Rattle behind gauge cluster

Ubermensch · 07-02-2010, 06:47 PM

My Z4M has started this nasty rattle that sounds like its coming from between the gauge cluster and the firewall. Literally happens at any speed, any road condition...hell it will happen just cranking the wheel hard. Nothing feels loose. Any ideas?

thekurgan · 07-02-2010, 09:26 PM

Your strut braces aren't loose are they? Could be inside the cluster though, that would drive me nuts.

Ubermensch · 07-02-2010, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Your strut braces aren't loose are they? Could be inside the cluster though, that would drive me nuts.

It's inside of the cabin, definitely not the strut/firewall braces. The noise is slowly driving me nuts

AtoB · 07-02-2010, 10:16 PM

Have them checked... I had the same issue. Was sure it was in the dash... Turned out to be the braces to my surprise.... Had them tightened... Noise gone.

wildag · 07-02-2010, 10:37 PM

You need only one torx screw driver to remove the cluster. Its very easy. The screw is between the instrument gauges and an upward angle.

Ubermensch · 07-03-2010, 04:41 PM

Yeah it's not the strut braces, they are wicked torqued down. What is behind the gauge cluster that could possible cause such a loud rattle?

wildag · 07-03-2010, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

Yeah it's not the strut braces, they are wicked torqued down. What is behind the gauge cluster that could possible cause such a loud rattle?

See above post for instructions on how to figure it out yourself. Its really not hard.

Hoa · 07-04-2010, 12:02 AM

i think its your cluster making the noise. i dont think there is anything mechanical behind the cluster

skate0518 · 07-04-2010, 06:33 AM

Same here, my M Roadster interior makes Loud
noise whenever I try to speed up.
Take it back to Dealer, they blame it to RE Exhaust.
(They claim the aftermarket exhaust is rocking the
whole car like crazy) HELP !!!!

Ubermensch · 07-04-2010, 03:50 PM

Yep was not the gauge cluster. I took it apart and coated everything with felt tape and the noise did not subside a single bit. I drove with the windows up, stereo off, ventilation off, etc to minimize the ambient and upon closer examination I think it's actually coming more from behind the center dash area. Guess it's time for a trip to the dealer

Oh here's a quick pic from behind the cluster, attachment.

thekurgan · 07-04-2010, 09:23 PM

^^^ Do you have navi?

Ubermensch · 07-05-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekurgan

^^^ Do you have navi?

Yessir I do.

thekurgan · 07-05-2010, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

Yessir I do.

The rattle may be in or around the rising nav unit, or it would be one of the first places I would look and next would be to remove the center vents (easy) and check the insulation around there; I had to felt the surrounds of my center vent.

Ubermensch · 07-08-2010, 09:52 PM

Dropped the M off at the stealer today to have them check it out. Per the TIS it might actually be a broken strut mount, fits the symptoms exactly. BTW they gave me a 328iX as the loaner, wow it's slow but must admit the iDrive has gotten pretty decent over the years.

fatmatt0116 · 07-08-2010, 09:55 PM

Just had my rattle fixed.....it was the strut bar.

Ubermensch · 07-09-2010, 05:27 PM

It ended up being a broken washer on the mount point on the firewall. I swear the bar wasn't loose...grrrrr...at least it's fixed now. Thanks for the help folk!

mousitch · 07-09-2010, 05:48 PM

Good to hear you got rid of the noise. They can be quite irritating. Now if I only had an ECU........

Ubermensch · 07-09-2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousitch

Good to hear you got rid of the noise. They can be quite irritating. Now if I only had an ECU........

Yeah man I can definitely hear Rt 66 a callin' a lot louder now that my main rattle is gone

inTgr8r · 07-09-2010, 08:28 PM

Good to hear

thekurgan · 07-09-2010, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

Good to hear

Good to NOT hear

AtoB · 07-09-2010, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

It ended up being a broken washer on the mount point on the firewall. I swear the bar wasn't loose...grrrrr...at least it's fixed now. Thanks for the help folk!

Good to hear!

apexstrafer · 08-08-2010, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

It ended up being a broken washer on the mount point on the firewall. I swear the bar wasn't loose...grrrrr...at least it's fixed now. Thanks for the help folk!

Do you mean the mount point of the strut brace? My car has developed a rattle as well and my strut bar nuts are all fully tight...going nuts trying to track it down.

