Plastic rattle from behind the dash (fix)

[Bepis]

I had a rattle sounding like it was coming from behind the glovebox in the dash somewhere and it drove me nuts for 7 months and I was contemplating taking the glovebox out to take a look. NOT ANYMORE!

While wiping down the engine bay I was wiping some snow foam off of the perforated sections of the windscreen cowl that sits above the suspension mounts and heard something plastic fall.

Turns out the strut tops have a plastic what I can only describe as a shower cap that pushes onto the stud of the shock absorber that protrudes through the top mount to stop water sitting in it and rotting it. Clever idea but they seem susceptible to coming off either over time or with sudden shocks like that from a pothole.

I peeled back the rubber stripping from the cowl and it was flexible enough for me to be able to get my hand underneath and push the "strut shower cap" back in place. Dead easy took all of 30 seconds. Checked the driver's side and it too was starting to come off, so pushed it back on.

Part number is 6R0 412 359 for those interested.

Now that the car no longer sounds like it wants to fall apart it makes driving on our pristine roads a bit more bearable.

Hopefully, this will help save someone elses sanity

[mirceaculita]

Please god let me have the same problem as this man right here I really don't want to take the glovebox out

[RUM4MO]

Hummmm, a slight noise like that appeared this week on my wife's August 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI, I asked my wife to open the glovebox while I was driving and not convinced that it is not coming from inside that glovebox, ie the CD cases!

I know exactly what these covers are, and I think that I refitted one on my daughter's previous late 2009 Ibiza SC, so thanks for that I will need to look down there!

Edit:- I think that when the top mounting gets well compressed that it can pop/punch that cover off.

[Bepis]

I can’t remember if the noise has been there since I bought the car or if it started after. Either way it gets (well used to get as I don’t really enjoy paying 175 a litre) an almost weekly spirited run on some back roads one of which does have a significant bump at the bottom of a hill which causes a significant compression.

I too first suspected something in the glovebox to be rattling so emptied everything from the car other than myself and my phone for a week and the noise obviously still persisted. So to sort it finally was a relief.

Given that the passenger side had completely come off and the drivers side only slightly I suspect that potholes are the most likely culprit.

[RUM4MO]

I'd expect that these mounts do "settle" with time and that will bring the top of the damper closer to the underside of these covers.

I'm almost certain that I've seen pictures of the tops of these struts where there was no chance that these cover could be fitted, the mounts had settled so much.

[heftyshooly]

I too had this rattle from glovebox and that was driving me crazy. Turns out the passenger side cap was cracked. I'll be driving without the cap to see if it solves the issue, but it does sound promising. Thank god!!

[RUM4MO]

It was not the suspension strut covers on my wife's car, searching for it seems to have driven that noise to ground?!!

[mirceaculita]

Unfortunately my rattle didn't come from the plastic cover... the search continues

[Casbantam]

Sounds like what's just started happening on mine over last few weeks. Will check this out. Hopefully it will be same as yours as driving me slightly mad!
Can remember a few bad pot holes over last few weeks also. Fingers crossed and great post by the way could be very helpful to many

[Casbantam]

Well I just had a look and it was exacttly as you described. Glove box side was loose and to the side. Drivers side was OK. Both firmly pushed back into place.
Will roadtest later and report back. Hopefully all good. I might owe you a pint Bepis!!

[Bepis]

Not a problem. Enjoy the extra sanity

[2fast4ya]

Ive been having the same ! A rattling in the dash area ive taken all my loose change , cds, pens lituraly everything thats movable out but still can hear it! haha its been doin my swede in for months, ive looked everywhere even in the engine bay , even pushed onto the glovebox , door cards & dash cluster whilst driving to see if that stops or shows me it but nope, ive got a feeling mine could be part of wiring behind dash area has come inclipped somehow & is tapping on something but i dont wana be gettin the dash out !
I have removed the glovebox twice to sort the heater resistor out but nothing obvious around that area ! Im miffed !
Im not the one for putting objects on the dash so theres noway that anything has rolled behind .
Ill check under tbe scuttle again maybe ive missed something !
Talking about potholes i hit one sunday & it made my horn sound breifly lol

[Dubster8]

Hi Guys, I can't believe so many people have this issue. I got my car back from VW some weeks ago after they changed the shock mountings. And since then, I thought it was the cowling that they broke during fitment that was the fault.

It's currently winter here and my rattle is only audible when the temperature is below around 10 - 15 degrees Celsius it seems.. During the day the rattle goes away. To me it sounded like it could even be something tapping/vibrating against the inside wheel arch cover, when the car is idling below 1000 rpm. I opened the wheel arch cover but nothing. VW have just changed the cowling.. What a bother.. Will let you know if I find anything!

Edit: found this youtube video: https://youtu.be/tzPQBHy62WI

So will be checking my fuel lines in the engine bay tomorrow..