# Hatch rattle. FML



## 81RabbitDieselTruck (Feb 23, 2012)

Hello all, my 2013 beetle has been driving me crazy and I need to vent. I love this car first and foremost, but the hatch rattle has been a personal struggle. I removed the strut. Noise gone. I would like to use the hatch without holding it, so I have been on a mission. I bought a new strut (matched similiarly to one I found at O'reilys but had to switch the ball sockets..they screw off)--but it makes the same noise as the old one. The hatch strut on the passenger side is the culprit. When removed...no noise...when instlalled, it makes noise. I wrapped the orig strut in 5/8 rubber hose, re-lubed balls, teflon taped the balls, electrical heat shrinked the balls and no luck. 

I adjusted hatch stops and they do not budge. I can adjust it to the point where its difficult to close the hatch. Also, the latch striker appears to be in good condition with minimal wear marks (evidence that it shakes or rattles there). 

I dry lubed the hatch rubber seal, no difference... 

The only Thing I can think of, and this is a stretch for even me....The hatch hinges are being torqued when both struts are installed vs one strut installed via overcoming weight of the hatch itself and lifting up at the hinges over bumps. 

I have had to casualties, one 2mm scratch from a slipping screwdriver and one from the strut intself....I even wrapped the valley the struts recess into...Obvioiusly these are not visible but I know they are there........ 


My dealer said they have no fix for the rattle. They could look at it, but beyond what I have already done at my shop, they wouldnt do much anything different. 

Sean


----------



## plex03 (Nov 10, 2011)

81RabbitDieselTruck said:


> Hello all, my 2013 beetle has been driving me crazy and I need to vent. I love this car first and foremost, but the hatch rattle has been a personal struggle. I removed the strut. Noise gone. I would like to use the hatch without holding it, so I have been on a mission. I bought a new strut (matched similiarly to one I found at O'reilys but had to switch the ball sockets..they screw off)--but it makes the same noise as the old one. The hatch strut on the passenger side is the culprit. When removed...no noise...when instlalled, it makes noise. I wrapped the orig strut in 5/8 rubber hose, re-lubed balls, teflon taped the balls, electrical heat shrinked the balls and no luck.
> 
> I adjusted hatch stops and they do not budge. I can adjust it to the point where its difficult to close the hatch. Also, the latch striker appears to be in good condition with minimal wear marks (evidence that it shakes or rattles there).
> 
> ...


 Sean, 

Many of us feel your pain. All I can do is share what I've done and that's it's cut down on the rattle SIGNIFICANTLY. 



I cut a piece of a sponge koozie and tie wrapped it to the hatch post. 


I flipped the struts around so that the bottom was up and the top was at the bottom. I kept them on their respective sides. 


I've gotten into the habit of closing the truck with slightly more force than one would think would be needed. This seems to yield the best results 

 

In addition to your theory, I think also the bump stops on either side towards the bottom 1/3 of the hatch/body need adjusting but as my service guy mentioned, too much adjustment would affect the gaps between the body and the hatch. (The hatch would sit lower)


----------



## Babie (Jul 22, 2012)

plex03 said:


> Sean,
> 
> Many of us feel your pain. All I can do is share what I've done and that's it's cut down on the rattle SIGNIFICANTLY.
> 
> ...


 New struts and connectors comming by first of the year...all I know.


----------



## katie78 (Oct 25, 2011)

My whole dashboard and the driver's side door rattles & squeaks. Knocking on wood the hatch doesn't act up.


----------



## Enchanter1 (Sep 4, 2012)

Spent 4 hours in car as a passenger yesterday and did not hear a creak or ratte from our 13 turbo. Very pleased so far


----------



## eunos94 (Mar 17, 2002)

I had a hatch rattle and no confirmation beep when locking. Soon realized that event though the hatch looked closed it required a "SLAM" to get it to close all the way. No more rattle!


----------



## Dennis R (Jul 17, 2012)

eunos94 said:


> I had a hatch rattle and no confirmation beep when locking. Soon realized that event though the hatch looked closed it required a "SLAM" to get it to close all the way. No more rattle!


 My 2006 New Beetle convertible required a good slam also. Nothing really new for VW's.


----------



## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

eunos94 said:


> I had a hatch rattle and no confirmation beep when locking. Soon realized that event though the hatch looked closed it required a "SLAM" to get it to close all the way. No more rattle!


 I discovered this same thing

Sent from Tapatalk


----------



## plex03 (Nov 10, 2011)

One thing to keep in mind is that our "fixes" coincided with the weather turning warmer. 

I'm waiting to see if the metal of the hatch is susceptible to shrinkage as a result of colder weather. 

I took delivery of mine in January and it was unbearable for the first couple of months and as mentioned above DIY solutions started popping up just as the weather started to warm.


----------



## 81RabbitDieselTruck (Feb 23, 2012)

My rattle is certainly not from an improperly closed hatch. I have confirmation horn beep. I can live with the hatch strut-less for the time being. I have tried everything. I also have sensitive ears...hell my 81 Rabbit has fewer rattles. 


Sean


----------



## sonic_va (Jul 2, 2006)

plex03 said:


> One thing to keep in mind is that our "fixes" coincided with the weather turning warmer.
> 
> I'm waiting to see if the metal of the hatch is susceptible to shrinkage as a result of colder weather.
> 
> I took delivery of mine in January and it was unbearable for the first couple of months and as mentioned above DIY solutions started popping up just as the weather started to warm.


Weird, I swore I heard the rattle more as the summer Virginia heat crept in. Regardless, it's still driving me nuts!


----------



## Cadenza_7o (Jan 23, 2001)

Y'all know it's a a fact that 1/3 of all V-Dubbers eventually end up in the funny house because of all the crack, snapple, pop. 

