passenger side rattle

[melders]

hey all...another question..i have a slight problem with my car again. there is a vibration in the passenger side door, i think it is the front, and it is quite annoying. i have searched the forum, and found some stuff...but it wasnt enough. any ideas with this problem? and how do i take the door panel off? i have manual windows, and i wasnt sure how to remove the handle. any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[ToolGuy]

I would start with the basics. Make sure the hinges and door sticker are lubed well. They move while the car is in motion and thus if need grease, can make noise. My PT Cruisers back latch would make noise all the time if not lubed up. Also, make sure all the nuts and bolts from the hinges around the door are good and tight. I tightend all four doors on mine and all moved a little. Lastly make sure the door trim panel screws are tight. Do not over tighten these but make sure they are snug. Maybe back them out and then reseat that way you know how tight they are and will not over tighten them. Otherwise the issue may be in the door itself. And with the window crank would probably have to come off. The door screws I mentioned above too. One is in the door handle and I do not remember were the others are. After the screws are removed, the door panel pulls off from its fasteners.

[melders]

how does the window crank come off? i could not figure that one out...if the weather is decent..im gonna mess with it tonight when i get out of work

[ToolGuy]

It has the traditional holding fastener for cranks and seat recliners. Ironically when I looked in the serv manual it said this "Remove the front side door window regulator handle by using a cloth in order to pull off the snap ring, if equipped."LOL!!! Looks like it would work but still sounds very funny! You hold the cloth in a U and slide it up under the clip, thus the cloth grabs the clip sides and releases it. What I did for clips on door handles is push the door panel back to locate the clip and than use a pick to pull it up and release it. Here is a pic of the back and clip on the handle.

Attached files

[ToolGuy]

Here is the cloth pic! LOL!!

Attached files

[melders]

thanks...ill be doin some exploring this evening...ill let you know

[Atomb]

this may be a dumb solution but it solved my similar issue...the seat belt. the passenger or the back seat seat belts have been twisted so that the metal piece is knocking on the plastic. drove me nuts for a day or 2 trying to figure out what the sound was! just check.

[ToolGuy]

Quote, originally posted by Atomb »this may be a dumb solution but it solved my similar issue...the seat belt. the passenger or the back seat seat belts have been twisted so that the metal piece is knocking on the plastic. drove me nuts for a day or 2 trying to figure out what the sound was! just check. Yep sometimes when you investgate, the answer and fix is really simple!

[melders]

i checked the seat belt...that was the first thing i did...thanks.i took both passenger side doors apart tonight, and i looked and made sure everything is tight, and everything is. the only thing that i found may be of a rattle was a glass chip in the bottom of the front passenger door.(the previous owner must have broke the window or someting. so i do not know what it might be, but i did turn the music on loud (i know its gonna rattle with music) and there was noise coming from where the seat belt goes into the plastic on the passenger side...how do i get that cover off, and see if there is something in there?any other ideas with this isue would be greatly appreciatedthanks

[ToolGuy]

Mike, PM me a fax # and I can fax you the procedures on how to take the trim off. I can only fax, no email...And did you make sure all the glass from the window breaking is vacuumed up and gone? I have seen loads of glass left behind inside doors from windows breaking before.