How to fix dash rattle near display screen

Sport6

Member
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2009 Subaru WRX Sedan
Ok let me start off by saying that this is a fix of one of the many possible locations of dash rattles. This basically only started when I added the motor mount so it might only apply to those with one. This fixed it for me and hopefully it will work for you as well.

The first thing you have to do is gather some stuff.
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Most importantly you will need:
-Some sort of foam, probably minimum thickness of 1/4". I had some packaging egg crate type foam around so I cut that down to size.
-Screwdriver
-Double-sided tape

There are 4 clips that hold on the decorative dash piece and one hook-type clip at the end of it(by the door).
4 clips marked in red. 1 hook thingy in orangish.
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Easiest way is to open the glove box and pull from here:
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2 screws that hold on the center grille piece. (don't mind the foam already in there, this is a post install write up).
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Unplug the hazard light connector:
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There are 2 clips in the center of the piece and 3 in the back, pull up gently to get the 2 in the center popped free, and you can pull up and forward to get the back free.

The cut strips of the foam to cover these spots:
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I put foam on the sides of the display screen so the decorative piece doesn't vibrate on it.

Also felt the center grille vibrated, so look at the back side of the piece you remove and place the foam in the spots it will make contact to the dash.

Too much foam could cause the piece to stick up further than the rest of the dash so only use what you need to and if it really hard to put pieces back on then you are using too much.

Button up all the pieces, make sure to connect the hazard light again. Make sure the tubes of the center grille are lined up when you put it back on. Push it back down to click the clips back in, screw it back down. Place the hook of the decorative dash piece in first, then push the clips in. Make sure the decorative piece slides into the center grille piece above the display screen, then push the last clip in.

Take it for a spin and see if it rattles still. Mine worked out the first time but if it doesnt and sounds like its still coming from that area, open it up again and make sure you have all the contact spots covered.

The whole process takes under 10 minutes and if you aren't a behemoth then you shouldn't break anything. So be careful with bending pieces too much and you should be fine.
 
Update!

It still vibrated when it was colder a tiny bit. So I opened it back up again, and put more foam on the dash and two pieces on the actual center grille piece you remove.

Green is the updated foam on the dash. The foam is more on the front of the display piece than the top of it. It doesnt show at all as long as you dont put foam in front of the display. I think its the actual metal frame around the display that vibrates, so the foam is giving it more support against the decoration piece.

Red is where I put the foam on the center grille piece, just look at it and put the foam where the it meets the front of the dash.

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After that I do not have any vibrations from that piece when its cold.
 
I have this exact same problem! I was going to do the same thing, so it's nice to see that it helped you.


I wonder if it's just a cosmic blue mica thing...
 
Weather stripping works great for pretty much any kind of panel vibration, plus it's adhesive on one side. I used to have squeaks coming from the long trim piece surrounding the display screen, after some weather stripping, soooo quiet now.
 
:(

i basically wallpapered the inside of this plastic strip and it still squeaks
 
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