My VW is my percussion section... those guys at the Puebla plant must have hidden a can full of Mexican jumping beans. 

:laugh:


----------



## jpitzer4 (Jul 18, 2012)

drtechy said:


> I discovered this same thing
> 
> Sent from Tapatalk


I had that issue the other day after washing my car, I noticed it didn't beep when it locked, and when I drove to work it rattled a lot, just to come find out I didn't close it all the way


----------



## Babie (Jul 22, 2012)

jpitzer4 said:


> I had that issue the other day after washing my car, I noticed it didn't beep when it locked, and when I drove to work it rattled a lot, just to come find out I didn't close it all the way


Happens daily to me, just take a tad more to close the rear hatch. The horn beep is my friend when closing the rear hatch.


----------



## JamWill (Oct 15, 2012)

81RabbitDieselTruck: 

Did you ever get your rattle figured out? I have the exact same rattle ('13 Beetle TDI) and it quit the moment I removed the passenger side hatch strut.


----------



## 81RabbitDieselTruck (Feb 23, 2012)

*negator*

My hatch rattle was so persistent that I removed the passenger side strut. The dealer removed my headliner, the back hatch cover, the sunroof drains, and still couldnt fix it. In fact, their are more quirky rattles as a result from the dropped headliner now. 

I tried an aftermarket strut to replace it, same noise. I lubed the hatch seal, same noise. I tightened door stops, same noise. I greased the ungreased (from factory) balls for the strut, same nosie. In some rare cases, high temperature can either make it go away or get very loud its hit and miss. 

Good luck! (i just have gotten very good at holding the hatch open while loading groceries and such) 

Sean


----------



## Chris659 (Nov 16, 2012)

There is a plastic vent in the spare tire well directly underneath the hatch door. Could it possibly be those flaps bouncing open/close that you're hearing? 

Just a thought


----------



## 81RabbitDieselTruck (Feb 23, 2012)

*no sir*

It has to be something that when under the correct sprung tension (ie the strut when installed), makes noise. When riding in the passenger rear seat, ive been able to rule out all surrounding plastics/fasteners/etc. The noise is 100% gone with strut removed--crazy. Ill just reinstall the strut when I trade it a few years from now. Im at peace for the most part unless someone has come up with a legit fix.


----------



## savedbydave (Aug 11, 2013)

have you pulled the trim off and looked at what the strut post is connected to? The issues are probably there since the rattle happens even with an different strut.


----------



## JamWill (Oct 15, 2012)

81RabbitDieselTruck said:


> It has to be something that when under the correct sprung tension (ie the strut when installed), makes noise...The noise is 100% gone with strut removed--crazy. Ill just reinstall the strut when I trade it a few years from now. Im at peace for the most part unless someone has come up with a legit fix.


 


savedbydave said:


> have you pulled the trim off and looked at what the strut post is connected to? The issues are probably there since the rattle happens even with an different strut.


 These struts are pretty stiff (hatch is heavy) and my ticking sound suddenly appeared after many months of noise-free driving. I think maybe the ball-mount attachment point loosens up or perhaps has a fine crack that shows itself only when under the shear force of the strut being compressed. Speaking of which, knowing just how stiff the struts are, I thought that closing with only one strut attached might induce an abnormal twisting force to the hatch hinges. I decided to also remove the left side strut--hatch seems only marginally heavier...


----------



## mydogmandy1 (Sep 2, 2013)

*Here is what was causing my rattle*

I was noticing a persistent rattle noise almost like 2 pieces of styrofoam rubbing together coming from the rear drivers side of the hatch area. I had someone else drive while I say in the back seat - when I pushed on the trim above where the seatbelt comes out of (the piece on the car, not the seatbelt), the rattle went away. 
I opened the trunk & pulled gently on the trim & it came off pretty easily.
Came to find out there are 3 metal clips that hold on the trim, 2 of which were not anchored to the trim. I pulled out the clips with pliers and slid them into the anchors, re-attached the piece & I have been rattle-free for several weeks!
Makes me kind of mad it came like that from the factory, but am glad I no longer hear it.
I hope you find your rattle whether it is from the same source or someplace different. 
Mine came & went with little rhyme or reason with different things I tried up to that point. I wish I could post a picture but not really sure how to do that from an ipad.


----------



## jzv (May 1, 2013)

mydogmandy1 said:


> I was noticing a persistent rattle noise almost like 2 pieces of styrofoam rubbing together coming from the rear drivers side of the hatch area. I had someone else drive while I say in the back seat - when I pushed on the trim above where the seatbelt comes out of (the piece on the car, not the seatbelt), the rattle went away.
> I opened the trunk & pulled gently on the trim & it came off pretty easily.
> Came to find out there are 3 metal clips that hold on the trim, 2 of which were not anchored to the trim. I pulled out the clips with pliers and slid them into the anchors, re-attached the piece & I have been rattle-free for several weeks!
> Makes me kind of mad it came like that from the factory, but am glad I no longer hear it.
> ...



Definatly not the struts in my car, just tryed pulling them off still rattles. Will give this a go tomorrow.


----------



## mydogmandy1 (Sep 2, 2013)

jzv said:


> Definatly not the struts in my car, just tryed pulling them off still rattles. Will give this a go tomorrow.


Just wondering - did you find anything? Rattles can be frustrating.


----------



## jzv (May 1, 2013)

mydogmandy1 said:


> Just wondering - did you find anything? Rattles can be frustrating.



NOPE Still nothing and its getting worse, my mechanic buddy told me i should try adjusting the hatch to make it close tighter it has like 3 spots where you do this but requires some tool that i dont have.


----------

