Anyone having issues with a rattle in the rear hatch?
 

I have a rattle coming from the window frame in the rear hatch. It's driving me crazy! I've had it to the dealer twice and it's still not fixed. Most recently I took it to the dealer they said it was fixed which it was not. They said they "took it for a spin to test it", when I checked the odometer I noticed they drove it 22 miles for their "test" and it's still not fixed. I'm thinking all they did was joy ride my car and never fixed anything. Ticked! Anyone else have this issue and a solution for fixing it?

What kind of rattle? metal-metal? metal-plastic? plastic-plastic? certain RPM's? rattle? buzz?

I've got buzz or two-definitely plastic to plastic. Think it's from uninstalling & reinstalling my rear plastics + my exhaust. This winter I'm going to strip it all out & put some electrical tape anywhere there is plastic to plastic contact. And didn't have any issues until I put in my FI exhaust and cats - they just shake the crap out of everything.

Sounds like plastic on plastic. The rattle is coming from the top of the window frame in the rear hatch. I can reach back while sitting in the driver seat and tap on the top of the window frame to recreate the rattle. It happens when certain low frequency bass comes out of the stereo or when driving over rough road surfaces. The dealer said they put some padded tape in the area but it clearly hasn't improved the issue.

Common problem unfortunately with the Z. Common culprits are the rear latch for the trunk, loose body panel, or sometimes there is a missing rubber grommet. If you open your trunk and look at the sides there are two clear quarter size grommets. In some cases one was missing causing the hatch to not close fully. You can adjust the latch (although kind of a pain to do) to make the trunk close more snug. Lastly, check all the body panels for loose or broken fittings.

Honestly, my 2010 Nismo has a bit of a rattle and has since near the time I bought it. Only happens in the winter when it's cold. In the summer when things expand a bit it's not there. Same with a shifter rattle. Considering it's only cold here 3 months out of the year I just deal with it.

I would remove the plastic trim around the hatch and see if by removing the top part of trim is causing it. Yea I know the dealer should be doing it since its under warranty and all but at least you could just narrow it down, it maybe something rubbing the inside of the trim

Here's a DiY on how to remove it but keep in mind if you have to remove the two 10mm bolts to pop it off, there is one bolt on each side once it pops off? The two side pieces as well as the center piece pop of also. Not a complicated thing to do just reverse the process when your all done. I hope it helps


http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...r-spoiler.html

Try using small pieces of foam, folded paper, &c to put a slight "bind" on the panel in different spots. Slip it between the plastic and metal. That should help you locate the problem area and just maybe (don't hold your breath) the dealer will actually fix it.

PS: Your warranty is with Nissan, not the dealer. Find a more cooperative dealer if you keep having problems with the current one. I fired the dealer I bought my Z from and now use another.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. At this point I think I'll try to fix it myself. If not I'll try another dealer.

Take hatch off then you will have a Del Sol.

I am also having the rattle problem in the hatch. It seems to be emanating from the latch and it only happens over bumps in the road. I have removed the jack tools and spare to rule out other possibilities and it's still happening.
One thing I noticed from outside is that I press the hatch and it can be pushed down about a half an inch bouncing back up. When I try this on my wife's VW there's no play or bounciness. I'm thinking that the rubber weatherstripping is the culprit. My weatherstripping is not cracked, but it is squishy. Should it be stiffer? Has anyone had this problem?
Not sure if I should just replace the hatch weatherstripping or add an additional weatherstripping running next to the OEM along the back.
Thanks.
Cheers.

Do you have to push the hatch release button more than once or have to pull up on the hatch while pushing on the button to get past the catch? If so, you may fall under the TSB that was issued for the two hatch springs. I forget what Nissan calls them but it's the two black "nubs" on the bottom side of the hatch, about halfway down each side.

I removed the weight from the hatch a couple of years ago. This noise has become apparent in the last few months. The hatch pops up as soon as I press the button once. I then have to manually lift the hatch from there.
I see the two springs (nubs) on the sides of the hatch just behind the gas liftgate shocks, and I'm sure the springs affect the play on the hatch. I can press them, but not sure how stiff they should be.

I'm also wondering if the hatch itself should have weatherstripping. The weatherstripping on mine is on the body, not the hatch.

No noise on mine. Adjust striker possible?

great idea!

Just did the penny insert recommendation on the two hatch spring. However, I used a nickel and rubber washer. Hatch pops up a little quicker, but it did not eliminate the noise.
Then started tapping on the black part of the bumper that meets with the weatherstripping and noticed it rattles a bit on the metal it touches. Put a strip of Dynamat between the two. Will need to take it for a quickie test drive to see if it worked.

The Dynamat helped but did not cure the problem. Although improved, there's still a plastic rattle that occurs over bumps.

I'd try putting some foam between the plastic and metal. Something with some give that you can press in there and keep some "tension" on the parts. If you have one rattle, you may have another. Maybe you fixed one of the rattles and now you hear another.

Good point! There are probably layers of rattles.

