08SportsXT

Hello everyone, I just bought my first Subaru on Halloween, a 08 Forester Sports XT, and since I first drove the car it has had a rattle in the back that I cannot figure out what it is. I know it is not the middle seat belt or the rear license plate, and I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem and knows what it was.

Thanks,
Brandon

Smash81

i know i've got a rattle in my '03, i think it's the antenna in the drivers side rear quarter window. atleast i think that's the antenna... if you have the same setup maybe take a look at that.

Smooth

I've noticed that when I have the cargo cover (the pullout one) stowed under the floor that it rattles quite a bit.

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'07 FSXT WRB ¤ protuned VF39

08SportsXT

The noise does sound like it's coming from the right rear panel, so you may be right about it being something with the antenna.

Thanks

FXTRunner1

I had an annoying rattle like that and it took me awhile to figure it out. For me it was my striker plate that needed adjustment. The back door latches on to it. You can tell if its this by puting some electrical tape around the part the latch hits. If the tape fixes it then the fix is done by loosening the two bolts on the striker plate and move it in towards the interior.

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FXT 05 MT CGM VF39'd FTW!

sparrow75

I have an 07XT and have been dealing with a rattle/vibration from the driver side rear cargo areas. I would hear it while driving over gravel roads. I also heard a similar rattle/vibration from base comming from my music. At first I didn't think the two sounds were related, but seems they are. Here is what i figured out:
1) the metal plate around the speaker in the cargo area is vibrating, causing the sound described above, both during music and driving on rough roads
2) So I lifted the cargo lid (to where the storage and spare tire are located) and tucked a towel up behind the carpted wall so the towel was tightly pushed between the metal speaker plate and wall. This held the speaker plate tightly so it does not vibrate.

All problems seem to be fixed, i haven't hear the noise since. Now, i just need to figure out a more perminent fix, maybe small piece of foam??

Hope this helps.

Arthemys

The rattle you're referring to, is that a squeak by chance? My 00 has this bizarre squeaking that seems to vanish temporarily when I put in foam weather stripping. The weather stripping got crimped and the squeaking has returned. By chance would moving the striker plate solve this? I do know that the little springy pad things on either side are no longer doing their job...
It's been cold as crap lately so I haven't had the time to fart around and figure out a decent solution by trial and error.

Boxer 4th

I had a mysterious rattle in the back of my '07 that came up suddenly. After got over the initial annoyance, I realized that the cargo cover (the retractable "shade" thing) was retracted - but not quite all the way. The plastic handle was just dangling a bit too much and was rattling against the housing. I usually drive around in the covered up mode, otherwise it probably wouldn't have caught my attention.

Also Solved: ...a rattle I SWORE was in the front passenger door. My wife (a frequent passenger) insisted it was coming from inside the center console. She was right! It turned out to be the 2 loopy plastic retractable cupholder rings that live in the backside of the console. They occasionally jiggle around when they're folded up inside.

That's two mystery rattles down. Now there's a little one coming from the right side of the dash/windshield pillar area. I'm thinking maybe the pollen filter. Isn't that someplace in that vicinity?

FXTRunner1

Yes, the two bolts on either side will allow it to slide a bit. Use a marker or pencil so you dont loose the original position. It make for a good reference point. Then loosen the bolts and move the catch inwards a small bit. Mine is a bit tight in that it takes a good slam for it to catch. But now it doesn't rattle...

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FXT 05 MT CGM VF39'd FTW!

JM1

Wrap the post that the rear seats attach to when in the upright position. I put a little bit of black electrical tape on each side and it fixed the "pop" I would get each time I started driving the car after it had sat for a little while.

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MY05 FXT MT Crystal Gray, Stage 1, ghetto wheels

geargrinder

I have this same noise sort of. Mine is kind of a buzzing sound from the left rear. I removed everything from the back, and it still persists. I am starting to think it has something to do with the speaker wiring witch is causing some kind of interference.

SailorDon

My '08 XT was purchased early in Sep '07 and it too came with a rattle in the right-rear of the interior (at no extra charge). I guessed that the rattle was coming from the passenger-side end of the privacy cover bar anchor point. To test my theory, I looped a bungie cord over the bar and secured both ends to the metal cargo loop directly under the bar. That seemed to cure that rattle. The other noise I get is from the cargo floor lid and/or parcel tray going "blam" whenever I go over anything larger than a small bump. I would have thought that Subaru would have worked out these details in a 10+ year old platform. This is the first new car I've purchased that I had to use a bungie cord to keep something from rattling.

Skotia

I am having a similar rattle to what you described. Sounded like it was from the center console which prompted me to remove all the panels and re tighten them. Rattle still there. Now I am guessing that it is coming from the Passenger side front door panel. Any suggestions?

PogiOne

Had this annoying rattle too. Went crazy and replaced the rear upper strut mounts and sway bar end links too. But it turns out to be only the latch mechanism inside rear seat backs.
Try folding down the seat backs and go for a spin around the block.

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04 Forester XT * 07 Impreza Sport Wagon

guroove

There's an easy cure to all these problems. Aftermarket exhaust + open windows!

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2005 Obsidian Black Pearl XT w/4eat