Rattling noise from inside head lining

[bear101]

Hi,

I've just bought my first Porsche earlier this month. It's a 2001 Carrera C2 and I'm very pleased with it. One problem which is annoying me is, however, that there's a rattling noise coming from under the head lining between the sun roof and the rear window. It seems there's a horizontal bar going across which is making all this noise. Is there a simple way to fasten this bar or do I have to take off the entire head lining, and if so, how do I do this?

-- Bjoern

[evansaero]

Hi,

I've just bought my first Porsche earlier this month. It's a 2001 Carrera C2 and I'm very pleased with it. One problem which is annoying me is, however, that there's a rattling noise coming from under the head lining between the sun roof and the rear window. It seems there's a horizontal bar going across which is making all this noise. Is there a simple way to fasten this bar or do I have to take off the entire head lining, and if so, how do I do this?

-- Bjoern

check rear window

only noise I get from that rear bar is a thong noise going over bumps

if not the windows its prob the attachment area of the head liner.

there is a tsb out for that and is very long. you will need felt tape. sorry i'm on my treo and can't find the tsb.

question... does rattle go away if you put pressure on the sunroof fabric?

like mine it's best if you ffelt the hole **** car. porsche rattles like a SOB

[bear101]

check rear window

only noise I get from that rear bar is a thong noise going over bumps

if not the windows its prob the attachment area of the head liner.

there is a tsb out for that and is very long. you will need felt tape. sorry i'm on my treo and can't find the tsb.

question... does rattle go away if you put pressure on the sunroof fabric?

like mine it's best if you ffelt the hole **** car. porsche rattles like a SOB

The noise isn't coming from the sunroof but instead this bar which is in the middle of the sunroof and rear window. In my Carrera the bar is just above where the head lining is sewed together. It gets really annoying when I drive on a bumpy road, so I hope it's not something I have to get used to.

Anyone know this TSB mentioned? Also, how do I access it?

-- Bjoern

[evansaero]

check rear window

only noise I get from that rear bar is a thong noise going over bumps

if not the windows its prob the attachment area of the head liner.

there is a tsb out for that and is very long. you will need felt tape. sorry i'm on my treo and can't find the tsb.

question... does rattle go away if you put pressure on the sunroof fabric?

like mine it's best if you ffelt the hole **** car. porsche rattles like a SOB

The noise isn't coming from the sunroof but instead this bar which is in the middle of the sunroof and rear window. In my Carrera the bar is just above where the head lining is sewed together. It gets really annoying when I drive on a bumpy road, so I hope it's not something I have to get used to.

Anyone know this TSB mentioned? Also, how do I access it?

-- Bjoern

To access the TSB you must be a paying member. It's worth it just for that alone.

"Noises in the interior trim panels" is the TSB I'm talking about.

There seem to be about 12 different TSB about noises the porsche make. I'm sure if one of the tech guys can better answer this

I know what bar you are talking about. The bar should be tight agianst the fabric. Unless it's not tight and hitting the roof I don't see how it could rattle. Try felt tape or felt pads were the bar runs.

Try this Sunroof rattle

[fastboydave]

If i can just put my 2p in here........

I too have a number of rattles in my 996TT and am gradually getting around them and fixing them. With my sunroof 'rattle', when i drove over bumps/pot holes it turned out to be the wind deflector strip at the rear of the sunroof opening. This flicks up when the sunroof is tilted and as it is sprung and fairly flimsy it tends to vibrate and move. The leading/top edge of this has a rubber 'strip' on it and that has a tendancy to hit the underside of the metal cover of the sunroof itself. If you look, you may see a black 'mark' where it rubs up against it. You can simulate the pot holes my hitting (not too hard!) the rear edge of the sunroof and you should hear the same noise.

I too thought it was in the headliner further back and putting pressure on it stoppped it. But it turned out to be this in the end and after putting 'foam' pads inside the sunroof where this 'rubs' sorted out the issue.

Have a look, maybe it is, maybe its not. Good luck anyway, as i know exactly how frustrating rattles are......

[fedmax]

I have exactly the same issue but I cannot find the TSB you refer to.

It feels like the number 7 on the picture is normally glued to the roof and now got loose. The result is a very annoying squeak noise. This happended last week first when it got really cold here in Switzerland (1° F or -17° C) where I live. The cold weather that we have for two weeks is not doing the car any good.

Did anyone of you take down the roof liner? Big job?

Thanks

Ronny

[le bouch]

I have this rattle on my 1999 coupe. I haven't been able to isolate it other than 'somewhere in the roof lining, near the back window'.. I have instructions somewhere (not at my PC right now) on how to take the head lining down and from memory it's not a job I fancy doing..

[rattles]

I had a similar problem with my 99 c2, the roof lining came out 5 times but eventually the noise was eliminated, the work was done by Porsche Australia, I am not sure what they did to fix it, I dont think they really knew either but it has been ok now for 5 years. This post from 2007 may help you to eliminate some of the possible causes.

They did tell me that they found that some of the glue which is used between the roof panels had cracked, I included a photo on that post that shows an example of the glue where its used under the hood. The mechanic told me that it is also used in the roof.

Good luck.

