Pillar/Post rattle

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Jul 14, 2006 | 08:17 AM

namrehs300

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From: Texas

Pillar/Post rattle

My 05 Crew Cab has developed a rattle that seems to be getting worse over the past few months. It's on the driver's side right about ear level somewhere around the seat belt on the post (B Pillar). It rattles when I hit slight bumps in the road.

I searched some other threads and found a couple references where some other people were having this problem, but never saw a fix.

Would this probably be in the seat belt mechanism or something worse like a weld joint in the pillar?

Jul 14, 2006 | 09:09 AM

SteveH-CO

Fleet Mechanic

Joined: Jul 2005

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From: Southern Colorado

Try closing the leading edge of the REAR door on the drivers side on rag or a wad of newspaper (to shim the leading edge) to be sure the rear door adjustment isn't the problem. This temporary shim should force the door hinges tighter and isolate this as the cause (or not the cause) of your rattle.

Other than that, you may have to remove the trim to investigate the seat belt mechanism.

Jul 14, 2006 | 09:37 AM

Bear Hunter

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From: All Over

I'm betting it's your seatbelt. It is adjustable right? Either way I would have Ford fix it since it is a safety item.

Jul 14, 2006 | 09:48 PM

jekuo

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I have the same noise coming from my crewcab door pillar. I narrowed it down to the seat belt height adjuster. The noise is annoying 'cause it's right at your ear level. I'm going to have the dealer look at it next time it's in for service.

Jul 15, 2006 | 11:12 AM

namrehs300

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From: Texas

Thanks everyone - I do have a height adjuster and that's about where the noise is coming from. I've messed with it, but no help. I think I'll take your advice and let Ford figure it out. Although I'm passed the 36K mile warranty, since it's a seat belt/safety thing maybe they'll pay for it??

Jul 15, 2006 | 03:46 PM

jekuo

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Did you open up the pillar and check out the mechanism itself? I removed the cover and added some tape between the slider and its track. The slider still works just fine and the noise is almost all gone. I think there was too much play between the slider and the plate it rides on, and the tape just acts as a sound insulator.

Jul 18, 2006 | 06:03 AM

namrehs300

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From: Texas

I found an old post about the same type of rattle and someone had suggested using silicon spray around the hinges and locks to fix the rattle. That made no sense to me, but what the heck - it was the easiest to try first before taking things apart.

I liberally sprayed the door latch mechanisms and hinges - both front and back. And the rattle is gone, which makes no sense to me because I swear the noise was coming from around the seat belt adjuster inside the truck. But for some reason, this worked (for now).