mstams

Sounds like I have the instrument cluster rattle/buzz in my new 2009 C4S.

I'll give it few more miles (only ~300 now) to settle in it before I visit the dealer. Mine is very sporadic.

JW911

I had a problem with one of the heating ducts inside there. It was stuck and making noise trying to open or close. Replaced under warranty.

John52

When I got my new 2008, I was swearing at the noise from the dash everytime I hit a bump. I was ready to go back to the dealer when a little light went on and I removed some loosely stowed items from the the little storage compartment in front of the battery. It sure sounded like it was coming from the dashboard!!!

9elf S

Yep, I get that buzz occasionally; the colder, the more I hear it. If I touch the rear view mirror, it stops. A little annoying, but not worth going to the dealer for me.

docjohnM

as crazy as it sounds, I "discovered" that a rattle that followed me from car to car was a loose link on my watch bracelet. I did not feel to smart at that moment

It also seems like porsche does a good job solving rattles as time goes by. I have friends who swear by the solidity of the last few years on the 996 chassis. Consumer reports (don't laugh!) tracks rattles in their stats, and they showed a marked increase of them from the 996 to 997. As the years go by, each successive year of 997 has had less rattles!

kauai_diver

Hmm I wonder if this is the same sound I have...

I describe it more like the sound you hear sometimes in an office by the window when the sun starts warming up the walls.

I thought it was the sun/heat causing expansion on the dash but I get the sound when its cold too.

Da Hapa

I have the dreaded rattle being fixed as we speak on my 2008 997S so the issue was definitely not fixed after 2005

mstams

Let us know how it goes.

Leader

Today's cars (even our Porsches) contain so many varied materials, all of which react differently (and at inconsistent rates) to changes in temperature, it's a wonder they don't make "noises" all the time.
My 997 has a few interior noises when it's cold; it has a couple of different ones when it's warm. Stuff like that used to drive me nuts. Not so much anymore.
The "go fast" noises are so much more prevalent, I don't even notice the little stuff, which most of the time doesn't even register.
It's not a Lexus.

docjohnM

When my M3 used to rattle, I would say, "at least they sound like high quality rattles!"..and my wife would laugh at me! But it is true that the rattles my old VW GTI used to make sounded like the creaks and groans on a greyhound bus. The plastic and leather noises on these german cars always sounds a bit more refined....
That being said, it seems that a really good and caring dealership helps here too. Most dealers hate the dreaded, "rattle search"

Da Hapa

I agree with you but only to a point.

It's not a Lexus and that's why I can live with tire noise and some wind roar.

But my 997S was a lot more money to buy than either of my other two cars (both Lexus). My 1997 LS400 has nearly 150,000 miles on it now and still doesn't squeek or rattle. And our 2006 LX470 with 36,000 miles is a massive rig with huge open spaces, huge tires, roof racks, etc. and there are no rattles or squeeks either.

I'm sorry... I don't expect my much more expensive, rarely used, 2008 997S with 5,000 miles on it to exhibit similar behavior.

Da Hapa

Will do. The service manager called me yesterday and told me there were ordering parts to resolve the rattle. I didn't think to ask him what parts but I'll let you guys know how it goes.

The good news is that the dealership seems as concerned as I am about making sure the car is right. They're not dismissing the rattle as trivial just because it's a sports car. They seem to agree with me that rattles and squeeks are not par for the course.

mstams

Any update? Thanks.

_Nathan

I had a sound exactly like that but mine sounded like it was coming from the back, possibly from the Bose subwoofer tubes. After a few days of it I tried cranking up the sound system extremely loud for a few minutes and it hasn't happened since. I suspect there may have been something loose rattling around in there.

When my MINI Cooper had a dash rattle there was a "dash rattle kit" specified by a service bulletin that the dealer ordered that fixed the problem. Maybe Porsche has something similar.

mstams

Took my car in to have the dealer check the factory alignment (which was out of spec by the way) and to take a look at the instrument cluster noises while they had it.

I mentioned I'd heard online that a TSB was available -- but when I picked up the car, they told me that the bulletin was for Boxsters only. They added some felt to the bottom of the cluster and thought that would fix it.

It seemed better that day, but I noticed more noises coming from the top of the cluster on the way home tonight (colder weather).

Anyone know the details of the TSB for the Carrera? I wonder if there is more to it than what's already been done (maybe a whole kit?).