new dash noise problem...hopefully someone can help!!

6511 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Bueller44, May 24, 2007

waterman7474

Discussion Starter · Feb 7, 2007

so, i still can't get the rattle behind the dash fixed (or found for that matter), i've tried all the stuff listed here, and i think this new problem might be related.

so, the weathers been nice so i've been running w/o any of the hvac on. the other day, when i started up (and almost every time since) i get this cycling noise behind the dash (kinda between the radio and the speedo). it sounds like there are vents moving and closing and whatever. i heard that lots of cars do this, when they turn off, the vents open to help with fogging and if thats the case, that's probably what this is......but it's pretty loud, well, really noticeable anyway. the best way describe it is that it sounds like if there's one of those wheels that has a bar attached to it in a groove and it's not sliding in that groove very smoothly AT ALL while its rotating, almost shuddering. is this actually what is going on back there in the hvac pack and maybe something needs to be lubed?

this might relate to my rattle problem cause it sounds like its coming from this area and it sounds like a cable just barely resting on plastic and vibrating, from that area.

the second problem that started yesterday is in the same area. and its NOT the gurgling sound, i have that too. at first is kinda sounds like that but it is clearly something mechanical going on back there. so this one sounds like the same kind of "cycling" but its definitely not the same. when i first heard it i was stopped kind of on the side of the road on an incline so i thought it might be the motion sensor or something cause i was at an angle. so i moved to a flat area and it's still happening. the hvac on/off, any vent position/combination doesn't seem to affect it at all. foot on the break, nothing. seems to happen every 2-3 minutes or so.

since its CONVENIENTLY just out of warranty, i don't feel like getting bent over at the dealership for them to throw "ideas" at it.........like my rear area rattle was: rocks on the fuel tank, loose wheel well trim, totally new back door.....all of which were somehow my fault and wouldn't be covered under warranty..................turns out it was a loose roof-rack....!!!

hopefully someone here knows what's going on back there behind the dash and can shed some light.

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waterman7474

Discussion Starter · #2 · Feb 8, 2007

got more news. i started playing with things and when i switched it over to the defrost, the gremlin reared it's ugly head. all in all it was getting worse, so i was playing with all the different vent locations and it was definitely a door motor not working properly. when i went to the defrost, it went haywire, like a cartoon sliding door with someone in the way, er-er-er-er-er.

so, disgusted, i go to the dealer. show him and he says it's one of the actuator motors that shifts where the air goes. i then express my further growing displeasure with my Nissan product and all the convenient post-warranty problems i am having (you don't wanna know about the repeatedly-missed-blown-shock until-after-warranty but-you need a brake job with 70% of the pads left debacle). he says they aren't cheap but he'll see if, like the shock, he can get Nissan to pay for some of it.

pretty nice of him, again but just in case, is this something i might be able to do myself ? not sure how hard it is to get into that unit.

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X-Prophet

· #3 · Feb 8, 2007

had the exact same problem with my actuator motor. Part is on its way to the dealership (mine's still under warranty). Basically, I brought the X in on Jan 22, only to have your typical dealership monkey open up the dash, put some small scratches on the trim, close it up, and tell me to come back in a couple of weeks when the new actuator arrives. :angryfire:

waterman7474

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 5, 2007

anything new on this? have you gotten anywhere?

turns out the guy i was working with is no longer there, that's a surprise!!

so, since it's conveniently out of warranty... they want $98 dollars just to figure out what the problem is!!! on top of that, if they have to take the dash apart, i'm looking at around $800 FREAKIN DOLLARS and that's not even fixed, that's him ballparking!!!! UNREAL!!

while i am quite sure that they are gonna stick it in and break it off on this one, anyone have any idea if this is something i might be able to correct myself. maybe this motor or the guides for the little doors are just dirty or something??

maybe i can find an independent shop that won't screw me so bad.

VanX

· #5 · Mar 6, 2007

First off - I'm hijacking the thread...sorry

Second off - I do NOT work for NISSAN.

Thirdly, my point. Part of the reason I went with Nissan was my buddy's experience. With 40K km on his Sentra, he complained that it was eating some oil. Nissan looked at it and replaced the engine. No questions asked. I now own that Sentra. My point is simply that not all dealerships are stealerships.

Back to your point - good luck with your troubles.

