Interior Plastic creaking

[Couz]

Anyone else getting some plastic creaking on the drivers door side.

It seems alot more noticeable on hot hot days.

That's my only beef with Japanese cars, they use so much cheap plastic to furnish the dash, console, door etc...

When I roll down the windows it goes away and when its cool outside I notice nothing.

Today was a scorcher and the interior of the car was an oven...I was told plastic expands under heat so maybe the door console/plastic becomes softer and creakier.

Anyone fix these plastic creaks? Or just chalk it up to characteristic gotta live with.

[psfod3]

I have a 08 SL awd. There is a speaker at the top front left of the dash where the bottom left corner of the windshield meets the dashboard. the grill of this speaker creaks like plastic rubbing on plastic on bumpy roads.

[zakmartin]

If you're talking about the squeak/creak that comes from behind the panel on the B-pillar, then the only way to fix the noise is to remove the panel and add a very thin layer of felt to all the mating surfaces and lubricate the seatbelt mechanism. The problem with this area is that there is an airbag back there, so Nissan intentionally made it difficult to remove the panel. The service manual goes over the procedure, but it's not exactly intuitive. If your car is under warranty, then tell the service center that you want the problem looked into. I agree, the noise is maddening. Mine tends to make its appearance when the weather gets cooler.

Other noisy areas include:

1. The gear shifter fascia where it contacts the center floor console. This can be fixed by a few quick sprays of silicone lubricant between the panels from an aerosol can.

2. The contact point between the A-pillar garnish and the upper dashboard. This can be fixed by shimming a thin piece of felt adhesive where the two panels meet.

3. The area above the sunroof control panel. There is a wire harness that can get loose and bang around up there. A bit of high-temp tape or a strip of Dynamat solves that problem. You can access this area by pulling back the rubber strip that surrounds the sunroof in the headliner on the front and both sides. GENTLY pull the headliner down and you'll see the wire. Be careful or you can crease the headliner. Small hands help on this one.

4. A loose spare tire can make a racket. Make sure everything is secure in the trunk.

5. The outside wind deflector that sits under the windshield can come loose. This requires a replacement part that's available from Nissan under warranty, since it's a known defect on earlier models.

Hope this helps.

[Couz]

If you're talking about the squeak/creak that comes from behind the panel on the B-pillar, then the only way to fix the noise is to remove the panel and add a very thin layer of felt to all the mating surfaces and lubricate the seatbelt mechanism. The problem with this area is that there is an airbag back there, so Nissan intentionally made it difficult to remove the panel. The service manual goes over the procedure, but it's not exactly intuitive. If your car is under warranty, then tell the service center that you want the problem looked into. I agree, the noise is maddening. Mine tends to make its appearance when the weather gets cooler.

Other noisy areas include:

1. The gear shifter fascia where it contacts the center floor console. This can be fixed by a few quick sprays of silicone lubricant between the panels from an aerosol can.

2. The contact point between the A-pillar garnish and the upper dashboard. This can be fixed by shimming a thin piece of felt adhesive where the two panels meet.

3. The area above the sunroof control panel. There is a wire harness that can get loose and bang around up there. A bit of high-temp tape or a strip of Dynamat solves that problem. You can access this area by pulling back the rubber strip that surrounds the sunroof in the headliner on the front and both sides. GENTLY pull the headliner down and you'll see the wire. Be careful or you can crease the headliner. Small hands help on this one.

4. A loose spare tire can make a racket. Make sure everything is secure in the trunk.

5. The outside wind deflector that sits under the windshield can come loose. This requires a replacement part that's available from Nissan under warranty, since it's a known defect on earlier models.

Hope this helps.

Awesome post....I think I'm definitely getting it from that pillar where the airbag is.

But today I started getting intermittent ticking sound when I'd go over bumps on the passenger side....it went away after a while but again sounds internal and not external as I can't get it with the window down.

I ran the air conditioner alot for the first time since I had the car and wondering if its the vent on the passenger side or any plastic interior just contracting after being cooled.

[takeshi]

I have a 08 SL awd. There is a speaker at the top front left of the dash where the bottom left corner of the windshield meets the dashboard. the grill of this speaker creaks like plastic rubbing on plastic on bumpy roads.

We have that as well as a similar noise from somewhere in the center dash (radio/climate control area).

[Couz]

Anyone else experiencing a sort of internal ticking sound going over cracks in the road on the passenger side, sounds like its coming from the dash area over the glove box.

The only thing I've done for the first time in the 4 months I've had the car is use the AC since this started occurring, in the morning I get nothing but after running the AC and turning it off I get the ticking going over cracks in the road or tiny bumps.

Can it be a relay or the vents...maybe a coincidence this issue began once I started utilizing the AC the last two days.

I'm sure its not suspension related as I had the suspension inspected like 3 weeks ago, on top of that the car has 5000 kms only and going over speed bumps the suspension sounds fine.

