Cracking rattle from the middle top dashboard

Doughnut · Post by **Doughnut** » 21 Nov 2018, 04:39

Hi,

I have an ongoing dashboard noise issue on my 2003 S60 for over a year now that is quite annoying. I hope you guys have an idea what that could be as it drives me crazy.
I can hear the noise from the top-center part of my dashboard, approximately where the center speaker should be. (I do not have any, neither navigation) It is a loud cracking noise it sounds like two plastic pieces would hit each other or a cable would hit some plastic. It is not constant, I only can hear if I run into speed bumps or holes in the road.
I will try to make a video of it later and upload it as well, maybe that would help.

Any responses are highly appreciated.

Doughnut · Post by **Doughnut** » 22 Nov 2018, 02:05

this is how it sounds on cobblestones:

Post by **oragex** » 22 Nov 2018, 05:44

Yours sounds a little different than mine, but the sound location seems to be the same so here's my small fix, at about 2:30 into the video. Also I mention in the video to lube the sunroof seal with handcream - this is a bad idea, don't use it (my seal did shrink after some time because of that cream).

And of course there is the arm rest that's noisy

Doughnut · Post by **Doughnut** » 22 Nov 2018, 05:51

Hey, I already tried your trick, I found your video somewhere but it did not work for me. The noise location is the same though. I hear this terrible noise coming from the top-center part of the dashboard but unable to locate it exactly and it does not change if I try to put my hands on the top of the dash, etc..
Thanks though!

Post by **oragex** » 22 Nov 2018, 09:32

I listened again to your video and I'm surprised that is sounds like a rapid rattle.. doesn't appear to me as something that's not fixed and it's shaking inside the cabin. It's just that the rattle is too fast, makes me think it's related to a rotating part.
Assuming is not engine related (silent when opening the hood), maybe try driving with the window opened near a wall or similar (like a center road divider). This will tell if the sound comes from the outside of the car.

Just to give an idea how these noises can be misleading, I had nothing less than the windshield fluid sprayer hose rattling inside the top of the hood for a while, and I was thinking it has to come from inside the car instead.

Rautakopra · Post by **Rautakopra** » 24 Dec 2021, 00:24

Hey! Although this thread is old and I hope the problem has already been discovered, I still tell my own experiences in similar problem.

There was a similar sound in my car, it sounded like it was coming from somewhere behind the glovebox or the center speaker. I examine and disassemble everything possible inside the car, the engine compartment and the bottom. Eventually, I removed the entire dashboard to see that everything was ok behind it too. The rubber seal between the dashboard and the windshield had come off and fallen off, but that was not the source of my own problem.

In the end, the problem was the right front spring that was slightly touching the car body! The sound was clearly coming from behind the dashboard, probably through the air intake.

The car has just been replaced with new xc90 stronger spring top mounta. The left spring of the car also seems to stick a little to the body. The springs as well as the upper struts are intact, however, I need to investigate if those xc90 model top struts are slightly different from the xc70 model. I temporarily split a piece of a rubber hose and put it on the springs with zipties at the points that catch the car body - and the noise is gone.

Hopefully this will help someone with finding future problems like this. Merry Christmas everyone!