[rmorin1249]

I have an aggravating rattle that has recently appeared. I found an old thread that recommended adjusting the upper tailgate stops. Can anyone tell me what kind and size socket fits these stops? I tried every metric socket I have up to 21 mm and none fit. If anyone has another thought on where the rattle may be coming from I'm all ears. Thanks.

[-Vanguard-]

19mm socket for sure, but you can turn them by hand. Just wear a glove because that rubber really tears up the skin

[skyliner10004]

just try all your sockets and it'll be one of the largest ones. They also may not fit fully over the rubber knobs, you'll just be pressing it against it and it will turn. you can even turn it with your fingers or pliers. Make sure you use the paper method. I saw it on a video posted somewhere, to make sure there is some pressure against the paper, but not tight enough that it'd rip the paper when the trunk is closed and you try to pull it out.


what also helped me was wrapping the 2 metal tabs on the tailgate (it'll be above you when the trunk is open) with UHMW tape. Now my trunk closes with a tightness sound, but no creaks when driving. its great.

nextzett 91480615 'Gummi Pflege Stift' also helped with any door creaks. i applied on all rubber seals on the frame and the doors.

[SmartSaves]

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...65255-9999.pdf

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...77625-9999.pdf

I would start with the above two TSBs (haven't tested these yet). I have been chasing a subtle rattle and going through process of elimination of possible sources. It is reverberating vibration sound (after hitting the bumps on rough road surfaces it seems two pieces of plastic hitting each other in rapid succession for a second or two), like plastic clattering/tittering:
• It's not constant, it only happens over bumpy uneven roads.
• It is an isolated sound, can be reproduced over uneven surfaces. It is directly related to bumps on the road. Can hear the rattle best at city speeds.
• Sound seems to come from further behind me (but not tailgate or hatch, a friend sat in the trunk area to verify)
• Sounds like a cable or something reverberates against the hard plastic for few seconds. Could be a mix of metal and plastic too
• It cuts thru low audio. It is not obnoxious, but I can hear it when no music is playing.

Adding some pictures below to get you started, most of the pictures were aggregated from various posts of this forum, none were my issue, but could be yours. While I was trying to identify the source I found two loose nuts and a bolt on the floor (trunk area), came from factory!

[skyliner10004]

Originally Posted by SmartSaves

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...65255-9999.pdf

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...77625-9999.pdf

I would start with the above two TSBs (haven't tested these yet). I have been chasing a subtle rattle and going through process of elimination of possible sources. It is reverberating vibration sound (after hitting the bumps on rough road surfaces it seems two pieces of plastic hitting each other in rapid succession for a second or two), like plastic clattering/tittering:
• It's not constant, it only happens over bumpy uneven roads.
• It is an isolated sound, can be reproduced over uneven surfaces. It is directly related to bumps on the road. Can hear the rattle best at city speeds.
• Sound seems to come from further behind me (but not tailgate or hatch, a friend sat in the trunk area to verify)
• Sounds like a cable or something reverberates against the hard plastic for few seconds. Could be a mix of metal and plastic too
• It cuts thru low audio. It is not obnoxious, but I can hear it when no music is playing.

Adding some pictures below to get you started, most of the pictures were aggregated from various posts of this forum, none were my issue, but could be yours.

can you please describe what you did in that pic with the red arrows?

[SmartSaves]

Originally Posted by skyliner10004

can you please describe what you did in that pic with the red arrows?

I put Tesa felt type tape (Automotive Wiring Harness Tape) in between the two trim pieces. It wasn't my issue though, but almost disassembled the trunk area, lol bit of OCD

[skyliner10004]

Originally Posted by SmartSaves

I put Tesa felt type tape (Automotive Wiring Harness Tape) in between the two trim pieces. It wasn't my issue though, but almost disassembled the trunk area, lol bit of OCD

i would've just traded the car in before ripping out all those panels.

[SmartSaves]

Ha ha it is not as bad as the picture suggests. I was able to neatly put everything back together. All I needed a bit of confidence boost from fellow DIYers. Find the trim piece from the New TIS site below (need a free account) and follow the steps:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/g...xdrive40i-sav/

You might break a few plastic clips here and there, just find the part number from the site below and order it from your dealership, those clips are inexpensive:

https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...odel+60025/ECE

Here are a few examples of common trim pieces that DIYers remove:

[rmorin1249]

I was able to turn the stops without a socket. I think I've eliminated the rattle Time will tell. Thanks for the help.