Erik's8

Hello All,

I have already posted about the rattles going on in my 8. Now I am posting it one more time because it annoys me more and more.

Not long ago, rattles were coming only from certain parts of the interior and only at colder temperatures. Now even at mid 80's the interior rattles everywhere on a random basis. It makes more noise than my girlfriend's '92 Toyota Corolla does.

I don't have to hit a bump or drive through a pot hole, even a slightly uneven road surface would cause it sound like it would fall apart the next instant.

Any of you have or have had this before? If so, were you able to have the dealer fix it?

I am affraid that if it can not be fized then I am going to get rid of this car and just pick up a ford escort in which I will not be bothered by the noises. I am so sad to have said this but I just can not enjoy the car the way it is now.

Thanks for listening and sorry for the negative attitude.

Erik

Boozehound

I have rattle problems as well. I periodically have the dealer try to work on them when I take it in, but they invairably can't find anything and nothing gets fixed. I suppose that if they really start bothering me, I'll bust out with the manual and turn a wrench or two and do it myself.

BTW - after looking in your sig, are the mirror lights the JDM pieces that illuminate the ground below the mirror? If so, were they an easy or cheap install?

Erik's8

Boozehound,

The mirror lights are not the JDM parts. I installed blue LEDs in the place where the JDM ones would normally mount. The wiring was not in but I managed to tap on the wires going to the little lights in the insde door panels.

Erik

alamike

Mazdas rattle. Try and track down where the rattle(s) are originating from and take it to the dealer. It is worth a try and most techs will make an honest effort to fix the rattle. The problem with rattles is that there usually come and go, and they normally go away when you take the car to the shop and reappear when your driving home.

beachdog

Do you keep sunglasses in the overhead compartment? I get a very annoying rattle whenever mine are up there. Due to the compartment's location, it is actually very hard to localize. I had three passengers in the car and all thought the rattle was coming from the front passenger airbag compartment. Something made me think of the sunglasses. Took them out and rattle completely gone.

Razpewton

I believe the fasteners that almost every panel is secured with in the 8 works themselves lose. I don't think they're of the highest quality.

Since many who read these forums are MOD FREAKS, it seems someone would have come up with a "Fastener Maintenance Kit". This could include the tools the Pros use when removing and re-attaching panels, plus every conceivable fastener contained in the vehicle....and there's quite a variety, I might add. I'd buy one...

Kwullen

I too have some rattles, mainly my sunglasses, but some more also. It seems when I drive on a local road that has bad ripples from all the construction trucks driving on a paved over sand, **** road, the door panels rattle. Good thing about the glasses is you put them on before you need them..................................
When I get back from my vacation, I'm gonna see what I can do about the rattles. Good old fashion dumbo - you can get it from most body shops - works wonders on rattles. First you have to locate the plastic panel thats guilty then pull it off - CHECK THE MANUAL OR YOU COULD RUIN THE PANEL - put the dumbo sparingly where the panel contacts other stuff and reassemble. I had a 89 Prelude with stiff springs and shocks that drove me nuts with interior plastic rattling panels. Fixed them all in one weekend with the dumbo.
I'll post a thread about it when I get into it. Maybe we can help each other identify and fix them. When we start getting them fixed I'll tell my buddy at the factory what we're doing. Mazda seems pretty good about taking criticism and advice from owners.

stangmatt66

I guess I'm less annoyed by rattles...Turn the radio up or hit 9k RPMs more often...

DreRX8

Wow, I guess I'm lucky or deaf--because I don't have any rattles coming from my RX8. My only complaints are the brake noise, cheap floormats--which I'll be changing, the lack of auto-off headlights, and expensive dealer accessories.

Erik's8

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.

I think I am going to start to take care of the rattles myself. I will get started only in August, though, as I will be out of the country for 4 weeks starting tomorrow.

Anyway, when I find something I will post it. One thing that I have already fixed is the little red light lense over the ignition switch. It is a red small plastic cover in the housing of the bulb that illuminates the ignition switch. There are two little screws that hold the housing. In the housing is the red lense that is held by the housing itself. This red little thingy was not quite perfectly aligned with its nest holding the housing away from its proper position and therefore the screws originally were not tightened properly. As time went by, the red piece made its way to the proper position and became loose. It freely bounced around in its nest and rattled. I only had to tighten the screws and that particular rattle is gone now.

To check whether or not you have this issue just reach in the hole above the ignition switch with your finger and feel if the plastic moves around or not.

