Curing those darned rattles !

[Jedimaster65]

Hi Boys & girls.
If, like me your Leon is driving you nuts with it's vent / dash rattles, perhaps we should look a little beyond the obvious ?

My new Cupra has been driving me crazy with a quite loud vibration rattle and today I decided to stick my head under that bonnet and have a good root around...

Luckily only got 2500 miles on clock, so still fairly clean under there !

Anyway, I discovered the main brake line was not clipped against the front bulkhead properly as the clip seemed to be faulty.

I produced a cable tie and hey presto ! The irritating rattle is gone !

It's really worth having a dig around before going to the stealer and letting them rip out the dash !

 

[ianltd]

Thanks for the advice!!

I have an annoying one and it seems to be coming from the steering shroud...............but, as you say , you never can tell.

I'll have a root around tomorrow!!

 

[phil3012]

Good advice, I had a never ending set of rattles on the Cupra.

The most unusal one was the clutch cable cover, which I thought was coming from inside the passenger compartment.

Never solved the air vent one though, the third dealer attempt to fix it resulted in them taking the passenger door apart, pity they had already done that for a previous rattle...

 

[amills2005]

yeah mines just been booked back in for the 5th time for the speedo / dash rattle, oh and the rattling speaker covers oh and the buzzing / whirring noise from the aux input.

Apparently its not a common problem so the dealers say!!!!!

 

[red line fun]

maybe if they were built properly in the first place these probs wouldn't exist i get fed up with the it's a known issue excuse, oops sorry reason. how much do they spend on r&d for new cars? and before someone says but you can't expect them all to be perfect why not? i'm not referring to faults that develop during a cars lifetime, but things like rattles from new just souldn't happen, where's the quality control that's what i want to know. i used to do quality checking for sun microsystems and trust me, if i seen one squint label, one rounded off screw, one loose cable ... back it went

 

[phil3012]

maybe if they were built properly in the first place these probs wouldn't exist i get fed up with the it's a known issue excuse, oops sorry reason. how much do they spend on r&d for new cars? and before someone says but you can't expect them all to be perfect why not? i'm not referring to faults that develop during a cars lifetime, but things like rattles from new just souldn't happen, where's the quality control that's what i want to know. i used to do quality checking for sun microsystems and trust me, if i seen one squint label, one rounded off screw, one loose cable ... back it went

In my opinion the quality control at SEAT is appauling, people slate Ford and Vauxhall but compared to SEAT their cars are a million times better built.

I wouldn't buy another one in a hurry. Had test driven the Ibiza Cupra few a years ago and was put off by the rattles. The Mark 1 Leon was highly rated by it's owners so I took the plunge and bought a Mark 2, excellent performance and spec but just so badly built.

My mates parents have an Ibiza as well and they aren't keen on that at all.

 

[amills2005]

maybe if they were built properly in the first place these probs wouldn't exist i get fed up with the it's a known issue excuse, oops sorry reason. how much do they spend on r&d for new cars? and before someone says but you can't expect them all to be perfect why not? i'm not referring to faults that develop during a cars lifetime, but things like rattles from new just souldn't happen, where's the quality control that's what i want to know. i used to do quality checking for sun microsystems and trust me, if i seen one squint label, one rounded off screw, one loose cable ... back it went

They spend looooooooooads on R&D, i mean they'd never buy up a 10 year old audi saloon and stick a seat badge on it would they

 

[Ibiza130pd]

Unfortunately Seat make a lot of Friday night, Monday morning cars...and Tuesday cars....Wednesday cars....Thursday cars.....etc...etc...eitherway a Seat owner will have to atone for the sins of their purchases through the wallets sooner or later......mine is costing me a arm and a leg to run.....

 

[Matt Pounder]

I agree that maybe Seat don't build there cars with the best quality in mind and yes i too have rattles that drive me nuts. But when i look at the car and how it drives, plus not mentioning the amount of chicks looking at it (pity not with me in it). I feel i can just cope with it, i've had mine for 3.5 years and i can't say i've had to spend that much on sorting out little hiccups. I've driven worse cars!

