fixed a rattle (or what's that clickin' noise?)

I'd had a noise that was getting more and more common and noticeable. It came from both sides and sound like it was coming from the dash or lower a-pillar. It was still intermittent enough that I figured it wouldn't do it if I took it to the dealer. After a lot of listening and pressing on different areas when it would make the noise I narrowed it down to this area:



I thought originally it was the little plastic insert inside the door latch cup but after removing it and pulling on the plastic at the front it still made the noise.
After some more looking and listening I found the black guide pin just below the white plastic clip. It has a really thin felt like material on it and it had slid a bit off to the side and my guess was the exposed plastic would hit the metal door and make the click sound.



I added some cloth tape and that eliminated the noise.

On the passenger side the plastic clip stayed in the metal part of the door and when I got it loose it fell down inside the door panel. Then as I popped more of them loose trying to get at that one they all stayed stuck in the door and broke apart as I was trying to get them out so now I need a few new clips...

That's may be what's happening in my car. The speakers cause a rattling sound to happen in the door hinge areasometimes, which I can stop by forcing my hand in there and pushing the trim, I'll have to look into it later.

I totally broke that thing off after installing the speakers. I pushed too hard on the panel and did not line the pin up to the hole before doing so, I had been frustrated with the white plastic panel clips. Needless to say my cold morning rattle in that area still exists lol

Thanks for sharing!

Ah yes, I misunderstood the first post. Funny thing is that it's so intermittent, nothing this morning and it was 40 degrees which typically should be the conditions under which the rattle would occur. When the rattle happens again I will check the area you've discovered, if it proves true then it gives me another reason to pull the door panel off (the first one being that I want to add dampening material to it to tighten up the bass overhang caused by the flexible plastic panel material).

mine was really intermittent for a long time. Every time I'd think it had gotten regular enough that I'd take it to the dealer it wouldn't do it the next morning.

I could often silence it by prying lightly with my hand between the dash and the door panel.

When it finally got to where it was happening a lot I was able to tap and shake the door in that area to get it to make the noise which made it easier to isolate. I popped the black plastic piece that sits right above the door panel in that area off and was able to see down inside and figured/hoped it was that part making the noise.