I fixed same problem on my 09, first you need get an idea where its coming from, in my case when its was buzzing i lightly pressed on the headliner in the back center (there is a small hump) and the buzzing stopped, i have a nav so there are cables going to antenna, so i dropped down the headliner a bit used some dynamat to 'glue' down those cables, that got rid of 90% of buzzing there is still some faint buzzing but again pressing on head liner makes it go away so i just need to 'rinse and repeat'.

i would not do foam, it will move and it will rattle again, i bought some felt tape from amazon, its only 1mm thick works really great, you can use it to tape down loose cables and put a bit of it between places where plastic meets with metal.

Yeah i have that same rattle, also removed trunk hatch weight and it started happening, ill check the wiring and stuff see what i fond.

/\

I been thinking that is part of purpose of hatch weight, because once I took mine out rattle was more pronounced.

I've narrowed the rattle to the door hatch itself near the latch/lock. I removed the door hatch plastic panel and the rattle seems to be emanating from this area. Test drove without the panel and the noise is coming from the latch/lock area underneath the spoiler within the door hatch frame.
Anyone deal with this?
Thanks.

Fixed!
 

Finally fixed the rattle in my car. After some the trial and error, I purchased some weatherstripping from Pepboys. $30. Installed it in three strategic areas. It not only worked but it became quieter. Drove it on the freeway with no noises or whistles. I'll pick up the hatch shocks and replace the OEM hatch weatherstripping next as a final blow to all rattles.

I had rattles from my twin 12" subs. What worked PERFECTLY was using thin felt tape where metal and plastic or plastic and plastic met. Super easy, super quick, and entirely effective.

If it is a striker plate adjustment, felt tape probably ain't the answer. For other rattles, it works.

cinellipro, I bought what I think is the same weather stripping from pep boys. I'll install it on the same locations you did and report my results later.

I was hearing a rattle over every bump in my NISMO which was clearly the latch, it sounded like it wasn't shut all the way. You could move the hatch a good 1/8" with little force, even when it was shut.

Last night I pulled the weatherstrip and the center panel off the lower hatch and moved the striker down and it shuts tight now, hopefully that takes care of the issue.

I noticed that too on my base Z. If you press down on the hatch when closed there is slight movement up down. I guess by moving the striker down the gap to bumper is now smaller?

I did the same, moved that black latch unit down a few mm, it does seem to lock tighter but the trunk rattles are still there.

No. But I have an issue with dealers "testing" my car. They always "test" it for 20-30 miles minimum. Pesky bastards.

Move it down more. Move it down until you have to hit the button twice to get the hatch to pop, if you can, and then back it off half a mm.

I put mine as tight as it will go, it's about as perfect as it gets, no double-tap on the trunk button and not too much effort to shut it.

Yep, I did exactly that, moved it down as far as it can go and tighten the two bolts, my hatch closes much tighter down and opens quite easy without having to pry it with my fingers. The rattle noise however is still there, I'm going to remove every plastic panel in the trunk and see if I can find anything.

I ended up taking mine in after driving myself nearly mad bolting and unbolting the back of the car, and installing sound deadening on the entire back half. They looked at it under warranty and found that there was something (a harness I think) rattling between the headliner and the sheet metal of the roof, and it was reverberating off the rear hatch. So it sounded like it was coming from the back, but it was actually from the roof. Been about 3 weeks since the fix, no sounds anymore.

I got some $3 dollar foam self adhesive weatherstrip from Wal-mart and copied you. The strip along hatch seems most helpful as far as tightness. (I didn't like side strips on lights because you could see strip from outside the car, so moved onto panel). Haven't rolled with music down plus I have tools in back still but haven't heard anything so far.

http://www.the370z.com/members/7spee...ther-strip.jpg

http://www.the370z.com/members/7spee...tch-rattle.jpg

Subscribed!

wondering if i should try tightening down the hatch latch also.....

were folks really having a "rattle" type sound? mine is more of a crack sound anytime the chassis flexes over bumps or uneven road surfaces. not really an ongoing "rattle" as you go down the road

does that mesh with what folks on here were experiencing?

Another possible culprit could be the license plate. I've noticed the same rattle and I am more than sure is the license plate and/or the license plate holder since it's only secured by two bolts up top but none at bottom.

Yea.....I was really looking to source what is less of a rattle and more a discreet crack or snap sound whenever the chassis is stressed

Can't tell if it's hatch or trunk panel but doesn't sound like swaybar endlink knocking


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Check you 3rd brake light. Mine went away after I tighten it.

This may be your answer.

http://www.the370z.com/nismo-370z/10...runk-lead.html

Hey All,

I recently bought my Z and live in a hot area (Charlotte). I have noticed that in the morning when pulling my car out of the garage and at night there are not rattles at all. During the day after my car is parked outside at work there is this almost tapping on glass sounding rattle coming from the hatch that is driving me insane. Any suggestions as what to do? I have heard other say tighten the hatch brake light but it honestly sounds like something touching the glass. Any input is appreciated!

Thanks