Dash Rattle on Passenger Side

[TJoe]

I know there are a lot of posts about rattling coming from the dashboard, but none have been able to help me diagnose what is causing mine. It sounds like it's coming from inside the dash on the passenger side. I have removed the glove box, ash tray, ziptied and/or taped wire harness connectors back there, and even replaced and tightened bolts and nuts that hold down the air filter box in the engine bay (which was very loose, which is why I thought it may be that). I checked other parts in the engine bay as well, but have yet to find anything obviously making such a sound. Last year I had the heater core replaced, so I'm worried it may be something in the A/C or heater enclosure, but I have no way to verify it. Is there anyone out there who can help diagnose this?

 

[qslim]

Can you have someone ride around with you & apply pressure to various parts of the dash while you're driving? Can you duplicate the rattle by whacking the dash at all?

 

[CharlesHS]

After purchasing my Jeep I noticed a few noises and found there was a cigarette butt and a few petrified french fries moving around inside the ventilation ducting.... It's worth a look....

 

[TJoe]

Can you have someone ride around with you & apply pressure to various parts of the dash while you're driving? Can you duplicate the rattle by whacking the dash at all?

I have tried holding things down myself while driving (dangerous, I know) to no avail. Whacking it surprisingly doesn't produce the rattle. I hear it only on sharp bumps in the road, like cracks in the street, potholes, etc. which there are a lot of where I live.

 

[qslim]

After purchasing my Jeep I noticed a few noises and found there was a cigarette butt and a few petrified french fries moving around inside the ventilation ducting.... It's worth a look....

Yeah that's not a bad thought, whack the ducts with a little mallet & see if there's something banging around in there.

 

[Mark K]

I had a similar rattle after replacing the surround on my AirAid filter system. The body guy knew immediately what was the problem - the right hand grill support rod goes through that sheet metal box and was in contact with it. The rod carried those rattles back to the firewall just in front of the glove box. Some butyl tape gooped around the impinging area quieted it down. So, you may not have the same thing in your engine bay, but your grill support may be transmitting sound from another source. Maybe tight check the support bolts.

 

[TJoe]

I had a similar rattle after replacing the surround on my AirAid filter system. The body guy knew immediately what was the problem - the right hand grill support rod goes through that sheet metal box and was in contact with it. The rod carried those rattles back to the firewall just in front of the glove box. Some butyl tape gooped around the impinging area quieted it down. So, you may not have the same thing in your engine bay, but your grill support may be transmitting sound from another source. Maybe tight check the support bolts.

Oh my goodness that was it! I removed the passenger side support rod and took it for a test drive and there were no rattles. Of course, I want to keep the support rod there so I still need to find what is actually rattling. It may have been loose bolts but I'll update you when I find out. Thanks so much!

 

[qslim]

Interesting, put it back on & see if there's anything in your engine bay making contact with it.

 

[Mark K]

Oh my goodness that was it! I removed the passenger side support rod and took it for a test drive and there were no rattles. Of course, I want to keep the support rod there so I still need to find what is actually rattling. It may have been loose bolts but I'll update you when I find out. Thanks so much!

Ha! Cool, thanks for the report.

 

[TJoe]

Ha! Cool, thanks for the report.

No problem. I tightened the bolts a lot this time and it seems to have mostly dampened the rattle, but it is still there sometimes, if that makes sense. I did notice that the coolant tank is quite loose, even thought it is on the driver side. It stays on of course, but It has a lot of play to shake and rattle around. Any tips on securing it? Also did you just apply the butyl tape around the point of contact with the firewall around the bolt?

 

[MountaineerTom]

Maybe try a couple rubber washers, one between the support rod and firewall and another between the bolt head and support rod.

 

[qslim]

This dude's TJ is going to be as quiet as my wife's Lexus by the time he's done with it

 

[Mark K]

No problem. I tightened the bolts a lot this time and it seems to have mostly dampened the rattle, but it is still there sometimes, if that makes sense. I did notice that the coolant tank is quite loose, even thought it is on the driver side. It stays on of course, but It has a lot of play to shake and rattle around. Any tips on securing it? Also did you just apply the butyl tape around the point of contact with the firewall around the bolt?

The butyl tape went in the opening where the grill rod pierced the air filter housing, to deaden the rattle at the source. The idea of eliminating metal to metal contact between the grill rod and firewall is also worth a try.