[mdennis]

I have never had a noise issue with any previous new car purchase, but as soon as I took home my new 2009 Nissan Rogue I heard an intermittent rattle/buzz at highway speeds and generally when the car was cool, such as during early morning and night driving. I traced the source to the plastic facia on the A pillar (front driver's side). If I tap the dash just between the defrost vent grille and the speaker grille, I can recreate the exact rattle/buzz. I feel that cold and heat expansion definitely "primes" these plastic materials at the pillar and dash to vibrate on contact, which resonates with the road surface. Freeway travel seems to bring out the worst and most annoying rattle/buzz, which doesn't stop until I've slapped on the A post a couple of times. I thought the weakness in design might be a poor or damaged clip fastener on the A post covering, so I hope Nissan will put more emphasis on removing this noise source in future manufacturing.

[Couz]

I have never had a noise issue with any previous new car purchase, but as soon as I took home my new 2009 Nissan Rogue I heard an intermittent rattle/buzz at highway speeds and generally when the car was cool, such as during early morning and night driving. I traced the source to the plastic facia on the A pillar (front driver's side). If I tap the dash just between the defrost vent grille and the speaker grille, I can recreate the exact rattle/buzz. I feel that cold and heat expansion definitely "primes" these plastic materials at the pillar and dash to vibrate on contact, which resonates with the road surface. Freeway travel seems to bring out the worst and most annoying rattle/buzz, which doesn't stop until I've slapped on the A post a couple of times. I thought the weakness in design might be a poor or damaged clip fastener on the A post covering, so I hope Nissan will put more emphasis on removing this noise source in future manufacturing.

So your issue also gets more prominent with road surface....like sharp cracks in the road will bring out this rattle even more.

In my case, I only get this ticking when going over sharp cracks in the road.

I had and issue two months ago that was my hood being a bit loose, I got a rattle going over bumps, just need to lift the hood stops a bit and that solved that.

[mdennis]

Thanks for the original post--I feel like I've wandered into a support group meeting to share about my Rogue's aptly named behavior.

Actually, sharp bumps don't usually trigger the A pillar covering noise or vibration that I've traced to the contact point at the dash. The buzzing sound is most prominent on stretches of textured roads, such as on portions of California's grooved highways and often when I'm rolling over freeway lane dots.

I sure find it strange that the fit isn't more snug at the A-pillar to dampen any vibrations where it comes into contact with other material (driver's side dash).

Cheers.

[Nick 568]

My Rogue does the exact same thing, Dennis. In fact, many of the Rogues and Altimas I drove when looking for a new car did this. When I drove my Rogue off the lot, it did not do this. About a week later, it did. Fortunately, since I'm de facto landlocked, I'm doing all in-town trips, and am never on one stretch of road for more than 7 minutes.But you can bet that before my bumper to bumper warranty expires, I'm gonna have them fix every single creak, squeak, moan, groan, etc that I hear, lol.

[Couz]

I think my sound is coming from something contacting the hood while I drive over sharp cracks in the road.

It sounds awfully similar to the sound I was getting from a loose hood.

I'm gonna check it out tomorrow.

[otto888man]

Have anyone try a cure for this problem. I would suggest to lube the creaking part with silicone spray lube.

[Couz]

I'm quite sure I was able to isolate one issue regarding the dash area knocking creaking going over bumps at times.

The issue was related to the windshield washer lines located under the windshield cowl....when it got really hot the lines made of rubber become softer and more flexible and have a tendancy to knock around a bit more....there is also the little plastic spliter piece where the lines connect for the windshield washer lines, the piece where the three lines meet that knock around too.

What I did was wrap the lines and the little plastic piece where the lines connect in a foam type tape so that the movement is absorbed by the foam...since than no noise.

Now on to that pillar that creaks in between the front and rear door where the side airbags and seat belt is...anyone figure out how to cure that plastic creaking ?

[dmw98path]

I've encountered the same noise as "mdennis" with the front pillar garnish (left hand/drivers side) and tweeter grille. A temp fix is pushing/hitting the grille or front pillar.

From the factory service manual you would need to remove/loosen the body side welt and undo two mounting clips to remove the front pillar...then what? Maybe make areas where it meets plastic more snug.

I can see if service will do anything the next time I have an oil change. Might take them 15 minutes but maybe an hour or two for me to figure it out and where to place some tape/felt/etc.

-dan

[philipa_240sx]

Speaking of creaking,

Another member brought up an issue of creaking seats. I found the noise is not from the seat cushion but the steel bracket the seat belt latch attaches to. The pivot where it connects to the seat frame makes the creaking noise. A bit of dry lube (ie graphite or even talcum powder) should cure it. Mine has been doing it for a week now... just haven't gotten around to lubing it yet.