# 2013 Beetle Turbo Hatch Rattle



## Vwguy026 (May 1, 2013)

So after months of trying to identity the culprit of my hatch rattle i figured it out. On the Hatch Door Itself on either side are 2 rubber feet, i stuck a flat head screw driver and pryed the plastic piece away to reveal a torq screw. I loosed the torq screw and pulled out the rubber foot to my amazement it was adjustable. I pulled it out a couple of notched a total of 4 from the beginning. I made sure both sides were even. I Closed the Hatch and it felt like it closed a lot easier and like it was tight. I pulled out of my drive way and felt and hear no flex sound. I Drove around and heard nothing... just silence inside the cabin. :laugh: I had Finally solved my Hatch Rattle Noise. Just Figured id let someone else know incase its driving them crazy because it was driving me nuts.


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## nitrq88 (Jan 7, 2014)

Thanks for the fix!! :thumbup::thumbup:


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## Vwguy026 (May 1, 2013)

looks like others have found this fix here too 

But here is what your looking for on the hatch to adjust.










and here is the post from that forum just for reference, i think someone may have posted it before but I'm going to do it again for all those with this issue.

http://newbeetle.org/forums/questio...oblems-2012-beetle/68993-rear-boot-noise.html


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

I finally decided to do this and stop the clunking. I didn't even realize how much noise it was making till after I fixed it lol! So much quieter now lol

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## Vwguy026 (May 1, 2013)

Awesome glad it helped!!


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## plex03 (Nov 10, 2011)

So did you all raise them or lower them?


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## Westhigh76 (Sep 6, 2013)

I took my Beetle in for the 40K service and told them I had a rattle coming out of the back of the car/hatch area...it turns out the problem was this, you know the styrofoam thing that holds all the tire changing equipment that sits on your spare...you know that long strap in the spare tire area...well the strap was just hanging loose...it's supposed to hold the styrofoam thing down tight on top of the spare...once they strapped it down the rattle went away...I wondered what that strap was for, now I know...the dealer also found a missing piece to my tire change kit and gave me another at no charge...no charge for the whole rattle/missing part issue...I'll go back to this dealer again...(Hallmark in Nashville TN)


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## PooLeArMor (Aug 13, 2008)

Vwguy026 said:


> looks like others have found this fix here too
> 
> But here is what your looking for on the hatch to adjust.
> 
> ...




where is the torq screw??? I removed the plastic piece and I still see no torq screw....


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## HRC260 (Oct 7, 2013)

Remove the hard shiny black plastic cover, to reveal the torque screws. :thumbup:


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

PooLeArMor said:


> where is the torq screw??? I removed the plastic piece and I still see no torq screw....





HRC260 said:


> Remove the hard shiny black plastic cover, to reveal the torque screws. :thumbup:


This^ cuz if you don't see it after removing the plastic you probably removed the wrong plastic piece

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## segilman (Jul 24, 2010)

This worked for me! Thanks!


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## PooLeArMor (Aug 13, 2008)

drtechy said:


> This^ cuz if you don't see it after removing the plastic you probably removed the wrong plastic piece
> 
> posted using tapatalk




hahaha

rubber and plastic i thought it is same thing.... then after reread it i knew i read it wrong...


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## Vwguy026 (May 1, 2013)

I can't believe this was an issue for a lot of people lol, glad I posted it.  I extended mine like 4 notches.


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## volks563 (Oct 29, 2012)

Went 2 notches and it's much better.


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## TIRADO (Jan 27, 2013)

My hat goes off to you OPP, I've been waiting for good weather to deal with this....thanks


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

My hatch started rattling again now that it got colder wtf! 

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## puma1552 (Jul 6, 2012)

Interesting, my wife's '12 2.5 has a nasty hatch rattle in the wintertime, it's kind of a higher pitched, hollow-ish sounding clunk/rattle going over bumps. Last winter they replaced the trunk latch to no avail, this year I took it in this past Saturday and they said it was the hatch struts and had to order them, so tonight the struts came in so I was to go over there and have them take a couple hours to install them, but when I got checked in by the service manager he asked what was going on with the car so I explained. He said that the struts wouldn't fix it, but rather those feet need adjustment and that he'd like to have the car tomorrow (put me in a free loaner) so they can play with them. He said they've done quite a few Beetles with the hatch rattle.

Is this indeed a fix? Based on drtechy's post, maybe not. I'm hopeful though since this post is exactly what the dealer was talking about. It's a LOUD, maddening rattle.

Curious though, with these feet adjusted outwards, doesn't the hatch stick out a bit more when fully closed?


