Metal hitting sound coming from inside the dash

Z

zsolie

Member
I have discovered my long issue with a metal hitting sound coming from inside the dash. I think It's a common issue and it have a very annoying sound, especially on the A2 fitted with diesel engines. It is the metal bar linking the top bracket behind the instruments towards the windscreen. This screw is located vertically to the windscreen and it can be tightened from inside the engine bay. It looks like the screw is completely loose and the washer make this sound. It's located behind the wiper motor and it can be tightened without to removing anything, you will need 13mm key and ratchet with long handle and lot of patience. It need to located it with a mirror and a torch, you can't see without these from the engine bay. This screw it cause for me a lot of unpleasant hours/days spending in searching the hitting sound from dashboard.
After it was tightened most of the rattles from the dashboard dissapears.
 
Hi there - was this rattle at certain revs? I have also got this "metal on metal" sounding vibration at 1500RPM which I haven't managed to cure yet either - I'll give this a go, thank you.
 
Yes, it rattle at certain revs. The metal washer on the screw "dancing", it's placed vertically from the engine behind the washer motor under the windscreen. If you locate this screw it it will be a 3min job to fix :)
I search this from January, when my A2 start to vibrate :)
Also if you pull wery wery hard the entire dashboard towards the windscreen it stops for the moment, but it's unconfortable to drive in this position for a long time :)
 
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I tried to make some photos where it can be reach:

20150927_120808.jpg20150927_120856.jpg
 
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Cheers. I've got a rattle that I can cure by pushing my leg against the centre console but that gets quite tiring after a while! Another one which seems to go away if I pull on the "grab bar" on the passenger dash - but it's difficult to steer when doing that! Then there's another, new, metallic rattle I get when pulling away which sounds like it might be exhaust-related (or possibly a heat-shield), one from the B-pillar which goes away when I push against the plastic trim (but again rather impractical when driving!) and finally there's this awful one I get at 1500RPM which sounds like the whole of the bonnet is about to vibrate itself off, but nothing I have done so far has solved that one, including packing in foam around and under scuttle, putting foam tape in the bonnet mount buckets and various other tricks.

Perhaps I should employ an octopus to sit in the passenger seat and deaden all the noises with its tentacles?!

Of course you have an LHD car - I assume the bolt will be in the same actual physical location for a RHD car?
 
The bolt will be behind the centre console, if you have a RHD car it will be on the right side. Maybe in your car will be a little bit more space for work:) Please see the pictures attached above, it's from the LHD car.
 
Has anyone tried this on a RHD car yet?

I had a look today and could only find insulation and bolts with grommets which all felt tight. Its pretty dense in there.

Anyone with the wiper motor stripped out that could show RHD fixing locations? Or a workshop manual pointing at the bolts that zsolie found to be loose?

My rattle is at 1900 rpm and starting to give me a twitch just before I change gear!
 
I had a similar rattle, was my bonnet!

A few sticky pads on the bonnet retainers near the bulkhead sorted mine
 
I think I found my culprit…I removed the trim under the steering wheel, released the fuse holder nuts and dropped that out of the way, reached right up and forwards to where the dash and windscreen meet but from behind the steering column. There is a metal channel about 1.5”, 30mm wide with short returns on either edge running into the engine bay from under the dash. Gentle movement of this makes the rattle I have. A complete donkey to get to, so for now I’ve stuffed it with adhesive backed draft excluder to wedge it still. Seems to work at idle revs but hoping to test properly later. Thought I’d share for others hunting!
 
Here is an image with the dash out RHD car. I must apologise to the original author of this picture as I have forgotten who it is.......


