Rattle in the rear hatch area
 

Hello,

For those owners that have the gas strut that holds up your rear cargo/spare tire cover - are you experiencing a rattle?

I was one the owners that did not get the gas strut installed at factory and had the dealer put on (simple install). The problem is, now I have a rattle. Not all the time, but around corners, over speed bumps, pulling onto our driveway, etc. It is irritating.

I only just figured out it was the cover when I put a large and heavy item on the cover. The rattle was gone! The rattle was not present before the strut was installed.

Thank you for the help.

That is odd...I am the only X5 owner with a rattle in the hatch area.

Have an 2010 X5 35d with a tailgate that was making a knocking noise when going slow and making right or left turn. I wrapped the bottom of the u shaped latches on both sides of the small tailgate with approximately 1.5 inches of electrical tape and the center u shaped latch in the middle of the bottom small tailgate door. Noise is completely gone. Checkout davahad post in

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...r-hatch-4.html

Good luck. I actually sat in the tailgate area and had my wife drive around the neighborhood to isolate the noise.

Thanks for the info and the link Prof. I will give it a try today and post back the results. Here's hoping that is the fix on my unit.

There is for sure a bulletin on a rear hatch rattle (both my 3.0si and 4.8i had a rattle, but more on my 3.0si). It's been a while, but my dealer said something about having to re-align the rear hatch where it closes (or makes contact). It never rattles again.

Also, the Range Rover (which used BMW parts) can rattle. Their (simple) fix was to wrap a small amount of thin, black felt tape around the latch where the glass (upper part of door) makes contact with the lower paft of rear hatch (the one that opens towards you and goes flat). It worked amazing!

Hi deutsch100, so the edge where the upper rests on the lip of the lower door that goes flat? I will also try that if that is the case.

Kirkinner,
while your rattle could be the issue you are discussing with others here, I also wonder if it could be your post-production strut. I suspect that is a fairly unusual add-on. I'm guessing you ordered your X w/o the space-saver spare and subsequently added the spare and the strut. I hope you will report back as you solve this issue. I am curious about the strut. I did not order with the spare and added one after delivery. I did not know the strut could be added so I never asked. How much did they charge you for that part and install? Do you think it is essential? While I got the spare hoping to never use it, I did not even know about the strut and just assumed that I could manage the spare out of storage compartment if needed. But, I have never tried to see just how far the storage lid will open (lean back to stay open?). I am the only one who drives my vehicle so I suspect, if I ever do need it, I could hold the cover open with one hand and lift out the spare with the other hand. But, you have tickled my curiosity about the strut. Thanks!

The dealer added the strut for me at no charge. For some reason BMW decided to eliminate it. The cargo door will not stay open without it and I suspect that getting your tire out should you need to, would be tricky.

I tried the tape where the doors latch to the vehicle and to each other, and it seemed to help, but there was still a similar rattle noise from somewhere else - that strut assembly I suspect.

I may just get the dealer to take over at this point.

Thanks K. Please post back. :beerchug:

I added the strut assembly to mine myself and there is no rattle. Does it still rattle if you lock the cover?

Chuck

Is it possible that the strut has been installed in such a way as to not let the floor close completely such that it bounces down against the trim over bumps?

For those of us curious about the strut install, would someone with it mind posting a quick pic?

Thanks

There are pictures in this thread.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...oor-2010s.html

Chuck

Thanks a lot:thumbup:

You are very welcome.

Chuck

I think that possibly the reason they pulled the piece is because it causes a rattle noise that can only be rectified with a design change. I tried the electrical tape on the latch points of the half door, and it helped. Still some rattle sounds, but much less now. I think the sounds I am hearing now are strictly from the cargo hatch in the floor and something to do with the strut.

On my E70s, I do not know exactly what they did, but they said they had to "re-align" where the hatch meets and closes.

On the Rover (which shares the X5 rear hatch system), they wrapped thin felt tape, literally on the latch. It looks likes a metal flat U, where the tape was applied. It's not the latch on the part that raises up, but on the hatch that opens towards you. I know, so hard to describe with words (yet I do not have an E70 or Range Rover in the garage, to take a picture for you!!)

