I am getting an irritating squeaky sound when driving around and I have targeted the sound to be coming from the rear side interior panels on the passanger side. I discovered the sound while sitting in the far back 3rd row bench while someone drove me and ran over reflectors on the road (this is one way I could find to recreate the sound) and if you push a lil bit against the "pilar" area on those side interior panels at the rear you can easily hear it but when driving it becomes quite a bit annoying.

Anyone here know of what I'm speaking of or know of a fix. I have thought about taking out both the lower and upper portions of the panels and maybe trying to dampen it a little by putting some electric tape in certain areas and areas that come to contact with the other panel.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

 

You could put a little grease on the holding clips or I just stuffed a clean micro fiber rag in there... Did the rag mod years ago, no more noises.

I know it sounds stupid, but it works!

 

yeah heres the thing I really want a fix that won't involve removing those damn panels. I had an X just before this one and the previous owner did a nasty job with removing those panels for the installation of some speakers and it was put back really sloppy and I'm also thing he could have maybe even damaged them being they weren't held together nice and tight. They had almost a cracked like look to them like they could no longer be snapped/clicked together anymore because of what that person did.

I really don't want this on my part from trying to make some faulty attempt in trying to pry the two panels apart.

I had an idea of trying to fold some paper up and try and slide them into some areas where I won't be able to see it and that it'd be able to take care of that irritating sound. At the momment nothing is really coming to mind on a fix however.

 

I removed the cup holder, and worked the micro fiber rag in from there.

 

Did you push it up or down? or did you just fill it with a ton of rags? I can't tell exactly where to plug it. Also did it stretch the plastic of the panels causing it to have some warp or look a bit odd to where you know it's there?

 

I'm pretty sure I pushed it up and towards the front. Used 1 small rag in that location, you really can't notice any warpage at all... Try it only takes a few minutes... I wouldn't use paper.

 

I was just able to give the rag trick a try last night and all I can say is THANK YOU!!! it took it away completely. I shoved it up near the area where theres a metal piece along the under side of the rear window. I at first thought you meant it had to be shoved up along side the area that connects to other upper half but ofcourse when pulling out the cup holder I said that can't be right and seems almost impossible unless you remove the entire molding/panel.

Now I have one other noise I gotta get rid of which is coming from my headlight ****. While driving it makes an irritating rattling sound which seems to be coming from the **** itself. I'm curious to know if that frame/face around the light **** and dial can be removed so I can see if the light ****/dial can be tightend or maybe something could be added on the back side to take that rattle away.

 

The duct work for the rear ceiling vents goes up that pillar, so that could be what was rattling. Perhaps against the plastic panel. I don't recall how it was held in though, because I had help removing mine while I did other stuff.

 

Ahh I see. The rear side panel was giving me that squeaky noise which the rag trick took care of and helped it. But my new rattle is coming from my dash control panel, specifically the small face area of where the **** and dial is. I believe it's coming from my headlight **** because if I hold it in with my hand while driving the rattle goes away. However once I take my hand off of it the rattle comes back. I'd like to know if that little face plate is something that could be popped out with a flat tip screw driver or something so I could check and see if the light **** is loose in any way or if I could put something in the back side to take the rattle away.

 

The face plate may come off, but it's generally a sealed unit. I'd take it out of your dash first, hold it by the back side, and shake. If there's no rattles, then that's probably not it.

I'm guessing that's more the actual switch and how it snaps into the dash. See the pics here in the eBay ad. You'll see how the metal clips allow it to snap into the dash.

If there's no rattle from the switch itself, I'd wrap the switch right behind the faceplate with a few layers of electrical tape. Just like make a band around. Then it should fit more snug in the dash, and not rattle.

FORD TAURUS SABLE EXPLORER HEADLIGHT AUTO PANEL FOG LAMP DIMMER LIGHT SWITCH | eBay

I've got two rattles myself. That same panel you had, but more in the center. I sprayed some WD-40 down there and it took care of it, but it did come back when we had some hot temps last week and it got higher than the high 70s temps inside since it was in the sun. But it seems to be ok tonight. Then I have a rattle that sounds like it's coming from behind the radio, but I push on the radio/dash and it doesn't do a thing. I'm wondering if it's the pullout cupholder because that's really loose itself. This one usually happens only when it's really cold outside.

 

Oh, I find this is the easiest way to remove the headlight switch:

- Pull off the small side window defrost vent on the side of the dash, driver's side. Little squarish thing. You should be able to do that with your hands.
- You should be able to grab a spot of the dash panel to pull out some. It's easiest to tilt your steering column all the way down prior to doing this.
- Pull out on the dash panel as far as it'll go easily.
- You should be able to reach a hand in there and push on the switch a little to push it out of the hole/clips.
- Grab headlight switch and pull out of dash.
- Push dash panel back on.
- You can now un-plug the plugs to the switch if you'd like.
- Put the defrost thing back on.

The switch should just snap right back in with no disassembly of anything.

Sure, you could probably get it out from the front, but you risk scratching up the switch bezel and/or the dash panel.

 

Glad it worked out for you!

 

I was just out and about tonight and now I think I talked too fast. The sound is back. I had to mess with the rag once again. That took it away once again but for how long? who knows at this point. My rattling sound is now mainly my biggest irritation. I'll see what I can mess with once I get more time.

As for the back panel molding I'm wondering if I was to shove more rags or try and squeez a full towel up there if that would work.

 

Use a couple, once there placed at the right location that will be that.
Like I said, did this many years ago maybe 100k miles have gone by. No more noises.