1648164701645.png


Perhaps you can pin point where the offending part is.
 
jonjo said:
I think I found my culprit…I removed the trim under the steering wheel, released the fuse holder nuts and dropped that out of the way, reached right up and forwards to where the dash and windscreen meet but from behind the steering column. There is a metal channel about 1.5”, 30mm wide with short returns on either edge running into the engine bay from under the dash. Gentle movement of this makes the rattle I have. A complete donkey to get to, so for now I’ve stuffed it with adhesive backed draft excluder to wedge it still. Seems to work at idle revs but hoping to test properly later. Thought I’d share for others hunting!
Click to expand...
Sounds like this old chestnut that has cropped up over the years, the initial focus of this thread. From what you describe it sounds like the bar that runs front to back under the dash behind the steering wheel to the base of the windscreen. It is secured by a bolt (I think) with the nut accessible from the engine bay (or the way round I can't remember or maybe just a screw). The fixing works loose, the bar is loose and vibrates/rattles.

1648164663591.png

It is a three minute job to cure but what you have to tighten in the engine bay is well hidden and I cannot remember the details but you will find more information somewhere on here. Sorry to be so vague.

Andy

Edit. Maybe you have remove the wiper motor, in which case not three minutes.
 
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Andrew said:
Sounds like this old chestnut that has cropped up over the years, the initial focus of this thread. From what you describe it sounds like the bar that runs front to back under the dash behind the steering wheel to the base of the windscreen. It is secured by a bolt (I think) with the nut accessible from the engine bay (or the way round I can't remember or maybe just a screw). The fixing works loose, the bar is loose and vibrates/rattles.

View attachment 92584
It is a three minute job to cure but what you have to tighten in the engine bay is well hidden and I cannot remember the details but you will find more information somewhere on here. Sorry to be so vague.

Andy

Edit. Maybe you have remove the wiper motor, in which case not three minutes.
Click to expand...
So that would be part 2 (the 8Z2 rhd version - mirrored compared to the diagram as the photo shows above), secured by parts 25/26 on this diagram linked below. Wiper motor almost certainly in the way in both cases.

dashboard; dashboard fittings; grab handle Audi A2 (A2) 2003 year Audi EUROPA 857000

dashboard<br/>dashboard fittings<br/>grab handle Audi A2 (A2) 2003 year Audi EUROPA 857000 spare parts
audi.7zap.com audi.7zap.com
 
Thanks for these pictures @audifan and @Andrew. In the current daily temperature range I have a contact rattle/squeak under the passenger side of the dash on my Crystal car which is driving me potty ?. It's silent when it's either properly cold, properly hot, or humid/raining. Now I can see my prime suspect is the flat-topped assembly above the blower fan casing.
 
jonjo said:
Yes, @audifan @Andrew @Robin_Cox thats the bracket, any idea what the function is? I have the wiper off so could remove the scuttle panel and wiper motor to get access and check that bolt.
Click to expand...
Looking at it it seems clear to me the bar is there to help give the metal gantry that supports the dash extra rigidity in the back to front direction.

Thanks to @Robin_Cox in the post above you are looking for a M8 bolt with washer that screws up in the engine bay. If you do find it can you please take pictures to record for posterity the location of this pesky bolt that can cause this annoying noise for some.

Andy
 
Here you go! When I removed the insulation covering the top of the bulkhead I found this m5 bolt loose!

As previously discussed, wiper motor has to come off for access.

Scuttle panel and cabin air inlet duct need removing. Then 2x nut (10mm) with captivated washers on the bulk head, 2x 10mm bolts vertical, disconnect loom and free loom from tie points. Wiggle out. Remove insulation from top face. The bolt in question should be as shown in the image, haha, maybe not that lose!
E1C0EB47-839A-462B-91BF-66388BD466C4.jpeg
 
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Another culprit can be elsewhere… it’s the plastic holder where you slide the bonnet in. It vibrates and gives a metallic sounding through the ventilation.
 
Back on the road and this bolt has not cured the rattle 😤

I’ve used adhesive backed foam tape underneath and around the plastic bonnet catch female, still a rattles.

Frustrating because indie garages alway point at that rattle and tell me it’s not the suspension they did 😅.

I took the instrument cluster apart and gave it a shake, nothing loose there. I can press/hold the gauge windows and the rattle continues.

Anyone done something else i can try? Air vent might hold some secrets?

Failing this it’s dash out but I’m reluctant. That’s not a quick job I guess?
 
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