Front Door Rattle- Help

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
I've still got a rattle in my front passenger door area, the dealership has gone as far as replacing the door panel which still hasn't fixed the noise. I've got another appointment next week to take a drive with the service manager and was hoping I might be able to walk in there with some answers to help the dealership.....So, if anyone here has encountered this problem and figured out a way to reslove it, please let me know...thanks!
 

TXvw

Active member
Joined
May 13, 2012
Location
Frisco TX
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE w/NAV
I haven't had the issue yet however have you considered doing dynamat to your door?
 

Aja1

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Location
Newton, MA
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SEL
I've still got a rattle in my front passenger door area, the dealership has gone as far as replacing the door panel which still hasn't fixed the noise. I've got another appointment next week to take a drive with the service manager and was hoping I might be able to walk in there with some answers to help the dealership.....So, if anyone here has encountered this problem and figured out a way to reslove it, please let me know...thanks!
Can you clarify the rattle? Does it rattle all the time or when you drive over bumps? How about with music with a lot of bass? I would describe my symptom as a vibration that happens with deeper (but in no way ridiculous) bass.
 

gergg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2011
Location
Georgia
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6M
Can you clarify the rattle? Does it rattle all the time or when you drive over bumps? How about with music with a lot of bass? I would describe my symptom as a vibration that happens with deeper (but in no way ridiculous) bass.
I've had this same rattle from the first day, I only notice it on rough highway, but on less than smooth roads it is a pretty constant light rattle in the passenger door....don't know how else to describe it, but I sure plan on getting it fixed.
 
Last edited:

surroundsound64

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2012 Passat TDi
I have a rattle on the drivers door. It is the noisiest on rough roads. Sounds like thin metal vibrating on itself.
 

Driver_found

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Location
Phila
TDI
Former MKV Jetta TDI 5M, Former 2013 Passat TDI SE 6M, 2015 Mazda 6 Touring 6m
I've developed a rattle in the passenger door area too. Vibrates in harmony with engine RPM's as I go through the gears.
 

kydsid

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2012 Passat
Subscribed, hope you get it figured out as, I have yet to figure it out myself.
 

Dgulia

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2012
Location
SC
TDI
2013 Passat
Same issue rattle in front door area, took it to the dealer and they said they found nothing.....usual answer.
 

TDI2000Zim

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Location
NJ
TDI
VW hat meinen '14 Passat TDiSE getötet.
I've developed a rattle in the passenger door area too. Vibrates in harmony with engine RPM's as I go through the gears.
My old 2000 Beetle TDi had a particular vibration in the rear view mirror that gave me vertigo. It was tied to the engine vibration. I suspect that diesel engine vibration is one of those engineering topics that dissertations can be written on.

As far as the new Passat, it is unbelievably quiet compared to my old TDi, but I would not be surprised if it had still some vibration issues. I think it goes with the territory: the diesel engine is indeed doing twice as much mechanical work as the gasoline engine, and it can't be completely muffled.

Then again, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't feel the diesel-ness of a TDi
.
 

uberhahn

Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Location
Michigan
TDI
2013 Passat, Manual
2013 manual transmission. My front passenger door very loud when cold and engine RPM at 2300-2500. Its in the door somewhere I will try with m wife driving and me feeling around. It sounds like the rods attached to the door latch. Something metal.

Once up to temperature, no more noise. The whole thing is ver repeatable.

I have 508 miles on my new ride. Had since day one (3 days ago)
 

Moltenburn

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2010
Location
Denver
TDI
2013 B7 Passat 2.0 TDI
Found my rattle up in the overhead console. I swore it was coming from passenger door. Girl friend said it was my door did not dawn on us it was between us both.
 

kydsid

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2012 Passat
Update on mine, this door rattle is now in both front doors. That brings my rattle total up to 6 (overhead console, dash, front doors, and two in the back deck). Of course the drivers door has this issue which is somewhat related to engine rpm as I've noticed and another noise which may or may not be the same thing rattling that I hear going over bumps. Sigh.


Found my rattle up in the overhead console. I swore it was coming from passenger door. Girl friend said it was my door did not dawn on us it was between us both.

Glass , especially the windshield, is a great reflector of sound. We learned this tracking down the review mirror as a source for a rattle. Had the same experience.
 

Driver_found

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Location
Phila
TDI
Former MKV Jetta TDI 5M, Former 2013 Passat TDI SE 6M, 2015 Mazda 6 Touring 6m
Weird thing is that I had a rattle in the 'driver's' front door right off the lot when new. It only occurred when you closed the door. It would reverberate after you shut it. It would 'not' make noise when driving. The dealer fixed it no problem and made VW aware that some of their assembly should be modified. I had one of the very first batch of 2013's.

My current noise, and the one everyone is talking about is heard while driving. Most pronounced @ 2k rpm. And it is in the passenger front door. Doesn't seem to be speaker related as there is no change when the music changes. The dealer is going to look at this later this month. @ 16k miles now.

To clarify. The vibration noise shows up while going through 1st, and second gears mostly. Mostly @ 2k rpm. Once I get to cruising speed and the higher gears, the vibration seems to stop. Sure does make the car feel cheap. Happy other than this.
 
Last edited:

13owie

New member
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Location
St. Louis
TDI
2013 Passat TDI Black/Black
Subscribed, hope you get it figured out as, I have yet to figure it out myself.
Same here. Sounds like metal rattling or maybe fiberglass spider-cracking? Comes from the driver door arm rest or side mirror knob.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
I've noticed the door rattle, too... pressing on the top piece of aluminum trim seems to silence it. I originally thought it was something in the cup holder rattling around but there was nothing in there.
 