 

[WHochner]

SOLVED.. Same type of noise behind glovebox, it's been bugging me forever. Sounded like a metal bracket or something was loose and banging around in the airbag area. It turns out it was the hood support rod hitting against the passenger core support rod. So, I took a piece of hose and zip tied it on the core support rod and NOISE GONE,

 

[Bumble Beep]

So glad I read this thread! I had the same harsh rattle that seemed to come from the glove box, every time I hit a pothole. The hood support rod was popping out of the retainer clip and banging on the passenger grill support rod. Slipped some rubber tubing around the rod and that fixed it. I'll replace the clip too - is this the correct part?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008Y7S7VK/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[WHochner]

So glad I read this thread! I had the same harsh rattle that seemed to come from the glove box, every time I hit a pothole. The hood support rod was popping out of the retainer clip and banging on the passenger grill support rod. Slipped some rubber tubing around the rod and that fixed it. I'll replace the clip too - is this the correct part?
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008Y7S7VK/?tag=wranglerorg-20[/URL]

Looks right and per the description it fits 1997-2006

 

[Neal]

Solved the problem - maybe?

I have been battling the metallic-sounding dash rattle for some time. The noise was most noticeable at speeds from 55 to 65 and was a steady, rapid metal on metal banging that sounded like the bolt cycling on an old M-60 machine gun. I was getting really frustrated, having pulled the glove box, right front speaker, and several other pieces to try to locate the source. I drove to work and back like that for a few days but still couldn't locate where the sound was coming from.

I located and fixed several loose items in the engine bay that made no difference in the noise. I had my wife sit in the passenger seat as I drove so she could try to pinpoint the location. She finally decided that the sound was coming from somewhere on the passenger side of the firewall but could not narrow it down any further. I removed the cowl and looked around for debris or parts rolling around loose, no joy. I opened the hood (again!) and checked the battery and battery tray, no problems there. On a hunch I removed the battery and shook the PCM - hey, I hear a rattle!

At the bottom inside corner of the PCM mounting bracket there is a tab with a hole in it that looks like it could have been a spot to attach a rubber pad. There was no evidence anything like that had ever been attached in that spot, and I have been unable to find an exploded view of that area, so I don't know if anything was actually supposed to be there. In any case, there was nothing there now. Although the tab wasn't quite touching the firewall, if I shook the bracket hard enough I could see that the tab was flexing enough to make contact. Since I didn't have a piece of rubber that fit in that spot, I stuffed an adhesive pad between the bracket and the firewall (circled in the next photo, it ain't pretty but it fit), installed the PCM and tugged on it a few times. No rattle.

Not willing to get my hopes up just yet, I set out for a road test with my wife, found a stretch of road where I could maintain 55 to 65 and held it steady for a while. Still no rattle. At this point I am cautiously optimistic that I may have solved the problem, but I think I'll drive around for another week or so before buttoning up the dash. Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[TurboTJ]

If this doesn’t solve the problem I have another suggestion. I had an annoying rattle coming from the same general area. It turned out to be a plastic box mounted to the fender underneath the battery. I don’t know what it is for but it has a single pneumatic capillary running to it. The top mounting tab was broken and it would vibrate against the fender making an incredible amount of noise. I could feel the box through holes in the bracket that mounts to the firewall and supports the battery, and determine that it was loose. To get to it I had to remove the battery and the battery mounting plate. I remounted the box and the noise is now gone.

 

[Neal]

If this doesn’t solve the problem I have another suggestion. I had an annoying rattle coming from the same general area. It turned out to be a plastic box mounted to the fender underneath the battery. I don’t know what it is for but it has a single pneumatic capillary running to it. The top mounting tab was broken and it would vibrate against the fender making an incredible amount of noise. I could feel the box through holes in the bracket that mounts to the firewall and supports the battery, and determine that it was loose. To get to it I had to remove the battery and the battery mounting plate. I remounted the box and the noise is now gone.

I have aftermarket inner fenders which use non-OEM brackets, so when I mounted that box (it's the cruise control/hvac air reservoir, btw) I used double sided tape as well as the OEM fasteners to make sure it stayed put. It has. The tape is similar to the pad I used for the PCM bracket.

 

[Jeep 541X]

I have been battling a rolling noise from the same behind the glovebox area… sounds like a nut that rolls 3 times and stops - it goes left and right, depending on the side I’m turning the vehicle. Any suggestions? I currently have the blower motor out, but found no parts rolling around in there.