Name that rattle

[audiohs]

It's time to play everyone's favorite game...Name That Rattle!

Link to video

- creaky/rattle noise
- coming from left rear passenger door towards the top
- only occurs at highway speeds
- I pushed on the trim and window and rattle persists
- I rolled down the window and believe the noise is still there

Any ideas?

 

[Yelobird]

Seat belt

 

[audiohs]

Nope. Definitely not the seat belt. I have also installed the seat belt extenders on the back.

 

[msbtt]

Have the same sounding rattle from the rear of the car, but mine only happens on hot days and below 43mph. Once going faster it disappears. Very annoying and most likely if taken to Tesla, it would not replicate.

 

[lolsups]

I finally got tired of some of the rattles I was having so I started pulling panels the other day.

I’d try to pull that side of the headliner down to see if maybe something is loose in there. Hopefully wind isn’t getting in through the roof glass somehow.

 

[audiohs]

Have the same sounding rattle from the rear of the car, but mine only happens on hot days and below 43mph. Once going faster it disappears. Very annoying and most likely if taken to Tesla, it would not replicate.

That's what I'm worried about too but at least I have a video of it now. And it seems to be happening more consistently.

I finally got tired of some of the rattles I was having so I started pulling panels the other day.

I’d try to pull that side of the headliner down to see if maybe something is loose in there. Hopefully wind isn’t getting in through the roof glass somehow.

That is my suspicion that once I get going at a high speed, air is flowing in somewhere causing something to vibrate and rattle. I'll have to look up how easy it is to remove that trim piece.

 

[EdJack]

I can't hear anything except road noise. What time mark does it happen? Did you align the rear hatchback? Maybe air pressure noise.

 

[audiohs]

I can't hear anything except road noise. What time mark does it happen? Did you align the rear hatchback? Maybe air pressure noise.

It's throughout the video. You may need to turn up the volume more but it's there. It's not your typical rattle type sound. I don't know how to describe it. It doesn't sound like plastic or metal so that's why I'm so perplexed by it. And the fact that it only happens at higher speeds. I haven't noticed anything at low speeds even on bumpy roads.

 

[EdJack]

Okay, I hear it. Kind of like a clicking rattle.

I'd still try and align the rear hatchback. Sometimes the air pressure does weird things like that. Buffeting, Booming, Rattling, Clicking due to air pressure.

Another thing to try: Turn on Bioweapon Defense Mode. That creates a positive pressure inside the car. See if the noise changes (better or worst) or remains the same.

If you turn on Bioweapon Defense Mode, and it gets better or worse, that might indicate air pressure issues causing the rattle. In that case then maybe try to align the rear hatchback. There are YouTube videos on how to align the rear hatchback.

 

[ElectricAnt54]

Maybe put foam between the plastic headliner and some areas so it can't flex as easily and vibrate.

 

[audiohs]

Okay, I hear it. Kind of like a clicking rattle.

I'd still try and align the rear hatchback. Sometimes the air pressure does weird things like that. Buffeting, Booming, Rattling, Clicking due to air pressure.

Another thing to try: Turn on Bioweapon Defense Mode. That creates a positive pressure inside the car. See if the noise changes (better or worst) or remains the same.

If you turn on Bioweapon Defense Mode, and it gets better or worse, that might indicate air pressure issues causing the rattle. In that case then maybe try to align the rear hatchback. There are YouTube videos on how to align the rear hatchback.

I tried out your suggestion about using BDM this morning as I was driving to work. I started to hear the noise and turned BDM on. Didn't make any difference. I drove for about 10 minutes on the highway so not sure if it was enough time to impact the interior pressure. Thanks for the idea though.

Maybe put foam between the plastic headliner and some areas so it can't flex as easily and vibrate.

This weekend I may try removing that trim piece and see if there is anything inside there that could be causing the noise. But I find it odd that it only happens at highway speeds and not driving around town even on bumpy roads. Makes me thinking there is some kind of wind buffeting effect of some sort. Eventually I will book a service appointment but if I can at least try to pinpoint to something, I'm trying to avoid a "fault not found" type diagnosis or them not even looking at the right area.

 

[Yelobird]

Nope. Definitely not the seat belt. I have also installed the seat belt extenders on the back.

While you have tried, you also added a modification to the seat belts. Consider, pull them and latch them as if someone was in the car and loose the extensors. Mine had a simple rattle like this and it was just the seat belt.

 

[krislayman]

Although your rattle sounds different, I would check this thread. My issue is still the back row middle seat headrest.

 

[Chewy13]

There are several wires and clips, and a curtain airbag, behind the headliner. My guess is it's a wire or clip that's starting to chatter when you're at highway speeds from some kind of high speed vibration. If you're feeling up for it - open the hatch, peel back some of the trunk gasket (don't remove it, it's got this nasty adhesive to help keep it water tight), and start to pop away the panels and clips.
Warning though, these are those weird two-piece clips, and the white part of the clip gets launched into low earth orbit... I found a few of them in the bottom of the cavity of the rear quarter panel - had to use a long reacher to pluck them from the depths of the cavity...

Here's a video on how to do it.

 

[kaizen099]

Geiger counter, your Tesla is radioactive!

 

[audiohs]

Geiger counter, your Tesla is radioactive!

LOL. That was my original thought too. I just didn't know what that tool was called. Now I know.