The door rattle

[Mike_TX]

First, let me say that I've had probably 12 new vehicles in the last 15-20 years, and this is the first one to have a rattle of any kind. The mfr's have just gotten that good.

BUT ... my Stinger has the dreaded driver's side door rattle. Sounds like it's coming from the top part of the door, and I suspect it is the seatbelt inertial lock ... the little weight that swings forward in panic stops and locks the seatbelt tight.

So I'm wondering if anyone has gotten it fixed, and if so, what it was. And can we fix it ourselves without disassembling the car?

 

[NismoDPB]

I think the most common rattle problem is the hatch which has been found to be a faulty latch component I think. I've never heard of a driver door rattle before.
Let me ask you this, does that piece of trim on the driver door over the B pillar move at all?

 

[Revvdmedia]

First, let me say that I've had probably 12 new vehicles in the last 15-20 years, and this is the first one to have a rattle of any kind. The mfr's have just gotten that good.

BUT ... my Stinger has the dreaded driver's side door rattle. Sounds like it's coming from the top part of the door, and I suspect it is the seatbelt inertial lock ... the little weight that swings forward in panic stops and locks the seatbelt tight.

So I'm wondering if anyone has gotten it fixed, and if so, what it was. And can we fix it ourselves without disassembling the car?

I too have wondered if the rattle comes from the seatbelt mechanism, but I haven't had a chance to really get into a diagnosis. I thought I had the "door tick" so I did the "3 stage" fix as I coin it...lube the seals, felt tape behind the plastic trim surround and spacers in the door latch. I found with the spacers in the latch, I would get a tick over larger bumps. I took the spacers out when I took the car in for service to have them further diagnose (they "could not duplicate the concern") and have left them out since. What I found since taking out the spacers is it seems the doors tick less, except when I first start driving in the cold of morning. Once the car warms up, it seems quiet, so I think the spacer solution made the situation worse for me.

Long story short, I think my ticking is possible within the B pillar (seatbelt mechanism) like yours? Since it does not seem to be the doors for me, or so I am currently thinking. Also, since it seems to quiet down once warmed up, that seems more like an interior related noise, not exterior.

 

[unintelligible]

I have the same issue. It always happens if I'm at highway speed. I put my ear as close as I could to the B pillar and that's where it sounds like it's coming from... same story, as if it's related to the seatbelt mechanism. I checked the exterior trim on the doors and I don't hear any squeaking or creaking there, so I think it's inside the car.

 

[Mike_TX]

Yes, Mine didn't seem to rattle for the first month I had it, but then oddly enough I started hearing it when turning left over small bumps or rough pavement. Now it seems to rattle more often.

It sounds like something metallic (?) is loose and wiggling around inside the upper door or top of the B pillar. Fortunately it doesn't make noise all the time, but we're in a cold spell right now, and I did notice it more today.

I know the inertial lock on the seatbelt mechanism involves a free-swinging pawl that engages the seatbelt reel, and I think that's what it is. But I'm not excited about tearing into my new car to find out.

 

[Mike_TX]

I think the most common rattle problem is the hatch which has been found to be a faulty latch component I think. I've never heard of a driver door rattle before.
Let me ask you this, does that piece of trim on the driver door over the B pillar move at all?

No trim movement. The sound is a muted repetitive rattling noise ... not a squeak or creak. It's something hitting against something else as it moves around. It's not loud or dramatic; in fact, I think if my head weren't near the B-pillar area I likely wouldn't hear it.

Oh, as for the hatch "thunk", I fixed that, thanks to a suggestion from a member here. Thin rubber washers under the black plastic bumpers on the hatch itself.

 

[Dennis]

Hi guys chances are its the door seal! The too most top outer rubber seal touching the door frame. Get it lube you will be fine!

 

[GenesisG70]

No ratles on my 2019 thankfully. Dead quiet inside

 

[Mike_TX]

Hi guys chances are its the door seal! The too most top outer rubber seal touching the door frame. Get it lube you will be fine!

Let me be honest with you ... I wouldn't have considered this for a minute, because to me it sounded like two small hard objects jostling against each other.

But since it didn't cost anything to try, I put a very, very thin coating of petroleum jelly on the seals, then wiped it off until there was just a slight sheen on the rubber. I've now driven for about 25 minutes, and I haven't heard the noise a single time.

