How to eliminate creaking noises inside the cabin while driving

[Blazinsupra]

Hi ??
Made this quick tutorial on how to eliminate creaks cause by the interior plastic on plastic in the car. This can be mostly heard on bumpy uneven roads and more on a hotter climate. This is focused on the rear panels located next to the seats and behind them as it’s not so common to have creaks around the dashboard.

What you need:
Plastic pry tool
Velcro strips(can be easily found for $1 at your dollar tree)
Scissors
Foam(optional)
30min-1hour

1. Remove your cargo cover
2. Locate the surrounding trim on silver bar and remove(1) my pulling it towards the side as the image shows.
Pop plastic trim(2) by prying from the rear as shown as the image. You will then need to push the trim directing to the front of the car for removal(pulling it from the front seats was easier for me)

3. Remove plastic trim around the seat belt by pulling it towards you while you are siting in the front seat. Once the trim is remove you could also check if the rear bar needs tightening as you have a clear view access to the bolt(s) holding it in place.

4. With the two panels add the Velcro strips as shown in these images. With the scissors I trimmed down the Velcro to have a nice clean finish.

3. Add Velcro to the small panel placed next to the glass as shown below.
I added a piece of foam on the bottom clip holding it into place but you can add a Velcro as well to secure this trim.

4. Place the trim pieces back in reverse order.

It is important to double check the trunk cover is well secured and the two panels located in the trunk closed

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[Bananamkv]

Basically foam taped and kilmat the entire interior tub, trim and doors. Absolutely silent inside and with the sound system upgrade it’s an awesome daily cruiser. A few extra pounds ain’t changing my life.

 

[Blazinsupra]

I agree ! I would love to add the Kilmat next up … The subwoofer port mod with a good equalizer setting is also a must do for sure. All that rattling with the subs was indeed awful.

 

[Bananamkv]

I agree ! I would love to add the Kilmat next up … The subwoofer port mod with a good equalizer setting is also a must do for sure. All that rattling with the subs was indeed awful.

this thread was a game changer for me when I did the sub mod and kilmat. Anybody who says it’s still awful just has unrealistic goals or doesn’t understand that there are always limitations to every system.

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/how-to-improve-oe-sub-bass-quality-and-eliminate-vibrations.5092/

 

[monkahead]

I want to do same fix with slightly different materials. I think there's more "plastic cracking noise" on the right side, than on the left. Did you experience that as well? What about lower side panels, haven't put any velcro there?

What is the effect now, after several months of driving, does it creak again?

 

[BA9092]

Great write up!

I tried all of that a couple of years ago. Took it all apart and added both foam tape and Tesa tape to all edges and corners. Also permanently removed the surrounding trim pieces on both ends of the aluminum bar.

I'd say 90% of the creaks and rattles were eliminated. However, I still have a pesky "tick" sound that comes from behind the passenger seat which occurs at driveway entrances and exits as well as road expansion joints.

Unless I have someone placing slight pressure in random sections of a two square foot area back there when driving, I'll never find it.

 

[monkahead]

So I spent a few hours working on interior plastic trims on the side and back of the seats, which I think most of the creaking noise was coming from. Since I work in the automotive industry I used OEM automotive foams, low density (open cell) so it can adjust itself to the surface after assembly to "mute" all plastic trims and low density (closed cell) to apply in each hole where plastic clips are mounted. On contact surfaces between plastic & plastic I used self adhesive "fabric" tape or special very thin adhesive felt strips. Below a few pictures. If you purchase this materials on the market, you can do it below 20USD, it cost me only my labor ... which is free in this case Subjectively 99% of the noise is gone, sometimes there's a single creak coming from this lifted trunk cover (aka package tray trim) from these metal clips where it's pressed into the side trunk trim. I also used self adhesive velcro pads on the polystyrene box for the wheel repair kit, since it was jumping on the potholes making a lot of noise on its own.

A few pictures in case someone wants to do the same job.

 

[calmeda1]

Glad I found this thread. For years I've been hearing constant creaking from the rear bar. Any turn and it creaks so much.

I did the velcro + foam tape and it helped a lot. I did still hear the creak a bit, but it fully went away when I left the surrounding trim from the bar out

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