting the battery and removing the cluster from the car, it was a simple fix. Flexing the cluster with the clear lens on re-created the squeak. I popped the clear lens off, and got to work. A little electrical tape over the areas the lens clips into stopped the squeak when flexing the cluster. I'll find out tomorrow if it works. 

A word of warning: Disconnect the negative battery terminal before commencing any work. This will help the car's CAN network not freak when the cluster gets removed. Everything seems to be okay so far.


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## HellaciousA (Oct 7, 2011)

I also had the cluster squeak, lived with it for over 21,000 miles, and drove me mad. I took everything apart as described in this thread, and put cloth wire wrapping tape around the contact points that squeaked. You can make sure it's quiet by flexing the cluster before you install it into the car. Be careful with the tabs for the clear lense. One of my cracked, but did not break all the way through. I thought it also may be that the silver outer bezel was rubbing against the black trim, but it didn't squeak when trying to duplicate the sound. The silver trim has tabs on the backside of the cluster, so don't try and pop it off while it's still inside the car--you'll break it!

I'll road test it tomorrow on the freeway to see if it's gone for good. Sad how I don't trust the dealer to do this kind of diagnosis work and it's easier for me to do it myself. All together, took about 45 mins, taking my time. 

Now if I could only get my rear view mirror to stop rattling when my subwoofers play low bass tones...


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## eng.abdulrazzaq (Mar 10, 2015)

hi;
i need to know how i can clean the cluster glasses from dust only without removing it. anyone can help


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

eng.abdulrazzaq said:


> hi;
> i need to know how i can clean the cluster glasses from dust only without removing it. anyone can help


If the dust is on the outside a clean soft cloth with a glass cleaner will do. If it's on the inside you have to disassemble to get to it.


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## Ger8mm (Mar 13, 2014)

I a have a service manual, I can give you the instructions on removal, send me a pm on what you want and I will post the pics ccasion14:


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