07-02-2010, 06:47 PM	#1
Ubermensch Private 4 Rep 97 Posts Drives: white 07 Z4MC Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: St Louis, MO iTrader: (0)	Rattle behind gauge cluster My Z4M has started this nasty rattle that sounds like its coming from between the gauge cluster and the firewall. Literally happens at any speed, any road condition...hell it will happen just cranking the wheel hard. Nothing feels loose. Any ideas?
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07-02-2010, 09:26 PM	#2
thekurgan Bad Lieutenant 232 Rep 3,517 Posts Drives: E90M3 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00]	Your strut braces aren't loose are they? Could be inside the cluster though, that would drive me nuts. __________________ 02 E39M5 \| TiAg/Schwartz \| Tubi Rumore \| Ultimate Ti Pedals \| E60 SSK \| Jim Blanton 3.45 40/100% \| Coby Alcantara \| StrongStrut STB
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07-02-2010, 10:16 PM	#4
AtoB Major 112 Rep 1,262 Posts Drives: Z4M Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Boston iTrader: (3)	Have them checked... I had the same issue. Was sure it was in the dash... Turned out to be the braces to my surprise.... Had them tightened... Noise gone.
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07-02-2010, 10:37 PM	#5
wildag ///M'n it Up 17 Rep 344 Posts Drives: '06 ///M Roadster Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Reston, VA iTrader: (0)	You need only one torx screw driver to remove the cluster. Its very easy. The screw is between the instrument gauges and an upward angle.
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07-03-2010, 04:41 PM	#6
Ubermensch Private 4 Rep 97 Posts Drives: white 07 Z4MC Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: St Louis, MO iTrader: (0)	Yeah it's not the strut braces, they are wicked torqued down. What is behind the gauge cluster that could possible cause such a loud rattle?
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07-04-2010, 12:02 AM	#8
Hoa Major 513 Rep 1,356 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: May 2010 Location: GA iTrader: (9)	i think its your cluster making the noise. i dont think there is anything mechanical behind the cluster
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07-04-2010, 06:33 AM	#9
skate0518 First Lieutenant 57 Rep 349 Posts Drives: E46-E85-E92-F82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: LA iTrader: (2)	Same here, my M Roadster interior makes Loud noise whenever I try to speed up. Take it back to Dealer, they blame it to RE Exhaust. (They claim the aftermarket exhaust is rocking the whole car like crazy) HELP !!!!
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07-04-2010, 03:50 PM	#10
Ubermensch Private 4 Rep 97 Posts Drives: white 07 Z4MC Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: St Louis, MO iTrader: (0)	Yep was not the gauge cluster. I took it apart and coated everything with felt tape and the noise did not subside a single bit. I drove with the windows up, stereo off, ventilation off, etc to minimize the ambient and upon closer examination I think it's actually coming more from behind the center dash area. Guess it's time for a trip to the dealer Oh here's a quick pic from behind the cluster, attachment. Attached Images
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07-04-2010, 09:23 PM	#11
thekurgan Bad Lieutenant 232 Rep 3,517 Posts Drives: E90M3 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00]	^^^ Do you have navi? __________________ 02 E39M5 \| TiAg/Schwartz \| Tubi Rumore \| Ultimate Ti Pedals \| E60 SSK \| Jim Blanton 3.45 40/100% \| Coby Alcantara \| StrongStrut STB
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07-08-2010, 09:52 PM	#14
Ubermensch Private 4 Rep 97 Posts Drives: white 07 Z4MC Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: St Louis, MO iTrader: (0)	Dropped the M off at the stealer today to have them check it out. Per the TIS it might actually be a broken strut mount, fits the symptoms exactly. BTW they gave me a 328iX as the loaner, wow it's slow but must admit the iDrive has gotten pretty decent over the years.
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07-08-2010, 09:55 PM	#15
fatmatt0116 Hooligan 55 Rep 680 Posts Drives: 2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Boston, MA iTrader: (0)	Just had my rattle fixed.....it was the strut bar. __________________ 2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S 2011 X5 5.0 Dinan - SOLD 2007 Imola Red Z4 M Coupe -SOLD 2004 Navy Blue BMW 325Ci
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07-09-2010, 05:27 PM	#16
Ubermensch Private 4 Rep 97 Posts Drives: white 07 Z4MC Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: St Louis, MO iTrader: (0)	It ended up being a broken washer on the mount point on the firewall. I swear the bar wasn't loose...grrrrr...at least it's fixed now. Thanks for the help folk!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-09-2010, 05:48 PM	#17
mousitch Dark Sider 129 Rep 1,779 Posts Drives: 2008 Space Gray Z4MC Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Missouri iTrader: (11) Garage List 2008 Z4M Coupe [7.50]	Good to hear you got rid of the noise. They can be quite irritating. Now if I only had an ECU........ __________________ [URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/153/071jt.jpg/] 2008 Space Grey M Coupe-Euro headers-RPI Scoop-Gruppe M CAI-Eisenmann Race Cans-RE X-pipe-ECU Remap with O2 and EGT delete-H&R Sport springs-Zeck CDV delete-Stock Gloss black powder coated wheels-LED Tekarbon Angel Eyes Project-Michelin Super Sports-Hardwired Uniden R7-H&R front and rear spacers-Alarm module added-stereo amp recoded to vert spec settings
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07-09-2010, 08:28 PM	#19
inTgr8r Lieutenant General 2432 Rep 11,667 Posts Drives: M2 Comp Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (10)	Good to hear __________________ '21 M2C Hockenheim Silver '18 718 Cayman S Lava Orange (sold) '13 E92 M3 Santorini Blue (sold) '07 Z4 M Coupe Alpine White (sold)
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