Texas Realtor

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Location
DFW, Texas
TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6MT, 2006 Jeep Rubicon 6MT & 2002 F250 7.3 Diesel 4x4
Back in November 2011 when I got my car I had the dealership fix about four different rattles; non in the door though. I even posted a thread about it.

For good 8-10 months I did not have any rattles, now some rattles are back they are not the same spots though. I love the car the way it drives, looks the mileage and lot of other plus points. But the fuel sloshing noise from the back and the various rattles are definitely taking away points from that nice luxury feel.
All the rattles makes the nice car seem cheap.:mad:
 

VWJayhawk

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2013
Location
Olathe, KS
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium
Anyone have any updates on the door rattle issues? Kind of dissapointed in this car after 1250 miles so far... I'm willing to bet that VAG's strategy of going cheap on everything to "become the number 1 automaker in the world" is going to bite them down the road. Love the brand, and this is my 7th VW/Audi, but I worry they are sacrificing some of what makes the brand great.
 

Schumi

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Location
Missouri
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium
Weird thing is that I had a rattle in the 'driver's' front door right off the lot when new. It only occurred when you closed the door. It would reverberate after you shut it. It would 'not' make noise when driving. The dealer fixed it no problem and made VW aware that some of their assembly should be modified. I had one of the very first batch of 2013's.

My current noise, and the one everyone is talking about is heard while driving. Most pronounced @ 2k rpm. And it is in the passenger front door. Doesn't seem to be speaker related as there is no change when the music changes. The dealer is going to look at this later this month. @ 16k miles now.

To clarify. The vibration noise shows up while going through 1st, and second gears mostly. Mostly @ 2k rpm. Once I get to cruising speed and the higher gears, the vibration seems to stop. Sure does make the car feel cheap. Happy other than this.
I have the exact same rattle/vibration in my passenger door too. Seems to only happen when the car is cold and as stated above. I'm afraid to let the dealer touch it for fear they break/ruin/screw-up/damage/soil whatever they touch.
 

Moltenburn

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2010
Location
Denver
TDI
2013 B7 Passat 2.0 TDI
Well I took mine in for the rattle after three days in the shop and 2 weeks later rattle is still there. Yes it pisses me off they did not fix it it the first time. But I am going to calmly call them this friday arrange for a loaner car to be picked up and will leave them my passat again but with the understanding they fix it 100% and if it takes more than a week I am expecting them to start paying my monthly payment prorata for the time I am not driving the car. Stay tuned lets see where this gets me.
 

muraole

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Location
Plymouth, MN
TDI
2013 Passat SE DSG
I have the exact same rattle/vibration in my passenger door too. Seems to only happen when the car is cold and as stated above. I'm afraid to let the dealer touch it for fear they break/ruin/screw-up/damage/soil whatever they touch.

I had the EXACT same rattle and symptoms. Had them look at it during my 10k service. They called me last night and told me they heard the rattle and will replace my passenger door panel. Picking the car up this afternoon, fingers crossed. The one upside is that now, since they have acknowledged that rattle, the 10k warranty expiring doesn't affect me. I can come back and say that it wasn't fixed right. I hope that is the only one I have :\

On the plus side, I have gotten to rip around in a base gasser for a couple days. While it has very little pickup, and the steering is pretty bad as is the standard transmission, that 5cyl sounds pretty awesome when pushed hard. I know I'm not going anywhere very fast, but the noise makes me happy. It also has the lip spoiler installed, which only makes me want one more! :)
 

rustycat

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Location
seattle
TDI
2015 passat sel
As a fairly new owner, I'm facing the battle of the rattle as well. There was a terrible rattle out of the dash directly in front of the driver for the first week, then it went away and hasn't returned in 2 months. There was an annoying rattle in the passenger door, but that seems to have left as well. I hate intermitent rattles, as they are fairly close to impossible to find. And, I wish someone would put up on youtube or here (preferably) the tools and procedure for removing the door panels. I suspect something like 3m clear bra material overlaid on the metal of the door between the panels and the door would solve any rubbing rattle issues. You know the hard plastic door panels are going to move and sag with heat and time.
 

Moltenburn

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2010
Location
Denver
TDI
2013 B7 Passat 2.0 TDI
Not I but also I have not tried taking it back to Dealer yet. Can't justify being out of the car for a rattle. So it will wait to a future issue or the 10K service. Also I would also like a video of door panel removal. I want the option if all else fails to fix it myself.
 

VWJayhawk

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2013
Location
Olathe, KS
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium
Not I but also I have not tried taking it back to Dealer yet. Can't justify being out of the car for a rattle. So it will wait to a future issue or the 10K service. Also I would also like a video of door panel removal. I want the option if all else fails to fix it myself.
Yeah, the video would be nice - I'm thinking I will have to do something myself too. Pretty sure it is the wood trip piece or the actual grip, but not sure. I wish they would have just put extra clips on things...I would happily pay $20 more to have a rattle-free car.
 

Airborne1cav

Well-known member
Joined
May 15, 2014
Location
Auburn, WA
TDI
2014 TDI SE w/ Nav
Just stumbled upon this post - I've had rattles as well in my passenger door since week one of owning my VW. I've tried everything on the outside of the panels from taking it to the dealer, cramming felt tape in the gaps and even wedging a water bottle with a rag around it in the side holder which helped, but the rattle was still there.

After owning my car almost a year I recently broke down and bought about $200 worth of sound insulation / sound deadening materials. (Fat Mat, foam duct insulation and cheap foam mattresses). I will be installing sound deadening material on the floor panels, on both the metal door, and back side of the door panels, the trunk, underneath the back seats...pretty much everywhere I can get to within reason.

I'll be working on it this weekend, if I find something obviously loose when removing the door panels that is making a rattle sound, I will let you guys know so that you can just fix that instead of throwing down $$$$ to soundproof the whole car.
 
Top