For two and half year I've enjoyed a rattle-free Yeti but things have recently changed and I'm now getting a rattle apparently from somewhere in the area of the tailgate. I've had everything out of the boot, tightened a couple of loose fixings for the polystyrene boxes and also the two fixings that hold the raised floor in place. Everything else seemed nice and secure. I've taken out all the odds and ends that have found their way into the storage boxes and pockets and checked that the remaining essentials (like the tool kit and the spare wheel) are securely fixed and if necessary well wrapped. I've rolled the seats forward and checked the clamps that hold them in place were closed and secure. All OK. The rear seat belts are slotted in the groves provided for them. I've even resorted to a good hoovering of the foot wells, under the seats and in the spare wheel well!! (You can tell I'm getting desperate).The only thing I can find is that the tailgate stay on the right hand side is absolutely rigid when the tailgate is up but the left hand one has some lateral movement at the midpoint - perhaps up to 5 millimetres side to side. Something to get addressed when it goes for MOT and its next service in May but could this apparently minor defect account for the noise, which I can best describe as sounding like a golf ball rattling against a plastic panel. Just to make it interesting of course it's not doing it all the time, when it is rattling sometimes it is louder than at other times and it doesn't seem to be particularly affected by road surface. 

 

I'm just beginning to reach the "tearing my hair out" stage so any suggestions of where it might be coming from would be welcomed. 

Do you have a sunroof?

Is the middle seatbelt located in the roof properly?

A wiring loom floating free in the rear side panel or hatch perhaps.......I seem to recall similar within the last year.

To eliminate the stay from your investigations can you wrap it in something?

I had a similar annoyance in TIBET III (never a problem with I and II!). I have had the odd rattle from the sunroof (on I and II) in cold ambient air temperatures .

 

At first I suspected one of the rear lamp clusters, then tried the insulation tape on the rear door latches, checked the security of the tailgate gas struts, had a peek inside the tailgate through the number plate light holes and checked the rear number plate was tight.

 

Eventually, I adjusted the stops on the sides of the tailgate a tad (I seem to recall slipping the cover off and then a Torx bit to loosen, move and secure) and hey presto, total silence ever since.

 

Good luck!

Edited 19 January, 201610 yr by aerofurb

Thanks for all your suggestions, certainly a few there I hadn't thought of so I'll start working my way through them. I have got a sunroof but, by the simple and foolproof method of making my long-suffering wife sit in the "boot" whilst I drove around I think I've eliminated that.

 

(Oh come on, I'm not that bad a husband - I did take the shelf out before she got in and even cracked a window so she had some ventilation). 

_{Edit to my post above - the computer added an extra 'struts' in the text (wasn't my fault...). Anyway, the stops are on the lower sides of the tailgate - and nothing to do with the struts!}

Edited 19 January, 201610 yr by aerofurb

Yeah, yeah, blame the computer!

I have had an annoying rattle on mine almost from new, car will be two years old in March. Two dealers have had a look and it still rattles occasionally.

The tailgate was adjusted, numerous times, occasionally curing noise for few days.

I then took the rear plastic trim off tailgate to for a rear camera as I wanted to hide wiring. The problem disappeared afterwards for months but has returned on and off over the last month, despite the dealers having another look whilst in for another problem, telling and charging me as they said cable wasn't clipped up. ( headlight steering problem that has at last been solved by replacing complete headlight under warranty. Another problem since new! )

We have a dog and use a cover and blanket in the boot. If we get some of the blanket caught between trim and opening, the rattle returns or if the dog leans against trim it can rattle.

I intend to remove trim ( always scared when pulling plastic away) and see if I can see why it still rattles.

Your problem may be different of course!

^^^ I agree, pulling plastic back worries me that the seemingly 'single use' clips will simply result in more rattles unless replaced with new ones.......and a trip to spare parts.

The numberplate rattling against the mounting/tailgate is a common one. Some dealers fit sticky pads between the plate/carrier if fitted & tailgate to stop the rattle. They may fall off eventually thought!

Tailgate strut is a possibility as when the "lid" is closed the piston may rattle against the casing. Also check the ball mountings... if a spring clip retainer is missing, the strut can be loose but still work ok.

Also check the studs that hold the slam panel plastic finisher (the bit along the cill). The plastic studs that hold it in place can break/fall out.

 

Probably none of the above, but it's worth looking. But only do one thing at a time or you'll never know which one was the guilty party!

My rear rattle was cured by blu-tacking the middle seat belt buckles into the roof recess. I'd previously lined the recess with felt but that didn't cure it 100%. I never have 3 in the back so it's never used. It did drive me round the bend trying to find it.

They do seem really prone to rattles. Fantastic in all other respects though.

Had similar rattle and it was the sunroof - does the noise stop if you open the sunroof. The noise can carry inside the vehicle so the dealer tech who came with me on a test drive opened the roof and the noise did stop confirming hi suspicions.Mine is a 2013 model and it has had the sunroof done twice - ok now. The second episode was dealer induced after they replaced one of the front drain tubes.

Thanks everyone. Typically,now I've got a number of leads as to possible causes it has stopped!! But I'm sure it will start again so then I'l start working down the list - east ones for me, hard ones probably when it goes in for a service/MOT rather than break sometihng.

 

Thanks again.

I have had a similar rattle in my 4 year old Yeti. In my case I eventually narrowed it down to the tailgate catch rattling against the metal loop on the boot floor.

I cured the problem by wrapping strips of gaffer tape around the metal loop to take up any slack.

Thanks everyone. Typically,now I've got a number of leads as to possible causes it has stopped!! But I'm sure it will start again so then I'l start working down the list - east ones for me, hard ones probably when it goes in for a service/MOT rather than break sometihng.

 

Thanks again.

A lot of rattles are temperature dependent and at this time of year a lot of parts have "shrunk" and will often rattle.

That's exactly what the doctor said to me the other day.   

 

Fred

I have had a similar rattle in my 4 year old Yeti. In my case I eventually narrowed it down to the tailgate catch rattling against the metal loop on the boot floor.

I cured the problem by wrapping strips of gaffer tape around the metal loop to take up any slack.

Are you referring to the catch and latch being a bit loose and needing adjustment?.

A lot of rattles are temperature dependent and at this time of year a lot of parts have "shrunk" and will often rattle.

That's exactly what the doctor said to me the other day.   

 

Fred

 

Bob's Corner beckons, methinks, Fred

Bob's Corner beckons, methinks, Fred

Nah. I've got a life ban.

 

Fred

Nah. I've got a life ban.

 

Fred

 

It is impossible to be banned from Bob's Corner!!

It is impossible to be banned from Bob's Corner!!

 

...And who on Earth would want to be :beer: ?

Fred!!

Obviously!!

Fred!!

Obviously!!

Are you referring to the recently handed down lifetime SENTENCE?.

)))) what did he do to get that?

I posted a tailgate rattle problem a year ago http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/337160-boot-rattle-tailgate-hydraulic-struts/ and although the dealer replaced the hydraulic struts and adjusted a wiring loom the rattle still occurred. Recently the rattle became less frequent so I ignore it. It is definitely affected by opening and closing the tailgate - sometimes it's there, sometimes not. Usually most noticeable at 20mph on bumpy roads.