[higgledy]

I have my first noise. It is a churping sound coming from the driver side rear.

These are the things I checked:
1. The license plate is tight.
2. Cargo cover: I rmv'd it but the churp persisted.
3. Crossbars: I tightened each, still have the churp.

I hear the churp when hitting small bumps and even when shutting the driver's side rear-door (normal slam).

Anyone have any solutions?

Phil

 

[dlroto]

If it's coming fromt the back maybe it's the baby seat seat belt in the back of the car, the one up top. ???

 

[higgledy]

If it's coming fromt the back maybe it's the baby seat seat belt in the back of the car, the one up top. ???

The tether? Never thought of that. If that is it, do you have a solution?

 

[DeepThought]

My noise is on the passenger side, but still in the cargo area. I hear it when going over irregular roads, and when shutting doors, just like you.

If you bump the headliner upward into the roof with your fist, can you reproduce the noise? Just a sharp tap in the cargo area roof, not very hard. There are a couple of 1"x2" or so styrofoam pads on each side of the headliner that rub against the metal roof beam on mine. I started to take the headliner out last night, but ran out of time. If I can find something to fit between the styrofoam and the body, I think I can fix it.

Took it to the dealer and was able to reproduce it on mine, but not on an 06 in the showroom. I'll try to get a picture of it, but here's what it looks like in the manual. You can see the two little pads sticking out on each side.

 

[higgledy]

Definitely is the tether from the car seat. I removed the tether and no more churp!

Thanks dlroto

 

[higgledy]

The noise is back. So anymore ideas?

DeepThought: Has the dealer offered a solution? They should be pulling the headliner apart, not you. BTW, what about a peice of felt between the headliner? Or some of that reddish paper used under hardwood floor installations? Another thought but may not be best choice is tar paper or shingle underlayment? Not sure what it is called.

 

[higgledy]

Any ideas?

 

[pleiad7]

Is the noise coming from the inside or outside of the car? Maybe have someone take a ride with you and investigate the noise. That's what Roo and I did when we had a mysterious rattling noise in our 99 S. Luckily we live on one of the bumpiest roads in the county, so I drove up and down the road while Roo tore the inside of the car apart... carpeting, door panels, down to the structural components underneath the back seat. Eventually we traced the noise to a loose bushing on a cross-member underneath the car.

 

[DeepThought]

I didn't want to leave the car with the dealer at the time, but I plan to have them look for the noise at my next oil change if I can't find it myself.

Took another shot at it last night, and found the noise now seems further forward in the roof, closer to the passenger rear window; the noise occurs even when the headliner is dropped away from the roof. Scratch the styrofoam attached to the headliner.

In trying to narrow down the cause of the noise, I've found I can make it happen when driving over rough pavement, tapping on the headliner from below, slamming shut either back door or the hatch, or (now) pounding on the roof rail from the outside. I'm starting to think the noise is now in the moonroof assembly somewhere.

Cranking up the stereo seems to help a bit...

 

[higgledy]

I think my noise is a metal-to-metal sound not styrofoam

I didn't want to leave the car with the dealer at the time, but I plan to have them look for the noise at my next oil change if I can't find it myself.

Took another shot at it last night, and found the noise now seems further forward in the roof, closer to the passenger rear window; the noise occurs even when the headliner is dropped away from the roof. Scratch the styrofoam attached to the headliner.

In trying to narrow down the cause of the noise, I've found I can make it happen when driving over rough pavement, tapping on the headliner from below, slamming shut either back door or the hatch, or (now) pounding on the roof rail from the outside. I'm starting to think the noise is now in the moonroof assembly somewhere.

Cranking up the stereo seems to help a bit...

 

[higgledy]

This churping noise is getting worse. I think the noise is from the inside, from outside it is definitley fainter.

 

[roxjohn]

Could it be the knob to fold down the rear seat back?
I've heard Forester owners having noise problem with those 2 knobs.

 

[JM1]

In this situation you probably want to remove as much from the interior as possible. Cargo shade, tools below the cargo floor, the little storage buck inside the spare and maybe even the spare. Take it for a ride, do you still have it? No, start replacing things. That's one way to go about it.

Another thing that I've down with numerous cars is kept the seatbelts latched even when nobody is sitting in the seats. Removes the possibility of the buckles hitting trim pieces as well as fluttering of the seatbelts when driving with the open windows.

 

[higgledy]

It is defenitly in the headliner, near the center of the cargo area but more near the backseat. Of course it is an intermitant noise, with varying volume levels. At it's loudest, it sounds just like a nest of baby birds. No kidding!
1. I can hear it from the outside when I shut my door.
2. I can make it churp if I push-up on the headliner in the right spot.
3. I cannot figure out if it is worse in cold temp or not.

When it is loud it drives me nuts! I can hear it over the radio, even when the radio is loud.

 

[pleiad7]

Do you have a moonroof? If it comes from the headliner over the backseat area I can almost guarantee you that it is the styrofoam behind the moonroof area. I remember someone had that exact problem quite a while ago on the old forum, and eventually remedied it by taking the headliner off and re-arranging the styrofoam, or something to that effect.

 

[higgledy]

Yes, I have the sunroof. And that is the exact area the noise is coming from too. I made an appt. with the dealer for next Thursday, hopefully they will hear it and know how to fix it. Last time I brought a car under warranty in for a noise, the service manager got in my car and played deaf!

 

[Mikecito]

Hi higgledy,Any update to this thread? I'm getting the same noise in my 05 XT, and it's getting very annoying.
I'd like to be able to go to the dealer with some idea where to find the problem.
Thanks!

 

[higgledy]

Sorry, no update. But I have a service appt. this Tuesday. I'll let you know or email me next week. Higgledy at g m a i l

 

[the head]

I have a similar chirp that is from the plastic panel area that meets the headliner on the driver's side. I just reached up and popped it with my hand (works for the Russian space program, right?) and haven't heard it any more. I also had the tether chirp and just wrapped electrical tape around the mounting point. Now it's a very quiet rattle but I can't hear it most of the time (the Cobb exhaust and APS intake take care of that).

 

[higgledy]

When I went to the dealer my car was not making the noise. Go figure. But it made the noise this morning. It is related to cold since when it warms-up the noise vanishes. During the winter it made it in the afternoons too but now it is only in the morning.