# Loud Rattles from The Center Dash Gauges Pod



## Re2st (Feb 23, 2013)

Only on low gear when it drives at a slow speed. Can the dealer fix it?


----------



## stainlineho (Aug 20, 2011)

Re2st said:


> Only on low gear when it drives at a slow speed. Can the dealer fix it?


I've noticed it as well...


----------



## SaberOne (Apr 1, 2012)

Yeah I have it too. I suppose when in doubt break out the Barge cement. That's the stuff they use to glue sport shoes together and it remains soft and pliable and yet relatively easy to remove.

The only other thing I can think of would be some kind of thin gasket material. Not sure I'm going to wait for Volkswagen to come up with a fix, so I imagine that housing just pops out.


----------



## Anthony_A (Feb 1, 2013)

Re2st said:


> Only on low gear when it drives at a slow speed. Can the dealer fix it?


Hey guys. My gauges are pretty solid. I don't have any interior creaks or rattles (yet ?)


----------



## MnATL (Oct 26, 2010)

I have the same rattle from gauge pod. Should be taking to dealer soon for my rear seat that does not fold down. We wi see what they do....


----------



## Tvp125 (Mar 4, 2008)

mine does this also. some days is noticeable some days its quiet.


----------



## stainlineho (Aug 20, 2011)

Tvp125 said:


> mine does this also. some days is noticeable some days its quiet.


Yeah totally agree. Very weird. Im going to double check my soundaktor plug didn't come loose after deleting it.


----------



## nuke72 (Feb 1, 2013)

I had the dealer here install some sound deadening material to stop my gauge pod from rattling. not sure what they used, but it hasn't happened since...yet. I think the rattling happens more when the dash is cold, as the plastics expand or become more rigid with changes in heat.


----------



## Re2st (Feb 23, 2013)

that is exactly what i noticed, it rattles the worst when it's cold. anyway, i'm having it checked by the dealer this friday. see what they're gonna do with it.


----------



## TJClover (Feb 10, 2007)

I don't have gauges, and I have rattle in my dash. I can't tell if it's something under the cowl, or in the dash I can't get to. It vibrates really loud and sometimes not. It's worse on the highway though.:facepalm:


----------



## Re2st (Feb 23, 2013)

So, I got my car back from the dealer. They installed "sound dampeners" (aka "felt sound dampening"). This seems to do the trick. I also noticed that the pod now has very little to no play (I used to be able to jiggle it quite a bit before), they probably put some extra glue on it or something.

Here's what it says on my invoice:
Qty: 2
FP Number: 171-863-147
Description: Felt Strip


----------



## SaberOne (Apr 1, 2012)

Re2st said:


> ...Here's what it says on my invoice:
> Qty: 2
> FP Number: 171-863-147
> Description: Felt Strip


Thanks! Posting the specifics of what they applied is very helpful and I wish others' would do the same. Clearly, not every dealer is up on what to do, or will even recognize an issue as a problem. Sadly, the Volkswagen brand has been tarnished by a watering-down of service quality since about 2009~10.


----------



## stainlineho (Aug 20, 2011)

Finally got the the dealer today to get the wastegate clip installed, I also reported a rattle coming from the dash area. They found the driver airbag was making rattling noise so now I'm in a loaner ('13 Passat, nice but not my Beetle) until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Oh well hopefully this solves the rattling.


----------



## Front Runner (Nov 29, 2012)

Anthony_A said:


> Hey guys. My gauges are pretty solid. I don't have any interior creaks or rattles (yet ?)


No rattles with mine either, but if that changes. I'll have the dealer take care of it.


----------



## Grue237 (Sep 22, 2009)

MnATL said:


> I have the same rattle from gauge pod. Should be taking to dealer soon for my rear seat that does not fold down. We wi see what they do....


 
Is it the rear passenger seat? Service center claims it worked fine when they tried it. They definitely did something to repair because it works 90% of the time for me now, but is noticeably stiffer than the drivers side.