And, no , I do not keep sunglasses in the overhead compartment. I wish did, it could have been an easy fix...

Erik

TownDrunk

I wonder if it's the hot/cold transitions (weather-wise) that are causing some of the problems many of you are talking about. Where I live it rarely dips below 60, and rarely above 80-85. I have a little over 10000 mi and have had mine for almost a year (on the 24th). I don't have any rattles that I notice. I guess I can listen more closely though.

I tend to agree with the possible fastener problems Razpewton mentioned. With other cars I've owned in the past, I would change the fasteners out (male and/or female end) where they were replacable and things would quiet down. But I usually only had problems after I had removed some panels for customization (like stereo, or whatever).

-8-

I've noticed that one of my rattles happens when I have my sunroof open, but I have yet to pinpoint where it is coming from.

BIMMER5&RX8

I do think Mazdas are not so good when it comes to details like rattling. I am learning to live with them and enjoy the car. My BMW 5s have been quite rattle free even after several years. I did have to get some door seals replaced under warranty.

greyhound

I hate rattles. The hard part (of course) is pinning them down. I had a rattle on the panel that is under the dash to the driver's left. (Where the little coin holder thing is.) I fixed it myself by wedging a crumpled up napkin between that panel and the one that the steering column goes through. (Talk about high tech!) So far, no other rattles here. *crosses fingers*

pret

i do not know if it is just cold weather related. i do not hear rattles. then again it rarely dips below 60 (at night in December) where we're at. its so hot here, i wouldn't be surprised if all my fasteners melted to the vehicle

marcj1

My 8's just a baby (<1100 miles) so maybe nothing has shaken loose yet, but another consideration, like the sunglasses idea, is stuff in the side/door pockets or center console--my darts drove me batty for 1/2 an hour!

johnmyson

I get a rattle intermittently that goes away if I push against the steering wheel... very annoying.

Jeffjett

I don't have any rattles, thank God. Did you change out your speakers?

johnmyson

Nope. I haven't changed anything.

tripwire

My rearview mirror rattles and drives me nuts. I have to squeeze it and I can hear all of the plastic crackling as I do that, but it resolves it for a few drives it seems.

And that part to the left of the instrument panel, I have to press on that every so often.

Something near the opening of the moonroof rattles too, I can't figure that one out.

And I can hear the styrofoam in the drivers side door - this is much worse when it is cold out. I may have to replace that stuff next year.

I have this road that I drive down, looks like something out of the war in Afghanistan -- construction trucks use it apparently -- anyhow, it feels like the car will fall apart before I reach the end of the road every time I take it. So I take the long way now. It's a much nicer drive too, but it's way out of the way...

Blue-J

I have a metallic mosquito like buzz-buzz rattle coming from that triangular trim piece that holds the driver's side tweeter speaker. It is intermittent, to boot.

On gritty roads, it can start and not go away for the rest of the trip, or a good bump can set it off. Last but not list, with usual closed-car listening volume (6-8), just turn it up to about 12-14, and it will start, and stay on, even if the radio is shut off.

You can actually stop it if you crack open the window, but shut it, and it'll come back. It usually is most prevalent, when the car is garage-started in the mornings, but here in AZ, mornings are cooler, but they are not cool at 80.

I am taking the car to the second dealer tomorrow and leaving it for a week while I am away. The first dealer used foam tape, then foam fill, then replaced the housing and speaker. Then they said I should let them glue it in. Hah!

I really want it to go away. BTW, the speaker system is the Bose one.
Can anyone else suggest something or know how to fix this?

Finally, I had the sunglass case rattle, too, it was my glasses themselves. Now I wrap the glasses in a cleaning cloth, and it does not rattle. But the tweeter speaker does. Can someone suggest something?

thew

no noise here.. very solid

DOMINION

Yea when I have my 800w Keenwood systme on I dont hear jack. Where I live in Las Vegas, NV the streets are like new. But when I'm driving with on cell or when I drive on a bumpy road I hear rattles.

Rob Tomlin

Dang, all these posts of rattles isn't good.

Then again, my FD rattles a fair amount too...

mysql101

The center rear view mirror on my car makes a sharp snapping noise for no reason at all. When I first got my car I thought rocks were hitting my car... As I used the car more, I noticed the sound happening even when the car was not moving. If I adjust the mirror, it makes a lot of creaking noises.

I had a rattle in the center console for about a day, then it went away....

The car feels very solid, but the plastic bits worry me.