Cheers,

X-Prophet

· #6 · Mar 6, 2007

mine still hasn't been fixed. They haven't called yet so I'm assuming either the part is not in yet, or the idiots just forgot to call me back. I'll give them a call tomorrow to follow up.

X-Prophet

· #7 · Mar 19, 2007

just an update:

i finally had time to bring the X in and everything was fixed. Took them about 2 hours.

X11

· #8 · Mar 19, 2007

I know this isn't the problem you guys have but I had a dash rattle and it was driving me crazy, turned out it was the antennae, it had loosened just enough to rattle back and forth, but it sounded like it was coming from in the dash.

WSU_Coug

· #9 · May 21, 2007

I have that exact same noise coming from behind the dash as well. It's definitely getting worse - hear it everytime you switch back and forth from defrost or when you turn on the ignition with the selector on defrost. Of course, my X is out of the warranty period - do you know specifically the name of the part and how much it costs to replace? Or is there a simple fix I could do? It seems like I remember seeing another thread about it, has something to do with the gears starting to slip? This is all I could find in the search though. Any help would be great, its really starting to drive me nuts!

PonyBoy

· #10 · May 21, 2007

If you pop the hood and follow your ac line there is a little metal bracket above the firewall. I am 99% sure this will fix your rattle noise if it happens when turning the defrost on and off. All you need to do is bend it away from the sheet metal. The rattle is when it is hitting against the sheet metal.

slate1

· #11 · May 22, 2007

waterman7474 said:
this might relate to my rattle problem cause it sounds like its coming from this area and it sounds like a cable just barely resting on plastic and vibrating, from that area.

I'm getting this noise too - driving me crazy trying to figure it out. Seems to be only on rough/bumpy roads and sounds like it's coming from behind the speedo/tach cluster.

Offroad

· #12 · May 22, 2007

slate1 said:
waterman7474 said:

this might relate to my rattle problem cause it sounds like its coming from this area and it sounds like a cable just barely resting on plastic and vibrating, from that area.

Click to expand...

I'm getting this noise too - driving me crazy trying to figure it out. Seems to be only on rough/bumpy roads and sounds like it's coming from behind the speedo/tach cluster.

Do you hava an MT or auto tranny?

WSU_Coug

· #13 · May 22, 2007

Well I tried bending the bracket but I don't think that was it - still makes the noise when I switch to and from defrost. I'm almost positive its the actuator motor that someone else had mentioned. Don't hear it on bumpy roads or anything, just when you switch to or from defrost - kind of a ratcheting sound as the flap moves back and forth. So how much is this actuator motor, and would it possible to install myself? What do you guys think?

slate1

· #14 · May 22, 2007

Offroad said:
slate1 said:

waterman7474 said:

this might relate to my rattle problem cause it sounds like its coming from this area and it sounds like a cable just barely resting on plastic and vibrating, from that area.

Click to expand...

I'm getting this noise too - driving me crazy trying to figure it out. Seems to be only on rough/bumpy roads and sounds like it's coming from behind the speedo/tach cluster.

Click to expand...

Do you hava an MT or auto tranny?

Auto - and just to be clear, I'm not getting the noise waterman7474 is describing when switching to defrost; just the intermittent rattle that sounds like a cable vibrating on the piece of plastic when I'm on particularly rough pavement.

Offroad

· #15 · May 23, 2007

slate1 said:
Offroad said:

slate1 said:

waterman7474 said:

this might relate to my rattle problem cause it sounds like its coming from this area and it sounds like a cable just barely resting on plastic and vibrating, from that area.

Click to expand...

I'm getting this noise too - driving me crazy trying to figure it out. Seems to be only on rough/bumpy roads and sounds like it's coming from behind the speedo/tach cluster.

Click to expand...

Do you hava an MT or auto tranny?

Click to expand...

Auto - and just to be clear, I'm not getting the noise waterman7474 is describing when switching to defrost; just the intermittent rattle that sounds like a cable vibrating on the piece of plastic when I'm on particularly rough pavement.

Got. There's a thread on XOC about a noise behind the speedo cluster that ended up being the clutch.

Bueller44

· #16 · May 24, 2007

I get the rattle behind the dash that sounds like a flap. It happens when the fan is on 1 or 2 regardless of the vent setting. Funny thing is, I can turn the ignition off, and 10 seconds later, I get the sound with out any power to the truck? Go figure. I have an appointment at the dealership next tuesday to look at that, the continous hood squeek, and what seems like a really squeeky suspension on very smooth flat roads.

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