Driver side dash makes noise when it's cold. Fixed by pressing down

[snowthewitch]

Very annoying problem, whenever the temperature is slightly cold (maybe it's always a problem now) the dash almost always squeaks.

This is fixed if I take my hand and press down across the dash with decent force. I've tried to look around at what is causing this but the current solution is to press down on the dash each time I get in the car in a few spots.

Hoping for something a bit more permanent.

 

[snowthewitch]

Anyone else have this issue? It feels like something I could fix, it's like a flexing of the plastic. If you push down it stops but having to push on the dash each time I get in the car feels wrong.

 

[ghume]

My model 3 had a rattle on the driver's side front dash. The rattle was worse when the car was cold. I ended up taking apart the entire dash trying to figure it out. What I realized is that the grill itself was causing the rattling sound. What finally solved my issue was applying 1/2" thick neoprene foam weather sealing tape between the grill and the windshield (which you can barely see in the attached photo circled in red)

The foam weatherstripping seems to dampen the vibrations that caused the rattle.

 

[snowthewitch]

It's absolutely worse in the cold, thanks for that idea. I'm bringing in to the SC because if you press or push on it it makes a squeak noise too. But great to know there is a solution for the rattling. Taking apart the dash pretty easy?

 

[FLMan]

I think this is what you are looking for:
Fix Dashboard Vibration

I took mine in to the service center initially. They added a ton of foam in all the wrong places and somehow the noise was worse when I got it back. Plus, they scuffed up the panels.

Then I found this video and it wasn't that hard to follow along. After taking the whole thing apart and putting it back together again, I believe I could have put the foam into the sides without fully removing the speaker grille. I think I could have just loosened the sides one at a time and gotten the foam into the place it needed to be since it's really close to the edges.

Good Luck!

 

[ghume]

That video is super helpful, but I want to add a trick for getting the grill back on without having any of the metal clips fall into the vents (I had this happen many times). Instead of just pushing down on the grill as he does in the video, use a screwdriver to push the tabs on the grill slightly forward (towards the windshield) and the tabs on the grill will easily drop into place with a small amount of downward pressure on the grill. This will keep the metal clips getting pushed down into the vents.