The petro jelly was all I had handy, but I'm getting a can of silicone spray later today and using that instead, since it's probably better for the rubber.

If this holds, I'm grateful for the tip.

 

[Dennis]

Great! Hope it solves your issue. Avoid petroleum based products as it hardens the seal even faster.

Let me be honest with you ... I wouldn't have considered this for a minute, because to me it sounded like two small hard objects jostling against each other.

But since it didn't cost anything to try, I put a very, very thin coating of petroleum jelly on the seals, then wiped it off until there was just a slight sheen on the rubber. I've now driven for about 25 minutes, and I haven't heard the noise a single time.

The petro jelly was all I had handy, but I'm getting a can of silicone spray later today and using that instead, since it's probably better for the rubber.

If this holds, I'm grateful for the tip.

 

[unintelligible]

I guess I'll give that a shot after work too because I wouldn't have thought this either since it sounds like a metallic rattle to me.

 

[Mike_TX]

Great! Hope it solves your issue. Avoid petroleum based products as it hardens the seal even faster.

Yes, I knew the vaseline wasn't the best thing to use, but any port in a storm, as they say. I'll get that off there today and use the silicone.

 

[forzanerazzurri]

No ratles on my 2019 thankfully. Dead quiet inside

Wow, good for you.

 

[unintelligible]

I must have a different issue... coated the seals liberally with Gummi-Pfledge and no effect here. The second I hit 70 the rattle was back with a vengeance.

 

[Dennis]

Gummi Pfledge is over rated.... trust me. Clean up the seal and frame where it meets and use some silicon grease and give it a shot. If it works for you look for some durable rubber grease. If it does not have your door latch adjusted imho...

I must have a different issue... coated the seals liberally with Gummi-Pfledge and no effect here. The second I hit 70 the rattle was back with a vengeance.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Gummi Pfledge is over rated.... trust me. Clean up the seal and frame where it meets and use some silicon grease and give it a shot. If it works for you look for some durable rubber grease. If it does not have your door latch adjusted imho...

I think I'll give this a shot myself. I was also tied into "Gummi Pfledge is de best" and if any of my noises are the seals, it might not be the magic lubricant some claim. I've noticed my ticking is horrendous when the car interior is COLD, it ticks or rattles over every imperfection, but once the interior warms up, it's pretty much silent. To me, this sounds like a condition of cold rubber seals, so I'll see if silicone fares any better than Gummi Pfledge. If that is the case, I might upgrade to the super duper Shinetsu Grease!

***UPDATE*** Silicone lube did not help, in fact, it's either worse than it was, or I'm listening harder for it and hearing it again. Dealer chalks it up to cold, but it does it when warm. I'll bring it in for a drive and if they're still deaf, I'm barking up the ladder (corporate).

 

[SwampDonk33]

I'm also trying to diagnose a noise that seems to be coming from both driver and passenger side B pillar or upper window areas. This typically only starts to be noticeable when I surpass 50-60mph and it sounds almost like it's wind induced. I tried to take a video of the noise by putting my phone up next to my pillar as I was doing some highway driving. Is this a similar noise to what others on the thread were experiencing?

Video:

 

[davkiz]

I'm also trying to diagnose a noise that seems to be coming from both driver and passenger side B pillar or upper window areas. This typically only starts to be noticeable when I surpass 50-60mph and it sounds almost like it's wind induced. I tried to take a video of the noise by putting my phone up next to my pillar as I was doing some highway driving. Is this a similar noise to what others on the thread were experiencing?

Video:

I have the exact same problem/noise. Still trying to diagnose the problem too.
Been to the dealer twice and they thought it was the trim above the seat belt so they took it apart and put double sided tape but it had no effect. And now they claim they don't hear it after I pointed it out to them.
Like you said, I'm going up the ladder.
Let me know if you have any luck and I'll do the same for you.

 

[Mike_TX]

All I hear in that brief video is road noise. ??

 

[SwampDonk33]

All I hear in that brief video is road noise. ??

You have to turn the volume up pretty loud (to 11!) and then you'll start to hear more of a rattle or quick flapping noise. Obviously, it's not the greatest, but I was trying to at least capture something.