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

puma1552 said:


> Interesting, my wife's '12 2.5 has a nasty hatch rattle in the wintertime, it's kind of a higher pitched, hollow-ish sounding clunk/rattle going over bumps. Last winter they replaced the trunk latch to no avail, this year I took it in this past Saturday and they said it was the hatch struts and had to order them, so tonight the struts came in so I was to go over there and have them take a couple hours to install them, but when I got checked in by the service manager he asked what was going on with the car so I explained. He said that the struts wouldn't fix it, but rather those feet need adjustment and that he'd like to have the car tomorrow (put me in a free loaner) so they can play with them. He said they've done quite a few Beetles with the hatch rattle.
> 
> Is this indeed a fix? Based on drtechy's post, maybe not. I'm hopeful though since this post is exactly what the dealer was talking about. It's a LOUD, maddening rattle.
> 
> Curious though, with these feet adjusted outwards, doesn't the hatch stick out a bit more when fully closed?


I pulled the adjustment out as far as it will go, and my trunk still slams shut as if its not even hitting the bumpers. And of course is still rattling. Since I'm out of warranty now I don't know what else to do. I may try flipping the struts as others have said, but I still don't buy how that will help the rattling. It's easy enough though that I'll try it this weekend.


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## puma1552 (Jul 6, 2012)

I got a call from the dealer, looks like there was a miscommunication and instead of adjusting these, the tech went forward with installing the hatch struts as planned (which I'm ok with, kind of glad they didn't adjust those bumpers). They say the car is quiet, so I'll pick it up tonight and see. If not, maybe I'll play with the adjusters myself.


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## plex03 (Nov 10, 2011)

puma1552 said:


> I got a call from the dealer, looks like there was a miscommunication and instead of adjusting these, the tech went forward with installing the hatch struts as planned (which I'm ok with, kind of glad they didn't adjust those bumpers). They say the car is quiet, so I'll pick it up tonight and see. If not, maybe I'll play with the adjusters myself.


If that works can you post the part numbers?


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## puma1552 (Jul 6, 2012)

plex03 said:


> If that works can you post the part numbers?


Yeah if I can see/find it and it happens to be a revised part number...if it's the same part number then we know the answer. I'll ask if it's revised when I go in tonight if I remember.


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## puma1552 (Jul 6, 2012)

Got the car back but not sure if it's fixed. It's snowing pretty bad so traffic wasn't moving and the roads home are too smooth to test. Unfortunately I forgot to ask if they are revised struts, but I don't think it will matter - I think I heard a hint of the rattle. Will test tomorrow when it's cold and dry.


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## Vwguy026 (May 1, 2013)

Just checking in with my hatch rattle still no rattle after adjusting the hatch bumpers.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

It would seem logical that if the hatch bumpers and hatch 'shocks' are in proper position
and functioning properly, the only other possible problem areas would be the latch 
mechanism itself or a mis-alligned hatch. Any experienced body shop guy can tell you
if the allignment if 'off' and that should be something else to comtemplate doing if 
the problem is ongoing.


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## TIRADO (Jan 27, 2013)

volks563 said:


> Went 2 notches and it's much better.


Same here, I'm so used to hearing the rattle on the same roads I travel daily I it feels weird not hearing it now, almost like something is missing :laugh:


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## puma1552 (Jul 6, 2012)

The verdict is in, new hatch struts didn't do a damn thing. Rattles just as much as before. Also noticed that my bumpers are not all the way in, but rather look like those pictured. Not sure if they came like this from the factory or if they actually did adjust them when it was in for hatch struts; I don't have paperwork yet because they had to order a new piece of trim for the hatch (the part with the pull down handles) since there was a piece of foam back there that migrated out and upon trying to reglue, the trim didn't fit right so they ordered a new piece (which has the foam as an integral part.

So, things that don't fix it:

-Trunk latch
-Hatch struts
-Cabin air pressure vent behind left tail light (not sure why they thought this might do it but oh well)

There isn't a lot left, unless it's something in the third brake light housing but it doesn't seem that way. Driving home from work tonight, I felt like the rattle was more on the right side, whereas I've previously felt it was coming from the center of the vehicle.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

Anyone figure out any other fixes? I flipped my struts yesterday, and no help of course. I'm to the point where I may fabricate new little adjustment things to replace the ones that are on there since they don't have enough adjustment in them. I don't know, just really sick of this noise


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## jzv (May 1, 2013)

Unfortunatly not drtechy, mine seems to only be getting worse!


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## VRACERW (May 25, 2005)

i took a look at my little bumpers the other day and they were already extended, maybe something the dealer did before my purchase but it still has a slight thunk when going over bumps in the cols.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

jzv said:


> Unfortunatly not drtechy, mine seems to only be getting worse!


:-(

I took another look yesterday, and I noticed yet again my hatch struts leaking. This is the 3rd set now and the car isn't even 2 years old. Of course I have to pay for them this time since I'm past my warranty FTL. I'm starting to think its the weak struts VW is using. Anyone know a company we can contact to get those type of struts in different strengths?


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## puma1552 (Jul 6, 2012)

So I brought the car in for the new trim piece the other week and they did pull out those bumpstops, now they look as far out as that picture (probably all the way?). I don't yet have confidence that the issue is fixed, but I have not heard it since (though I haven't driven the car that much). 

Hopefully this does the trick, because there literally is nothing else to swap out that I know of to try.


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