Dealer Can't Resolve Backseat Area Rattling

[steveo1960]

I have purchased a lot of cars in my 64 years on earth and 2 things have nagged me.
1. Alignment.
2. Squeaks and rattles.

So my 2003 GT vert has had a dashboard buzz for years. I have tried everything I could think of which included stuffing foam here there and everywhere to the point that I actually removed the console and had it, and most of the dash in my lap while driving. I finally gave up and just turned up the stereo... lol !!

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[DrkHorseStoic]

Have them check the headliner. This part circled is rattling for me when I press up in that area the headliner wants to stick to something. I think they separated .

 

[smurfslayer]

It’s really difficult to identify where a rattle / interior detected noise is coming from. I had a rattle in my ’17 Raptor for a while that really started to get my goat. At one point I got so fed up with it, I took EVERYTHING out of the truck that wasn’t there when I bought it, except for the fire extinguisher & mount on the front seat frame.

Rattle gone. Added stuff back. Rattle still gone. So it was definitely something I did, added or was carrying. I’m not sure what it was but I do carry a few basic tools, some off-road gear, a compressor, etc. I was pretty convinced it was the moonroof but not that time.

If you have anything loose anywhere in the car, start there.

You're not going to be successful with a lemon law buyback for a NVH issue (rattle).

...

There is no lemon law for a backseat rattle.

The standard for this is approximately 'significantly reduced the use or fair market value of the vehicle’ with slight variations by state. Never say never. A lot of 21+ Raptor owners made a bunch of noise about the Factory Fox shocks which turned out to be defective. There was a lot of stealership apathy on that issue as well but it eventually ended up in -I think- a TSB or service memo. Obviously, NVH in normal conditions would be a tough sell, but you never know how a LL suit is going to end up once it gets to trial but if it’s severe enough that you can catch it on audio, I’d bet that there are LL attorneys who would take that case. Not your average NVH, but if it’s bad enough...

That said, this is not the 80’s - early 90’s. Manufacturers are getting a little more aggressive at trying to make things right with extended downtime repairs, etc. LLS should be your absolute last resort as it’s time consuming, costly up front and usually doesn’t make you ‘whole’ financially, it gets a pay out or vehicle replacement but your time and frustration usually untouched. Sometimes you get a service department that is overmatched. Find another one.
Get a C/S case opened and ask to escalate to Ford’s engineering team if it’s truly bad enough. It took some time for Ford and Fox to run the shock issue to ground but they made it right.

Yes but my husband likes to pretend he doesn’t hear anything.

Did you say something? ;-)

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