06-16-2012, 07:38 PM | #1 |
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E70 Trunk Latch Rattle - Help Diagnosing This
All, I've been fighting the dreaded trunk rattle since I got this car 4k miles ago. I've adjusted the bump stops and that didn't really help, I've used silicon spray, etc. Still no real cure in sight.
Today I looked at the latch, and I noticed if I wrap my finger around the hook on the tailgate part, I can easily pull it and it makes the exact metal on metal noise I hear while on the road. I read that many people have noticed the hook area loose. I found mine to be relatively loose, so I used a 13mm combo wrench and tightened it, well. However, the noise is still there and I can still feel the play in the latch. While reading, I noticed some people say there were 4 screws, however, mine (2009) only has two. There are two holes in the back, but they don't appear to be threaded like the front two. It seems that if I was able to get four screws down, it would fix the issue, but it seems like the truck only uses two screws. Here is a picture So if I pull on that with my fingers, it can slide forward and back with some noticeable play and an annoying noise. The empty holes in the back do not have threading so I can't imagine anything fitting in there. I'm trying to buy time until my next service to get this looked at (3500 miles away), but I'm not sure I can stomach this anymore. It's quite embarrassing with customers and co-workers in the car. Any speed bump or reasonable bump in the road causes the trunk to make a very annoying noise. |
06-17-2012, 12:14 AM | #2 |
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I am fighting same issue. I also found it to seem to be coming from the same part as you. I have the soft close trunk and I pulled apart the lower tailgate to try to get at the problem. then I realized the soft close motor is an assembly that include that lower d latch. The d latch moves downward to tighten the closure. The d latch has some play in it but, since is is part of a sealed assembly, cannot be shimmed in any way. Urrrrrrgh! I would have thought BMW would have had enough complaints on this by now that they would have redesigned assembly!
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06-17-2012, 01:25 AM | #3 |
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Fortunately this didn't happen to me. But I had seat squeak sound and got fixed by inserting some insulation. Also the sway bar link was loose weeks ago and dealer replaced it. Not so confident about BMW quality now.
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06-17-2012, 09:17 AM | #4 |
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I did spray a ton of silicon lubricant around the latch and that seems to help.
While diagnosing this from the backseat while my wife drove, I also noticed what appeared to be excessive road noise coming from the trunk. I initially thought it was from the tailgate not sealing right and letting wind in, but the most I listened, the most I think it is a wheel bearing on the rear driver's side. Is that a common issue with these things? |
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06-18-2012, 02:01 PM | #5 | |
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06-18-2012, 03:33 PM | #6 | |
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06-18-2012, 04:30 PM | #7 | |
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The funny part was I investigated that area earlier, and with the hatch open, and tailgate closed, I pushed and pulled with all of my might back and forth and I couldn't get any type of sound. I actually think the sound is generated by a vertical motion caused up going over speed bumps, etc rather than the lateral movement caused by the hatch or me pulling on the tailgate. Anyways, taping those two things up I guess softens the contact enough to avoid the sharp metal on metal contact. If you want, let me know and I'll take a picture of them taped up, like I said I just wrapped each of the four corners with 2 wraps of electrical tape. Definitely a design fault for BMW, but man it is SOOO much nicer. I was really getting frustrated driving this car, especially in parking lots without the radio on. Much, much better. There are still a few annoying plasticy creaks, like when my elbow is on the center console, it can make for a few cheap sounding plastic creaks, and the head rests when touched are so darn cheap and loud, but I can live with that compared to the hatch noise. |
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06-19-2012, 09:15 PM | #8 | |
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New: 12 X5 xDrive35i Premium Alpine White/Cinn Brown
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08-10-2012, 12:38 PM | #11 | |
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On each side wall of the tailgate area is a black, feels plastic, u bracket that the tailgate latches onto. I took black electrical tape becasue I could not find any felt tape anywhere and taped each of all three sides of the u bracket. This fixed the creak plastic on plastic noise I was experiencing. it does not take to many times to wrap the tape maybe twice. Also cut the width of the tape to match the width of each side of the u bracket. |
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08-12-2012, 10:24 PM | #12 |
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Sorry for the delayed response guys.
Here is the two areas that you need to tape or put some soft material on. They are black metal square U's It'll help, trust me. |
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08-12-2012, 11:05 PM | #13 |
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08-12-2012, 11:17 PM | #14 | |
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The only issues I have now is that when taking corners, I can still hear minor plastic creeks throughout from the flex of the body, but it's only under hard cornering so I can live with that, but the trunk rattle prior to electrical tape was unbearable for any car, let alone a $65k sticker car. So glad this solved it. |
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08-13-2012, 12:56 AM | #15 |
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I didn't have much luck with the strikers indicated in the photo but people should definitely give it a go. I still blame the moving D striker in the lower tailgate for at least one of my noises. I have tried many ways to secure it but I have no long term fix. I have even thought of glue! I still haven't managed to get to a dealer just in case there is some sort of solution.
Other sources worth trying is the plastic cover surrounding the tailgate glass. That's at least 4 pieces and it is very creaky. I have tried to pack it, tape it, whatever, to chase down the creaks. I blame the window tinters for this one, I presume they would have pulled it off to tint the window and perhaps the clips were damaged???? (it feels better than blaming the car). Press on it and listen for creaks. I still think the roller blind is a source of some noise. I tied mine up today! I noticed the blind's grab flap in the photo is pointing downwards rather than sitting in its magnetic slot (which is not strong enough by the way). |
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08-13-2012, 06:05 AM | #16 |
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The Spartanburg plant should be shut down for it's quality control. While I don't have any tailgate noises in my 2012 diesel, my rubber insulation around doors was driving me crazy until I dealer'd it. They put a carbo-flow solution, that did fixed it. Need to be put every 6 months to prevent rubber squeaking apparently. Another thing is my B pillars inside the car plastic squeaking in very cold temp, like below -15F. Very annoying.
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08-13-2012, 04:10 PM | #17 |
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Hi had the same problem and it wasn't none of those things that you guy are talking about it was on the bottom of me x5 I'll send a picture one of the bolts that hold the rubber mount in the back was lose not a lot but i saw that the washer was lose so i tried to adjust it but i couldn't so i remover it (22mm) and sprayed it with. Wd40 and then i was able to put it back and tighten it all the why, i never had the noise again. Thank god a also you need some thread lock (blue) they told me that i was possible that the thread lock gave due to the cold temp. And the vibration loosened it. http://www.xbimmers.com/forums/attac...1&d=1344910994
Last edited by mariano305; 08-13-2012 at 09:24 PM.. |
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08-13-2012, 06:41 PM | #18 |
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Marian305, yes please post a picture.
NRG, I can't say that I have any rattles on the B pillar but I did have an issue on my German built e92 (on the B pillar). I managed to slide something in between the two plastic parts which fixed the problem. My favorite rattle material is Velcro hook/loop tape. I am not using it for its velcro properties but for its black colour, soft surface. I have the type with adhesive on the back and also the type with no adhesive (very useful stuff). You may be able to slide something in there to stop any movement. I figure that the X5 has a pretty firm ride especially on 20" and that's pretty tough on some of its fixtures and fittings. Still, given that they sell the cars this way, a bit more effort in soft absorbent materials is not too much to ask. |
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