 

[GazM]

Has anyone had and cured a rattle from the drivers side door pocket?

There's nothing in the pocket, and it happens with the music off (I thought it might be the speaker causing it).

If I put pressure on it either towards or away from the door it stops, but I'd like to fix it.

It looks like that part might come away but I don't want to risk breaking anything by forcing it.

 

[FR Scott]

Has anyone had and cured a rattle from the drivers side door pocket?

There's nothing in the pocket, and it happens with the music off (I thought it might be the speaker causing it).

If I put pressure on it either towards or away from the door it stops, but I'd like to fix it.

It looks like that part might come away but I don't want to risk breaking anything by forcing it.

I had a rattle behind the fabric covered part of the drivers door, it seemed to come and go, really got on my nerves cos when it was there is was rather noticeable .

However, if I applied really light pressure to the part of the fabric diagonally across from the internal door handle it stopped. In the end I convinced myself it could be a broken clip or something so took off the fabric bit, had a good look around, didn’t find anything so put it back on...... Touch wood, I haven’t heard anything since.

Scott

 

[RodneyA]

I had a rattle behind the fabric covered part of the drivers door, it seemed to come and go, really got on my nerves cos when it was there is was rather noticeable .

However, if I applied really light pressure to the part of the fabric diagonally across from the internal door handle it stopped. In the end I convinced myself it could be a broken clip or something so took off the fabric bit, had a good look around, didn’t find anything so put it back on...... Touch wood, I haven’t heard anything since.

Scott

i have the exact same problem with the doors...apply pressure and it seems to go away momentarily.

i've given up on the rattles...just blast the tunes lol

thanx,
RodneyA

 

[Jedimaster65]

I spoke too soon...

Seems I was too quick to assume...as we often do !

So I have removed the dashboard after reading this helpful thread: http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=197177

I only found a small possible rattle from the airvent flap linkage, which has loose tollerances and is made from nasty hard plastic ! (A surprise, eh ).
Anyway I used cellotape to increase the diameter of the male rod slightly.

Then I went under the bonnet and discovered loads of rattle sources !
The sound insulation clips are so poor they can only be desbribed as ST and unfit for purpose ! Half of mine are a loose fit and rattle like a snake !
I have now removed the sound insulation completely and hey presto ! No rattle ! (Who wants a quiet Cupra anyway ?! )

I wonder, does anyone know where I can get better clips ?

Also the postioning clip for the Power stering pump resevoir (I think !) which is attached to the top end of the washer bottle are also a poor fit and also rattle freely.
I fixed that with some sticky velcro on the bottle neck.

Shame on SEAT, - some of these things are very basic stuff indeed and I suspect are not a problem in Spain due to the hotter climate (more plastic expansion), - I wonder if any of our Scandanavian friends (even colder) have even more problems with their cars ?
.

 

[Jedimaster65]

I forgot to ask , - anyone else had this ?

My earlier Mk2 Leon Sport didn't have this problem, so I wonder if the clips size has changed ?

 

[Lifecrisis]

Mine goes to the stealers tomorrow to try and solve the rattles coming from the dash and overhead light....

They are keeping it for a couple of days to try and find them as it's already been into them a couple of times...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[chrisjgill]

I picked my car up today after a service and a really bad rattle has developed in the dash! I know because even on smooth roads you can hear it. I am wondering if I can go back to the stealers and get it looked at???? They also mentioned a recall on my 57 plate FR as there is a fault with the rear airbag sensors so maybe have a word with them then...

 

[Jedimaster65]

I hope you guys get some joy from the Stealer ...fingers crossed.

I took mine out today and NO RATTLES ! Yippee !!!

I appreciate that ripping the dash out is quite a daunting task (it was for me) and it's not for everyone.

Trouble is, I have often found the dealers think it's all too much trouble and "as long as it's rolling" then the car is OK...unlike when they are trying to sell you the car when they promise the earth !

 

[AndyVTR]

I still get that knocking when cold like someone trying to get out of the glove box, an immigrant maybe.

 

[Lifecrisis]

Just picked it up and so far so good.....

Fingers crossed it stays that way