Dashboard creak -- driving me crazy!

ajsellors said:
Hi,


Perhaps your dash has been taken out before and not refitted properly? Alternatively, the lug may have broken off the dash, it is only part of the plastic moulding and not metal. If you can push the dash down into the correct position then it is probably broken but if it doesn't move then the lug is probably resting on top of the mounting plate for the bush. The only way to correct this is to pull the dash back slightly and then re-engage the lug in the correct place at the centre of the bush. Doing that is not quite as bad as taking the whole dash out, all the fixings will still need to be undone to release it but at least the steering wheel and the A pillar trims probably won't need to come off.

Andrew

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That is most informative! My dash was removed by an Audi Dealership, and what a mess they made of it! Screws were missing, parts broken and, more importantly, if you place your hand on top of the dash and at the extreme right, it will move downwards a few mm. That is where a creaking noise originates from, whilst driving over even moderately rough surfaces. Do you thing it will be a complete, dash-out job to get it re-aligned, or just your "loosening" method? I have had two dashes out, and I know that it's quite a job! It sure is very "creaky", though .... it would be good to get rid of that noise! I am very wary of Audi Dealerships, now .... (They had stuck to an original, low and incorrect quote to fit a faulty temp. sensor and I thought that I couldn't really complain about poor workmanship when it had saved me about £800!)

David
 
DJ 190 said:
That is most informative! My dash was removed by an Audi Dealership, and what a mess they made of it! Screws were missing, parts broken and, more importantly, if you place your hand on top of the dash and at the extreme right, it will move downwards a few mm. That is where a creaking noise originates from, whilst driving over even moderately rough surfaces. Do you thing it will be a complete, dash-out job to get it re-aligned, or just your "loosening" method? I have had two dashes out, and I know that it's quite a job! It sure is very "creaky", though .... it would be good to get rid of that noise! I am very wary of Audi Dealerships, now .... (They had stuck to an original, low and incorrect quote to fit a faulty temp. sensor and I thought that I couldn't really complain about poor workmanship when it had saved me about £800!)

David
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Hi David,

If its an alignment problem then it aught to be able to be sorted with pulling it back a short way and pushing it forwards into the right place. The lugs only engage about an inch so it won't need to move too far, but all fixings will need to be undone otherwise it won't move at all.

However, as you say that your dash has been "abused", the problem may also be due to the plastic parts being broken off. If that is the case the dash may have to come right out so that suitable repairs to the structure can be fabricated.

Another possibility is that the rubber bush into which the lug is meant to locate is missing. If this is the case then even when correctly aligned, the front of the dash isn't fixed firmly in place and can rattle round in the larger hole where the rubber should be. When taking the dash out, the rubber can stay on the end of the dash and so be removed from the mounting plate. When I took out and refitted the dash shown in the photo I found that the rubber must be replaced back onto the car and allow the dash to locate into the rubber and not the other way round. I think I read that the "correct" procedure was to have the bushes fitted to the end of the dash and in refitting locate them into the mounting holes on the car. I couldn't get that to work as this requires very precise alignment which is difficult and in the end one of the bushes fell off into the car. The dash had to come out gain and fitting the bushes to the car first was much easier and actually guides the dash the last part of the way.

Having a look will prove once and for all what the problem is. To get access you will only need to remove the trim panel above the peddles but you will need a camera to see the offending area. I bought mine as a LIDL special. It probably isn't as good as some of the much more expensive professional ones but its saved me a lot of hassle already.

regards

Andrew
 
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