[rattles]

I just found this website http://www.autoatlanta.com/porsche-parts/996-99-05/porsche_911_parts.php if you scroll down you will see an exploded view of the roof, part number 8 looks as though it fits under the roof behind the sunroof, maybe that is the part that the mechanic was refering too. Sorry I cant be more specific but I didn't see the car while they were working on it.

[fedmax]

That's exactly what I hear when I push the panel, glue that cracked most probably due to the very low temperatures. Thanks!

[amcleod1]

Hi - I too suffered the dreaded sunroof ticking/clicking noises until today. I had two ticking/clicking noises:

(1) The first noise turned out to be the 9 foam inserts (MY2000 car) stuck to the upper-side of the sliding sunroof trim panel. The foam inserts had aged and become tacky and were making/breaking contact with underside of the metal sliding sunroof panel as wind passed over or via bumps in the road. Each time they broke contact they made the ticking/clicking noise. There's a TSB on replacing the 9 inserts with 6 new ones but like all things Porsche very expensive. I solved the noise by using 9 strips of 25mm wide x 4 inches long self adhesive felt stuck to the underside of the sliding sunroof panel where the foam strips were touching (15mm width would work too). To install I disconnected and slid the sliding sunroof trim panel back into recess. Front 6 x felt tapes were installed with the sunroof closed. Rear 3 x felt tapes were installed with the sunroof in the tilted position. Clean the areas with alcohol first.

(2) The second was far harder to diagnose and fix. This noise was the ticking/clicking many have reported that can he heard above and just behind your head when driving or gently pushing on the roof lining transverse support bar (between the rear window and rear edge of sunroof opening. And like everyone else it was driving me crazy. It turned out to be a very small relative movement between right rear main mounting bracket of the sunroof to the chassis. I've posted images and video to help others. To fix meant getting in and under the roof lining - never done this before. See the First Video - before I started (with coat hook removed). I diagnosed by gradually removing one trim item at a time and rechecking the ticking/clicking was still there or not. Firstly, removed the coat hook trim (ticking still there); then B-pillar trim completely (still there), C-pillar trim partially (still there); A-Pillar trim partially (still there); Uncliped the roof lining on one side (still there); removed the torx bolt (Bolt A in images) securing the aluminium bracket at the junction of the A/B/C pillars and thus exposed the right rear main sunroof mounting bracket (bracket 2 in images) underneath. PRESTO - TICKING GONE. So I re-installed the torx bolt (Bolt A) without the aluminium bracket, tightened Bolt A, and the ticking came back. I then tightened the torx bolts holding bracket (Bracket 2) to the sunroof rail in case they were loose - still there. I could not see why it ticked until I removed the 3 torx bolts (Bolts A, B and C) and the sunroof mounting bracket (Bracket 2). On the rear of the sunroof bracket (Bracket 2) and on the chassis there was the slightest scuff area where the two items had been rubbing together for many years. I stuck some teflon film to the rear of the main bracket (see images) and reinstalled with all bolts (A, B and C) all tightened - NO NOISE.

I also had the same noise on the passenger side, same approach to disassembly and diagnosis. This time it was the left front main sunroof bracket which was solved by just tightening all 3 torx bolt. I now have no creaking, ticking, clicking noises at all from the roof - the silence is now bliss. :thumbup:

Edited March 4, 2012 by amcleod1

[fbgh2o]

While most of the attention and issues seem to focused on the sunroof, I had a similar issue. The headliner is tensioned across steel rods that fit into each side of the roof (if you push the headliner you can feel them). There is a plastic (IIRC) receptacle at each end that hold the rod in place. One of mine had popped out and would strike the roof at every bump. To put the rod back into the receptacle you have to remove a fair amount of the interior trim and maybe loosen the headliner, but it is simply a matter of time and persistence and not a lot of mechanical aptitude.

[fedmax]

thanks amcleod1 for the post and videos! Great work. My noise stopped since it's above 0 degrees now and I don't bother till it stops again next winter :)

[Detoxx]

I had the dreaded roof creaking as well, the noise came from the passenger side above the rear seat. When I would push up on the steel rod attached to the headliner it would disappear. Now after a few hours of work, its blissfully quiet.

To access the rear portion of the sunroof I removed the trim on page 70, (basicly the same as amcleod1 discribed)

http://www.cannell.co.uk/996_Workshop_Manuals/996%20Group%207%20Body%20Interior.pdf

Once I had the trim removed I popped steel wire attached to the headliner out of the holders on both the passenger and drivers side and then pulled back the headliner over the rear window to release. Instructions as here

http://home1.gte.net/res0vzcg/porshu/Roof%20lining%20RR.pdf

Once I had access to the steel rod and rear portion of the sunroof, I pulled the steel rod out of the holder and added a dab of grease to the end. Then on the passenger side I unbolted the two rear torx attaching the sunroof rail to the body of the car. Even with the two bolts out it was flush with the chaisis. There is a plasic piece that holds it flush, you can pull downward and it releases. Once released the rail hangs down slightly from the chasis. I put some felt tape on the sunroof rail that contacts the chasis. Then I rebolted rail to the chasis and put the steel rod back into the holder and put everything back together.

Voila, no more noise.