[socialpro]

UPDATE: 9/2 --- Problem SOLVED! Look at posts further down!

Have a minor ticking sound coming from my drivers side panel around the area of the seat belt extender while im driving. Anybody else experience the same thing? Does anyone have instructions on how to take that panel apart? Any help would be great!

[blacknbean]

i think i have this too. i notice a sound coming from this area when i hit a bump or something uneven in the road :/

[Rustler]

I've got a persistent rattle from the seatbelt extender on the passenger side door frame. Starting to drive me nuts. I'd love to hear about a fix if it's out there.

[socialpro]

itd be helpful if I can just open it up and get to it somehow to isolate / figure out where the noise is coming from...without breaking the extender arm haha

[ChasVS]

I pulled the fuse a month ago. About to put some super glue in there to keep it quiet! Seriously, anyone know how to quiet the rattle?

[socialpro]

figured out tonight the noise is coming from somewhere inside the b pillar. There are two service bulletins going back to this issue for an e90...Im sure its one of two things.

either..
http://www.bmwtis.com/tiscode/cgi-bi...sion=285464202

or

http://www.bmwtis.com/tiscode/cgi-bi...sion=285464202

do I attempt to mess with this myself or just take it up to the dealer to have them look at it? car is under full warranty and I definitely want this resolved.

[socialpro]

update: decided to take car into dealer after unable to find the noise myself (just know its somewhere inside b pillar). Wasn't sure if they were going to take it seriously or not, and car is covered under full warranty, so I said why not.

Service advisor had the shop foreman take a drive with me to make sure he hears the noise (I was surprised they did that for me!). Just spoke to my SA and was told that they ordered a new seat belt (should be in tomorrow)...which was causing the vibration on the inside. Will update everyone tomorrow on what the resolution was and IF this in fact did resolve my problem. I know that many people are suffering the same issue on the coupes / sedans and it would be much easier to isolate and address where the noise is coming from after knowing what the dealer did. Im very happy they went to the extent of listening to my complaint and taking measurable steps to resolve this so far. I will keep everyone posted.

[socialpro]

update: dealer claimed to have 'resolved' the problem by replacing the seatbelt. that did not do it, to my dissatisfaction. I was growing more and more annoyed with the rattle and had to get to the bottom of it taking the matters into my own hands. Made another dealership appointment. Same shop foreman rode with me in the car and 'now' claimed he does not hear the vibration, when first time around he very well did (the sound never went away or got any 'quieter'). Leads me to believe either he did not have his coffee that morning and was not apt to listening, or (more probable explanation) is that they were not willing to hunt down the noise.

Furious as I was, I ended up ripping all the panels of on the drivers side. I took the door panel off along with the b-pillar and the real panels with the speakers. After about 2-3 hours listening to the noise (going as far as feeling around in the window regulator area), I realized where the noise was coming from. I have never seen this on this board (seen similar) and was never suggested to look in this particular place.

Solution:

It was the rubber seal along the upper part of the door by the window rubbing against the seal that runs along the body of the car. This explains why this sound ONLY happened with a closed door, and with the window fully up (because otherwise there was a difference in pressure in that area therefore eliminating the contact between the two rubbers).

I have came up with a temporary solution (sticking felt stickies on the door and the body of the car in the area where it rubbed) until I can come up with a more permanent solution. I have previously tried to lube / wax / wd-40 you mention it on (as suggested on these forums) all the rubber surfaces, and that did NOT eliminate the problem, which led me AWAY from thinking it was the rubber surfaces.

I hope this helps some people out who might be experiencing the same sound becoming furious and frustrated with such ('minor to some but not us') annoyances! I would be happy to provide pictures to anyone of the exact area of where the two rubbers 'rub' together.

[blacknbean]

can you take a pic of the area you modded?

[grandmaster]

How did you remove the rear panel (with the speaker in it)?

I have a horrible vibration type rattle on rougher roads. Dealer refuses to do the work - even though i have warranty. Not a surprise with the two dealers here (and yes they do hear the sound and made notes on it) therefore I'm left to fixing it myself. I think it's the seat belt assist arms or something else is very loose in the panel. It's making noise from both sides.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.


And, just to rant.... I've noticed the 335i is developing a lot of rattles after about three years of age. I have exhaust rattles too (which i think is the waste gate and the dealer agrees but says that's also "normal"). My E46 325CI, same age, more mileage, was a better built. Anyone else agree?