Thank you deutsch100 - I found exactly what you are referring to. I have taped everything and still some rattling sound, although way less now.

I think the gas strut was only withdrawn in the US and Canada for liability issues. It certainly was not withdrawn in the home market (UK and Europe)

My (2010) factory fitted strut doesn't rattle.

Cheers London Lad. That is what I understand as well. Only the models destined for US and Canada have had the strut removed. I took this matter up with BMW corporate and they were of very little help.

They said other improvements have been made in the car and it was BMW Planning Dept. that decided that the strut should go.

I would expect that there would be a higher probability of liability issues for BMW if someone with the spare tire was injured whilst removing the tire from the compartment.

I had the strut installed by dealer and the rattles started after that. Perhaps a coincidence. The tape on the latch points did help quite a bit, but a rattle still remains...just less often.

Yes I agree. I could not see how not having the strut was safer but who knows how these people's minds work ??

I think is was simply a cost-reduction move by BMW NA for profitability reasons, not Munich.

Good assumption, but fact is, the general public will never know why they decided to remove that part in some countries, and not in others.

I cannot see any "liability" in the strut either. The only far fetched possibility I can imagine is if the strut was failing and allowing the lid to fall onto peoples' hands/heads, etc. But, if that were actually happening, why would BMW still put these in European versions? Perhaps Europeans are less litigious!

How about you try to remove the stut and see if that fixes the rattle. If it doesnt stop then you know its not the strut. Sorry if someone suggested it...I just did a quick scan of the thread.

- DaRip

Europeans are most definitely less litigious but unfortunately we are catching you guy up fast :(

I was told (but dismissed at the time) that it was because owners in the US had opened the load floor with items on top and then the strut had not supported the weight and allowed the floor to close.

It is possible that its something that daft as I do know for a fact that some Audis have had their jacks removed for the US market in case owners didn't position them properly and the car fell off !!!!

Where that all ends I don't know ? No doors in case someone shuts their fingers in them ?

Back OT, I can't see the strut would rattle as it's under pressure when the floor is closed.

All BMW had to do is add on a cord with a hook on it to allow a person to hook the cargo hatch open. Went to the new car auto show last week, and I must have seen a dozen different makes and models with that approach to hold a hatch door open. Simple. Cheap, and it works.

I have now applied some rubber bumpers around the latch...we shall see.

There are lots of Urban Legends out there.

For sure and the strut story may well be one of them but the Audi jack story is 101% correct (I'm afraid)

That speaks more of the stupidity of Audi management than of the U.S. legal environment.

I am always suspicious of these sorts of stories. Years ago BMW quit selling motorcycle helmets in the U.S. The story going around was that the German vendor of the motorcycle helmets refused to sell them to BMW for the U.S. market because of liability concerns. In actual fact, the newer version of the helmet could not pass the DOT tests and therefore could not be imported and sold. I often wondered if BMW started the "U.S. Legal Climate" rumor...

You have to admit there are some ridiculous liability cases both brought and won in the USA but I often wonder if some manufactures are using it as an excuse for cost cutting.

No you are not.

I have the exact same issue, and i think it's a cover.

Every time i make a long trip and put a lot of stuff in the back, the rattle stops

what should we do?

:yikes:

Tried everything I can think of now...still a "bleeping" rattle from the back or passenger side C pillar.

It is slowly driving me crazy!

Tell me about it...

I played arround with the hatch yesturday, and the rattle eased a little but not by much.

It's driving me crazy, makes me feel like, i'am drivind a 1975 car that has fallen a part.

actually makes me think really hard about selling it.

And the battery drain once in a month does not help it either.

Anyways let's hope for the best

This happened to me - open the door and check the latch assembly attached to the bottom lid. Mine was sliding and was not secured. I would get this rattling noise over speed humps because the door would bounce. No quick access to secure the latch so I had the dealer secure it during a visit.

I fixed my rattle by adjusting the catches where the gate meets the truck's frame. I believe I released a bolt or two on each catch and then moved them toward the front of the truck so it would hold the gate tighter against the truck's body.

I will have the dealership take care of that when the X is in next.

Thank you.