----------



## Grue237 (Sep 22, 2009)

Re2st said:


> Only on low gear when it drives at a slow speed. Can the dealer fix it?


 I thought mine was low gear only as well, but it seems to be at 1500-1700 RPMs, as Ive had it at higher speeds as well.


----------



## SaberOne (Apr 1, 2012)

*Update*: Now that the temperatures have warmed up in my area the gauge pod rattle has gone away. Apparently the pod enclosure contracts in colder temps and hence the rattle. Mind you, this is just my scientific wild-ass guess.


----------



## MnATL (Oct 26, 2010)

SaberOne said:


> *Update*: Now that the temperatures have warmed up in my area the gauge pod rattle has gone away. Apparently the pod enclosure contracts in colder temps and hence the rattle. Mind you, this is just my scientific wild-ass guess.


 Same here! No rattle since warmer temps.


----------



## smpeck (Jul 3, 2012)

Yeah.... mine rattles even after the "rattle kit" fix was applied at the dealer. I wish they could remove the entire assembly. Hate it. 

On the whole, the entire car is a rattle trap... not sure if it's the 19 inch wheels or what. The turbo cluster, the windows, the rear hatch... it's quite the experience when going over bumps.


----------



## stainlineho (Aug 20, 2011)

smpeck said:


> Yeah.... mine rattles even after the "rattle kit" fix was applied at the dealer. I wish they could remove the entire assembly. Hate it.
> 
> On the whole, the entire car is a rattle trap... not sure if it's the 19 inch wheels or what. The turbo cluster, the windows, the rear hatch... it's quite the experience when going over bumps.


 I feel for you man. I don't have any of those problems.


----------



## Re2st (Feb 23, 2013)

smpeck said:


> Yeah.... mine rattles even after the "rattle kit" fix was applied at the dealer. I wish they could remove the entire assembly. Hate it.
> 
> On the whole, the entire car is a rattle trap... not sure if it's the 19 inch wheels or what. The turbo cluster, the windows, the rear hatch... it's quite the experience when going over bumps.


 Yeah, I feel for you. It's like you're in a constant 'standby mode' for the rattles to go crazy. 

My dash's rattles stopped with the "rattle kit", but the passenger side's rattles are still there. I was told it was 'normal' due to the convertible top's construction. On a bright side, I take it as an excuse to ride with the top down as often as possible..


----------



## smpeck (Jul 3, 2012)

My 2012 Beetle Turbo didn't have as many rattles... but then again it didn't have the turbo cluster or 19 inch wheels. 

Come to think of it, out of all the cars I've owned, and there have been quite a few, the only worse rattle trap was a 1998 New Beetle. LOL. Should have remembered this... just thought VW would be making a better product by now. Especially for what they're asking for these cars.


----------



## Phaedo (Feb 22, 2011)

I took a piece of string and with the help of two small skrewdrivers I managed to press in the string between the pod and the dashboard. My rattle is all gone now and it only took me a couple of minutes. The string can't be seen and it was a super easy fix.

///Christian


----------



## Hackintosh (Jan 5, 2012)

My friend had this problem with his 13' beetle they told him that some of the clips that hold the gauge cluster in where not installed from VW when the car was made they put some in where there were none and he said all is good.


----------



## KCXTWO (Apr 27, 2013)

Rear passenger seat also an issue. thsnks for the updates, planning on the felt trick on the gauge pod as soon as I can. I did the resonator delete thinking it was the culprit.


----------



## KCXTWO (Apr 27, 2013)

With a little time invested in between trying to code the xenon range module for the headlamp retrofit I pulled the gauge pod for some sqeek and rattle management. I invested about 2 hours using open cell adhesive foam and adhesive felt tape to all surfaces that could contact after disassembly of the pod frm the dash and the gauges from the pod. Trimmed friction tape to the vent assembly and radio escutcheon with elimination of the center dash noise. Sounds tight on varied road surfaces, big change. With fall/winter, a change in temp will be another test. Worth the effort, need to magnetize the tip of your Torx bit as I didn't and spent 20+ min fishing one of the fasters back out.


----------

