I am posting this solution to hopefully benefit others. Ever since I received my M3LR, I have had noise in the passenger front door and, more recently, both rear doors (never the driver's side front door). I would describe it as a leather on leather rubbing noise. It has really made me crazy since it was very inconsistent - when people sat in the seats it seemed the noise went away, so I thought it was the seats, but could never pin point where and that was inconsistent as well. Although I could not easily replicate the noise, I took it to the Paramus, NJ service center and they took the front passenger door apart and added felt tape to various areas - no luck. I took off the B pillar cover on the passenger side as that seems to be a known source of noise - no luck. I put felt tape along the sides of the upper part of the rear seats - no luck. I drove with the rear seats down - no luck.
Finally I asked my wife to drive me around as I sat in the back seat (she tolerates a lot) and I was able to isolate the noise to where the door meets the rubber weather stripping on the side of the car. I did a little more research and it seems this is a known source of noise with many cars. As the rubber dries out the friction against the metal door makes a noise. Seems like cold temps make it even worse. Once I realized what it might be, I opened and closed each door before I drove the car and that eliminated the noise - for a while. This is why I thought someone sitting in the seat eliminated the noise - they had just opened and closed the door. This is also why I never heard the noise in the driver's front door - I had just opened and closed it to get in. Since I don't want to open and close each door before I drive the car, I found this lubricant on Amazon and, so far, the noises are gone!! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004B8GTQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I discussed this situation with a friend of mine who also has a M3LR and he told me he had the same problem and was equally perplexed. I told him my theory and he just wiped some tire shine on his door seals and that fixed the problem for him.
I also have a MYLR and have never heard a similar noise, so not sure why the noise was on the M3 only. Possibly because the Y is our family car and all the doors are opened and closed pretty much every day. In any case, I hope this helps others diagnose and solve this noise.
Finally I asked my wife to drive me around as I sat in the back seat (she tolerates a lot) and I was able to isolate the noise to where the door meets the rubber weather stripping on the side of the car. I did a little more research and it seems this is a known source of noise with many cars. As the rubber dries out the friction against the metal door makes a noise. Seems like cold temps make it even worse. Once I realized what it might be, I opened and closed each door before I drove the car and that eliminated the noise - for a while. This is why I thought someone sitting in the seat eliminated the noise - they had just opened and closed the door. This is also why I never heard the noise in the driver's front door - I had just opened and closed it to get in. Since I don't want to open and close each door before I drive the car, I found this lubricant on Amazon and, so far, the noises are gone!! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004B8GTQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I discussed this situation with a friend of mine who also has a M3LR and he told me he had the same problem and was equally perplexed. I told him my theory and he just wiped some tire shine on his door seals and that fixed the problem for him.
I also have a MYLR and have never heard a similar noise, so not sure why the noise was on the M3 only. Possibly because the Y is our family car and all the doors are opened and closed pretty much every day. In any case, I hope this helps others diagnose and solve this noise.