I haven't had time to see what's causing it or to try different things, but among other rattles, I hear them in the back somewhere. It drives me crazy.

I have it in the shop today. I will let everyone know the outcome. I took one of their apprentice mechanics out with me for a drive. He was quite thorough in investigating it...and I am hopeful that he can solve the rattle issues.

Same/similar issue Kirk. Let us know, thanx.

I just ordered the gas spring and bracket to add to my 2010 X5. I haven't had any rattles in the first 6,000 miles, so I'll let you know if any appear after I install the gas lift to the rear floor cover/lid.

Thanks Penguin - that will be good info to get.

For those without 3rd row also try with the rear seat backs folded down.. I have a rattle in one side of the seats (the small side) that is occurring within the seat or at the latch.

regards

Thanks jamesboags - mine is due back today and I will check that as well and post what the dealership did as well.

Well, I got my X5 back from dealer and although it took them an extra half day to sort out the rattles, I am happy to say NO MORE RATTLES!

If anyone from Calgary is reading this, Andrew, the tech in service at BMW Gallery, sorted it out.

He had to adjust rear seats where they latch (cheers Jamesboags), and also put thin foam tape between the plastic flap and the other plastic on the rear half door.

I drove around today and heard nothing. I will keep you updated if the rattles return.

Guys,

i have had boot rattles, please have a look at
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-rigidity.html

Bare in mind, this problem might not simply be confined to the cargo cover only. Mine was to do with Upper/ lower lids. The dealers have adjusted and put felt pads in appropriate places and have sorted these rattles now.
After driving another E70 3.0Si, 3.0D and another 4.8i from the dealer, I am now convinced that the flexing of the body on BMW E70 is quite normal. The rattles are caused by plastic trims rubbing agains with each other when the body is flexing during travel over un-even roads. You may get tailgate, upper lid rattles if the latches are not adjusted approriately. I was surprised all X5's I test drove had boot rattles recently. (My dealer seems to have made sure that they provided onces without any rattles for test driving prior to my purchase)

FIXED. Just a little electrical tap around the 3 latch points and it's quiet so far. Thanks Kirkinner. :)

Wanna post some photos of the fix as a "just-in-case" for the rest of us should we run into this one?
T.I.A.

Yea for sure, let me get some pictures in the morning.

That is awesome news!

Well, I got the cylinder/bracket and installed it. Driven it 250 mils so far and no rattle.

P.S. Installing the cylinder lift on the rear deck was one of the easiest tasks I've done on any vehicles for quite a while. Took all of ten minutes, including getting and putting away the tools. Actual installation time was about two minutes, including a little dab of blue locktite on the bolts.

Could you post the installation pics if u have? and part numbers...

The rattle is irritating me a lot..as the 2nd avenue (NY) is full of pot holes

Read the fixes above. It is not the strut nor the bracket that will solve the rattling issues. Read this entire thread and you will be enlightened.

As kirkinner said, this has nothing to do with stopping the rattle, it was only discussed as a possible cause.

That said, here's the tread about installing it:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...oor-2010s.html

Sorry for it being dirty (been moving some stuff).

Pic #1, on both sides I just wrapped the latch point with about 2 inches of electrical tape.

Pic #2, same... wrapped it with about 2 inches of electrical tape.

no annoying metallic rattle any more!

Cost: MAYBE 0.10 cents (USD$ or CDN$) :rofl:

...and don't forget to add the felt tape to the plastic flap on the small lift up tail gate. You add the felt tape to the plastic flap that can be opened to inspect the hinge area of the gate.

^ haha, yes. I added a THICKER piece of foam tape to the plastic flap on the bottom trunk door. There was already a piece there so I'm not sure if it helped or not.

Here's the fix to the other rattles if the ones posted here doesn't work for you:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...tml#post778376

Dealer fixed my rattles:
1) Rear seat latch
2) Tailgate bumpstops

i have this problem also. mine was resolved after placing a sticky tape where the cargo cover latch locks with the rear trim

i had to do this also. I recon BMW should employ us to fix rattles before the cars role off the production line hah?

New rattles again... never ends
Anyone got instructions for SIB ra51 47 156 ?
This is instructions to remove c-pillar vent trim - mine is rattling