Hi everyone! I’m wondering if anyone else has had a problem with an intermittent tapping or squeaking sound originating from under the passenger side b-pillar (small window) towards the read of the car. The car is a 2016 F-Type S Coupe. Here are the specifics:
- The sound presents itself after the car has sat for a few days. It typically goes away after about 30 or so minutes of driving; especially if the car is stopped and then restarted.
- The sound is most certainly associated with motion. It does not present when the car is stopped. It’s frequency will change depending upon road conditions and speed.

I’ve attached a mp3 of the sound. Hopefully someone has had this issue before and can point me in the right direction. Cheers!

 

Well, to me it sounds like something tire-related; the fact that it occurs after the car has sat for days, and the fact that it disappears after about a half hour of driving, may be clues. A bit like tires that used to "flat spot", and which resumed their proper shape after driving for some time. It does not sound mechanical in nature. What tires are on this car?

 

Does the sound change if you take off your seat belt or extend it?

 

I’ve tried moving the seatbelt with no impact. I’ve also heard it both with and without a passenger so I’m pretty sure it’s not the seat belt.

 

I didn’t think to check the tires but I will do. The car has the stock Pirelli’s.

 

Ah...the Pirelli PZeros....hmmmm....

 

I have something similar - It seems to be near my shoulder. I was warned about it by the previous owner - in fact it irritated him so much it was one of the reasons he got rid of the car.

He described the noise as tiny pebbles being dropped onto a tin tray. Your recording could be described as that?

The only explanation I’ve found online and possibly only speculation, was that it was either panel creaking or more likely panel flex causing the expulsion of air from the assembly mastic bonding the panel. Only happens at certain temp when the mastic is at a certain suppleness and/or the air bubbles expand.

im sorry but I don’t have a solution if this is the case but maybe this speculation may cause others to be able to suggest something.

have you relived any interior panel to see if it gets louder or you can locate with more accuracy?

I would also say that there are a number of electrical wires running in that area - Could one of them come loose and vibrating against a metal panel?
kev

 

You're likely screwed. I've had the same sound in two different f types. It is temperature dependent. Dealership will only destroy interior components looking for it and ultimately won't solve anything.

 

To rule out tyres (or a pebble stuck in a tyre etc) I'd over inflate them, like get them up as high as you dare without being silly (maybe 10lb over) and see if it happens next time you drive. I used to get a thump in cold tyres in one of my cars, it was fixed by higher pressures, I guess it's possible to also have something sticking out of a tyre that only makes contact with the ground until the tyres warm up.

 

I get an annoying noise too, But i found when i hold down the rear deck it seems to stop for me. It seems like in my case its the two panels rubbing against each other

 

Thanks for response.
“Pebbles dropping into a tin tray” is an accurate description.

I tend to think it might be panel related as well. Every now and then when I go over a bump slowly, especially after the car has been sitting I hear a “crick” sound like something is flexing. Doesn’t happen often but it always surprises me when it does. Notionally speaking it seems to be temperature dependent but I live in southern California and the car is garaged so I don’t get wild temperature swings.

I suppose it could be a loose cable but then I would think it would rattle constantly.

I love the car but this is driving my crazy. I’m not keen on the dealer ripping the interior apart unless they know exactly where to look and what the corrective action is.

 

Ya I get annoying noise also. its from my wife screaming to slow down.

 

My own post got me researching again. I came across the following JLR technical bulletin. It doesn’t really add much but I thought I might as well post the link.

https://testing-public.carmd.com/Tsb...4/LTB00827NAS9

kev

 

An update on this: I took the car to the dealer and they were able to reproduce the sound. After some investigation which apparently involved removing the rear interior panels and driving the car around with a smaller technician in the trunk they found a loose rivet on the rear quarter panel. The car was sent to a body shop and repaired. Problem solved.