greatwhiteshark

It's probably related to the change in temperature here in LA - basically from 100 degrees to 50 in a day, but my headliner has started making this weird creaking/popping noise whenever I go over bumps or turn into driveways. It seems to be localized around the front doors and specifically in the headliner at or around the grab handles.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/147423/grabhandle1.jpg">

Since that's very close to my ear, I hear it every time I drive over something that causes the cabin to flex. It's driving me crazy. I thought, perhaps, the screws holding the grab handles in place could be loosened. It seems they're located here:

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/147423/grabhandle2.jpg">

I also hear creaking coming from what appears to be the seam where the door seal meets the headliner, right at the edge:

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/147423/headlinerseam.jpg">

The material that surrounds the grab handle is harder than the actual headliner (around the sunroof, etc) and just moving it a little with my hand will mimic the popping/creaking noise.

Has anyone experienced this? An earlier search returned glove box, instrument cluster, and armrest noises, but nothing really for the headliner. I am worried that the dealer will just yank it all apart and it'll never be the same, so before I go down that road, can you guys offer any insight?

Thanks
Matt

Bob W.

perhaps there's a toad or small dwarf living in your headliner.

ELEVENS

That's been known to cause the weatherstripping to creak. Roll the window down just the tinyest bit. That'll release some of the rigidity at the upper door seal. If the noise goes away, then it's the weatherstripping. There's lots of home remedies for this, but basically you don't want any type of silicone product in there.

Can't help you with the headliner, other than to say that interior noises are often mis-directed, so it's very easy to incorrectly conclude the origin of the noise. For example, console creaks sound like they are coming from the passenger seat.

Good luck, coming from an obsessive rattle and creak detector.

greatwhiteshark

Haha, sure sounds like it!

greatwhiteshark

It's the headliner/grab handle for sure. It's an 08 w/Aug 07 build date. Nobody has this noise?

AzWildcat

I like your watch.

JMSIV

trim pieces on both sides creak/rattle. It is pretty quiet, but it is also right near your head. I can hear the one on the other side too. I mentioned it to my dealer and he said it was "normal". I think that it may be normal, but it still sucks.

BTW, I had a "creak" in the center console also that was louder and driving me NUTS. Turns out if was the seats, and a drop of lube here and there underneath has stopped it completely. So now I only have the noise you are talking about.

ESFO

It was 7:58.

greatwhiteshark

I wonder if there's a way to quiet them, outside of taking a rocker launcher to the A-pillars.

gap27t

Bringing it in tomorrow and dealer is going to remove headliner to diagnose. It drives me absolutely crazy. I'll let you know if they find anything.