[JAYMAC10]

Originally Posted by holycow

Not to go OT, but I have the single WORST rattle in my car I have ever heard, in any car, ever, in the history of time.

It is coming from the roof of the car towards the rear. It almost sounds like it is coming from outside the roof.... like perhaps the roof vein spoiler. Iv had the headliner out and sat back there during a drive and it is coming from right where the rear windshield meets the roof... but it isn't the glass itself, or anything you can put your finger on under the headliner.

it is a NASTY Rattle that rattles 100% constantly while driving "tic..tic.. tickitty tickitty tic.. tic tic tic tic" but really really fast like a machine gun pace.

It's driving me to suicide!@

I had the same thing. It was a ticking sound.

Just take out the 4 or 5 plastic clips holding the roof cover on. Pull it down a little bit and you will see a small black plastic ribbed clip that holds the glass up. I just put some duct tape over top of it. I didn't completely eliminate the clicking at first but now it's gone!

Hope that helps!

Jay

[JAYMAC10]

My MAJOR problem is still the A-Pillar/vent rattle/sweek.

I have mushed a pice of paper between the cover and the a-pillar which has reduced it but not elimitate it...

I'll be popping that sucker off and stuffing in a bunch of crap to hopefully solve it...

Jay

[holycow]

Originally Posted by jaydow11

I had the same thing. It was a ticking sound.

Just take out the 4 or 5 plastic clips holding the roof cover on. Pull it down a little bit and you will see a small black plastic ribbed clip that holds the glass up. I just put some duct tape over top of it. I didn't completely eliminate the clicking at first but now it's gone!

Hope that helps!

Jay

Thanks for the tip, but I was already aware of that being a possible source, and it isn't. the clip is rock solid and no amount of pressure on it stops the ticking... but it is coming from somewhere RIGHT In that area. Can't tell if its in the car or on the outside... it's like a mystery.

Any other ideas?

[fast08]

I have exactly the same ticking noise from the right rear side of the headliner. How do you pull the headliner back ? Just pull the round plastic plugs?

A few more details on the rattle:

1. It started 2 weeks ago when temperature started to drop (I live in San Diego)
2. It's a constant popping, ticking noise starting from the moment the car moves.

I really don't want to take the car in just for this problem.....

Thanks

P.s. can't believe this is my first post ..... after lurking around for almost 3 months

[holycow]

Fast08, you and I should get together here in SD one day and compare the ticky tick rattle coming from the rear and try and pinpoint it. I think we have the same one and it drives me NUTS! I have a hunch it's actually the roof vein.

[fast08]

Holycow,

This morning before driving to work I stuffed some soft packing materials (don't laugh) into the gap between the rear roof headliner and the actual roof. I didn't remove the headliner itself, just peeled from the edge enough to push the packing pad in. I pushed the stuff at least 2-3 inch in.

So far the noise is gone. I will do a longer test drive tonight. Will let you know or take pictures. We can get together to hunt the noise down if this trick doesn't work.


Cheers

[holycow]

Thanks Fast... I tried the same thing, no dice for me. Let me know if you find something difinitive.

[fast08]

Hmm.. this is actually my 2nd attempt to add padding. What kind of material did you use?

Originally Posted by holycow

Thanks Fast... I tried the same thing, no dice for me. Let me know if you find something difinitive.

[fast08]

Alright, I take it back.. the padding doesn't do squat .. drove around the block a few times and the ticking popping is back in full force...

Had a buddy of mine drove the car again with me in back seat, all I can say is:

1. The source is probably not in the trunk
2. The rear windshield looks solid, but is acting as a resonance agent of the actual rattle.

Holycow, have you tried pulling the seats out to look for the seat belt reel.

Or should I just give up and take the car to the dealership

Originally Posted by fast08

Hmm.. this is actually my 2nd attempt to add padding. What kind of material did you use?

[fast08]

Hey sti2relaxxin,

Does this work? I drove around without the back seat and the rattle was still there.

Originally Posted by sti2relaxxin

Great link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rear window rattle solved on link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be taking my back seat out this weekend and preforming the fix. I was worried I would have to take it to Subaru and have them get their paws all over the place, dissasembling everything and not putting it back together correctly and everything else that could go wrong.

[sti2relaxxin]

Originally Posted by fast08

Hey sti2relaxxin,

Does this work? I drove around without the back seat and the rattle was still there.

Instead of taking off the seat back, I put the pass through down and shoved a 1" thick wood block between the top of the seat and what the seat mounts to. If you shake the top center of the seat back it makes a sound similar to the rattling I have been hearing. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I am just about positive it is the rear windshield itself that is rattling. When I bang the window from top to bottom with my fist, it makes a higher pitched sound down low, like it is not attached as securely as the top. I also remember reading a post a while back where a guy took his car to Subaru and had the rear windshield replaced, which fixed the rattling. He said there are tabs that protrude out from the sides that anchor the windshield, and one or more had broken, producing the rattling sound. I don't know if there is anyone on here that can verify the existance of these tabs, but I am on the verge of having Subaru fix the problem. I will post my results/ findings after I eventually go to Subaru. I wish I could fix it myself though.

[fast08]

I found a link on scoobynet.
Apparently they are talking about this:

Originally Posted by sti2relaxxin

Instead of taking off the seat back, I put the pass through down and shoved a 1" thick wood block between the top of the seat and what the seat mounts to. If you shake the top center of the seat back it makes a sound similar to the rattling I have been hearing. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I am just about positive it is the rear windshield itself that is rattling. When I bang the window from top to bottom with my fist, it makes a higher pitched sound down low, like it is not attached as securely as the top. I also remember reading a post a while back where a guy took his car to Subaru and had the rear windshield replaced, which fixed the rattling. He said there are tabs that protrude out from the sides that anchor the windshield, and one or more had broken, producing the rattling sound. I don't know if there is anyone on here that can verify the existance of these tabs, but I am on the verge of having Subaru fix the problem. I will post my results/ findings after I eventually go to Subaru. I wish I could fix it myself though.

[sti2relaxxin]

The thread you posted a link to is great. I wonder if there are pegs in the bottom corners as well, as the rattling is definitely coming from the bottom corner on the passenger side. I am going to go poke around now and see what I find.

[holycow]

Originally Posted by fast08

Holycow, have you tried pulling the seats out to look for the seat belt reel.

It's not the seatbelt real. When I sat in the back and poked and prodded during the search for the rattle, the backseat was already out from doing my spring install. It is definitly coming from the top of the windshield, SOMEwhere.... either on the inside of the car or outside. Pushing against the glass itself doens't do anything...

[boondocksaint]

After I installed my X-Brace, my car got much quieter. A few weeks ago, I head a creaking. I tightened the X-Brace, and it went away. Friday night, something started to rattle over bumps. So I yanked out the back seat and tightened down the tophat nuts.

No more rattle.

If you've got a rattle back there and you're sure it isn't the trunk latch or windshield creak, tighten down those tophat nuts.