Abc

 

Is it the airbag cover on the top of the dash, not the front facing the passenger seat, but the oval shaped tray on top? My friend's '98 F- 150 STX rattles in that spot at times..... thanks to those smooth Pasadena, TX roads......

 

Abc

 

I notice a small rattle when the HVAC fan is on but it isn't too bad. I figured the fan is not perfectly balanced and there isn't much that can be done to remedy it. Rule of thumb, if you take the dash apart you might introduce more rattles when you put it back together.

 

I'll second the tray on top of the right side dash (the one that has the little vent on top for the headlight sensors). Mine buzzes and vibrates, then I slap first thing the morning and it seems to be okay the rest of the day. I'll have a dealer look at it beacause I don't know if it's the plastick piece, or the sensor that is loose.
'99 Lariat XCab.

 

Check the door panel on the passenger side. I had some rattling there (I thought it was from the dashboard) but after I had the front speakers replaced, the noise disappeared The installers must have tightened something in the door.

-boarder

 

I have finally figured out what mine is, and it might be yours too. The bottom of the door panel makes slight contact with the plastic trim below it on the floor. When the temperature's cooler, it rubs and makes noise which seems to radiate up to the dash. When it's warmer, I think the plastic expands just enough that the two pieces are jammed tight enough together not to move with every bump in the road. However, since the floor trim is all the way down, and the door panel is as far up as I can get it, I think the only permanent solution is to raise the door slightly on the hinges. That's the kind of job where I always end up making things worse, so I probably won't be doing that!

Hope that helps.

Scott

 

I've had the same annoying rattle. Mine is near the airbag. I took it to the dealer because it was getting on my nerves. The fella told me he tightened up everything in the dash, took it on a drive, and had no problems. I said great. Picked it up, a mile later, rattle. My wife was with me and I exclaimed "hit that!" She hit the dash and it stopped. However, it keeps coming back periodically. The beer is on me for whoever can stop that infernal rattling.

 

Rattling sound could be the radio harness - I had my fixed.

 

Theres one there, especially if the passenger has their elbow on the panel.

 

What do you mean by radio harness?

 

bump

 

I have finally found it. The rattle is most likely a relay switch that is laying loose on top of your radio box. when you go over a bump it rattles. The sensor is supposed to be held in place by a steel clip that is slids onto. Take your dash apart and you will find it laying loose off of the clip. I imagine that it got detached during dash installation. the rattle sounds like it is coming from the headlight sensor area, but it actually righ by it on top of the plastic radio box.

Hope this helps. Email me if you have questions.

chuck

 

My dash used to rattle the same way until one day while driving slow I open the door to spit and wala, the rattle was gone! Close the door and the rattle was back! I noticed there is a slight gap in between the door panel and the end of the dashboard. As the car flexes when moving the two plastic parts rub and hit. This causes an irritating rattle!

Solution: I went to the hardware store and bought these appliance-sliding pads that you put on the bottom of appliances or furniture so they can slide on the floor easily. They are about twice the size of a quarter and they have sticky backs to hold them in place. I stuck one on the door and one on the dash so when the door is shut the guides rub against each other. No more rattle! And you barely notice them only when the door is open.

 

Thanks!

Do you mean the oval piece? I removed it (3rd time LOL) and tie strapped EVERYthing down and put foam so it wont even touch the dash.

Ill see how it goes.