annoying in-cabin squeaking

Ok - so I have a squeaking sound - sounds like something is rubbing, but I can't figure out what it is. At first, I thought maybe it was the new front swaybar - removed and greased up the bushings - no change. Hit the control arm bushings with silicone, as well as the transmission crossmember bushings... no dice. Also hit the bottom of the springs on all four corners with no change. I can't get it to make the noise rocking the car or bouncing it from any corner, or sides... but as soon as I pull out and go over a bump, there it is...

 

I looked under the passenger side dash (just had the airbag done) and couldn't find anything - found the rattle that was under there and fixed that, but nothing that squeaks. Got under the dash on the drivers side and couldn't see anything there, either... but that's just by poking around and jostling things I could get my hands on.

 

It's definitely not the drivers seat (I have a noise from there, but it's the front corner trim against the pleather - I fixed that with some felt) - hard to figure out where it is, but I think it might be drivers side... I can turn on the radio and not hear it, but I know it's still there

 

Any thoughts or anyone with something similar? I am tempted to just bring it back to the dealer, as it wasn't doing it before the airbag, but I don't want to go through the trouble over something dumb.

Very vague if it cant be determined to be from the suspension or interior. That is gonna be hard to find.

tell me about it.

 

it's high pitched and sounds like things are rubbing back and forth. I can rock the hell out of the car and can't get it to do it.

 

My guess is maybe where the air passage for the HVAC attaches to the side vents or something like that... but poking at it doesn't replicate the sound. Nothing seems loose - all the harnesses seem ok. I was thinking maybe where the harnesses go through the loops on the side of the fuse box, but wrapping the wires with felt had no effect... at a bit of a loss...

Have you checked to see if it's the driver's side seatbelt buckle rubbing? I know that's been the culprit for a couple of people.

doesn't seem to be the seat belt - it's not touching anything, doesn't make any noise when I wiggle it around, and the sqeaking is there irrespective of whether I buckle the seatbelt or leave it unbuckled.

Maybe put out a mouse trap?

 

Some random squeakers in other cars have been the AC blower fan, also loose interior panels of course. Sometimes they needed felt tape on joints.

 

I've had underchassis squeaks from ball joints also.

 

Loud music also fixes most squeaks.

It seems to be tied to motion of the car - what's weird is I can shake the car, and hear nothing, jump all around inside with nothing, then drive off and as I go over bumps I can hear something - doesn't seem to be outside the car... tried looking around under the drivers side dash again and just can't find anything - everything I can reach seems solid... thought I found something loose that clicked into place, but no change. I sort of wonder if it's the new airbag - maybe it's rubbing the underside of the dash?

^I hope it's not that so they dont have to take everything apart again.

 

Maybe you can remove the radio bezel/AC vent panel and take a drive without it? I think you may be able to access or have a look-see at the airbag area from there?

As far as interior, I've had 2 weird sounds that I was able to track down. Wouldn't really call any a "squeak" but worth checking as it would take 3 seconds.

 

My driver's side visor makes a teeny bit of noise over rough roads/bumps. Its the plastic slider insert thing moving around, so now that I know it isn't a big deal I ignore it.

 

My headliner in the rear began to sag. This didn't cause a squeak but more of a flapping noise.

 

Not sure if any of this will help. Good luck!

Oh, yeah, that reminds me- did you check to see if it's the glasses holder door? If it squeaks, it's really good at projecting that sound to make it seem like it's coming from somewhere else.

I have shaken and pushed on pretty much all of the things inside the car - it definitely seems to be coming from the drivers side (I drove a bit with the glovebox removed, and it's not coming from under there...) I wonder if there is something with the panels under the car or along the firewall... it's super annoying (mostly because I want it to go away, and can't seem to find it!)

Ok - I thought I found it - the squeak is almost like when you rub something on the styrofoam inserts we have over the spare tire - I thought it was my jumper cables doing it. No such luck.

 

So it definitely sounds like it's on the drivers side of the car (tried driving around with the glovebox and surrounding trim removed, but couldn't hear anything over there. My daughter thought it sounded like it was coming from the back (which got me to check the parts back there) but no dice - even tried driving with the rear seats down to see if it was in the trunk at all - it doesn't appear to be.

 

I've gone over the engine compartment and can't find anything that squeaks or is loose. Checked all the front and rear suspension bushings - hit them with silicone just to be sure, removed and regreased the front and rear swaybar bushings.

 

I can sit in the car with the doors closed and rock it side to side, back to front, up and down, and there is nothing - not a peep. but back it out of the driveway, go over a bump, etc. and it is there. Doesn't take much at all to get it to do it, but it seems to go away at speed...

 

I am guessing it's on the drivers side under the dash, but can't for the life of me find it. Going to try removing the visor and radio trim to see if that helps pinpoint the source.

 

I'd hate to bring it back in for them to find it - seems lame to have a comeback for a squeak... on the other hand, they probably hear it, laugh, and go - oh, that's the X! and fix it in a few minutes... ugh.

I remain at wits end on this one. I have pulled essentially the entire dash apart - dropping the lower part on both sides, the center trim, the visor around the combination meter, etc. - it sounds like it's coming from the left side, but it doesn't sound any louder/clearer with the trim removed - even when I put my head right in there. I went back to under the hood - I pulled the swaybar bushings apart and greased them (thought maybe the silicone spray wasn't enough to banish the squeak), including where the bushing rides against the ring on each side that prevents the bar from walking left or right. I also hit the rubber spring seat on the top of both front struts.

 

I am not sure what else to look at. nothing I wiggle under the hood does anything, it doesn't matter if the clutch is in or out, the brakes are engaged or not, etc. The fun part is that I can't make it squeak no matter what I have tried when it's just sitting there - rocking it front to back, side to side, up and down, etc. - sitting in my seat, or lifting myself off the cushion doesn't seem to matter, I figured why not, and lubricated every contact point I could find under the drivers seat.

 

I was thinking maybe the clutch fork against the slave cylinder? I'll probably go there next... but pushing the clutch in and out doesn't seem to matter. the really annoying thing is it seems to be tied to motion of the car, but not when sitting still...

I had a squeak coming from under my car, it ended up being the bolt holding the intermediate pipe from the Jpipe to the catback. Maybe look at that.

Good thought, but no dice! I just went out and checked every exhaust bolt I could get my ratchet on, including the hook on the intermediate pipe - no dice.

 

As an added bonus, while I was under the car poking around earlier today, I noticed I am short one transmission bolt, as well as the clutch cover... I am not amused. Called, but of course they didn't answer (even though I know the service department is open until 5 on Saturday)

I get a squeak from the passenger seat when someone sits in it. And the driver side window switches rattle when I listen to music. And when it's feeling froggy my driver side visor lights like to rattle. Never heard anything on a squeak, just the passenger belt. There's some sort of TSB for it I think.

 

Actually come to think of it, it's not your brake pads right?

It doesn't seem to be tied to anyone sitting in the car (does it with just me, or me with a passenger) and actually still does it if I lift myself up off the seat... definitely not the brake pads - that was one of the first places I went (pulled apart the front left brakes, double checked and greased everything, etc.) - the squeak happens whether the brakes pedal is being pressed down or not... I suppose it could be something with the drivers side rear, so maybe I'll go there next...

 

I am bringing it in Wednesday for them to take care of the missing parts (if I had to guess, they will put the bolt in since they probably have those, then order the cover and I'll have to come back... I sent them pictures and everything, but the service writer I have been working at isn't in until Wednesday (and I can't really get in before then, anyway) and said it would be easier if I came in when he was there, so I will do that.

It's in the dealers hands now. I really, really, really hope they can find it. (they are also replacing the missing pieces - I can't imagine a single missing bolt would cause any issues, but who knows - maybe putting that back will kill 2 birds with 1 stone! In a loaner again (Forester Sport... not a fan of the orange interior trim)

Hope the dealer gets that sorted, it must be driving you mad at this point!

I get a squeak from the passenger seat when someone sits in it.

 

I get this too and that F&%$ing sun glass holder rattles like hell.

Well - brought the car to the dealership, had the missing pieces replaced, and they said they were confident that it was the swaybar bushings that were making the noise, and they had greased them and it was gone - I had told them I already did that, they said it was weird, but the tech was confident. sadly, the tech was wrong. the squeak persists. I was thinking maybe it was the underside of the bushings - pulled them, and sure enough, the paint is worn away in those areas - cleaned everything up, greased under, around, and inside the bushing - did the rear, too, just for good measure - I was thinking - this has to be it!

 

it was not.

 

I wonder if one of the motor mounts or something like that is making noise - everything seems tight, though. it sounds like it's tied to motion of the car, so suspension - but you can't make it make the noise unless the car is moving... it's maddening!

Interestingly, after they did whatever disassembly/reassembly that finally fixed whatever what causing the car to think it was knocking and go into limp mode also fixed the squeak - it is completely gone. It's bizarre.

Good to hear (or not hear )!

 

Maybe your knock sensor could hear the squeaking and that was causing all that trouble.

 

Either way, glad you are getting all these problems solved finally.

I get this too and that F&%$ing sun glass holder rattles like hell.

 

I took my glasses out and put them in the arm rest. The rattle drove me nuts.

I have an easier time chasing down rattles than squeaks - the squeaks are just harder for me to identify the location (if it doesn't show up when I shake/move around things, it can be a real pain to find) - I've fixed a number of rattles for relays behind the glove box, the pocket under the radio, etc. - my sunglasses holder has been silent (even when it has sunglasses in it) thus far.