So I had the plastic piece of my S Type replaced by the dealer and was told that
the clip was broken and that was the reason for the rattle.

Well its back now..
not a constant rattle but anytime I'm on some bad roads, which there are plenty of here in LA
you can hear a plastic vibration.

Has anyone just inserted some felt or foam into the upper plastic grill
I feel like the sound is coming from the piece hitting the windshield or I could be nuts.

I know this a common problem but I hate bringing it back to the dealer for this stuff.

 

Personally, I have never read about this since joining the forum in Feb. 09. I would take it back to the dealer and have it fixed right!

Duct tape and bubble gum do not fix cars.

 

I would have to say I would normally agree with you but this actually problem is in the Squeaks and Rattles TSB that's floating around.

Sad to say their remedy is a few felt pads or anti-squeak tape!

maybe gum might work better!

 

I have a rattle that occasionally almost sounds like a loose screw under the dash near the alarm lights. If I push down on it the sound stops until I take my hand off it . I think the foam trick is to avoid removing the dash but it might work if I'd care about the rattle. I just turn the radio on and it seems to be less annoying for me. I have the 2000 and have put up with lots of sounds that came a went. Don't know why and nothing fell off yet. I'm from British grandparents maybe that's why I don't fix it. Just kidding for you guys in the UK!

 

I just fixed this in my 2005 STR. I was waiting to post the procedure until I verified the part numbers for the A-Pillar clips. This looks like another part that is available at any Ford dealer because the Lincoln LS uses them! The A-pillar covers must be removed because they interlock into the ends of the defroster panel. You will break the defroster cover if the A-pillar covers are not removed first. The A-pillar cover retaining clips are a bit complicated. The covers are "Tethered" to the A-pillar so when the side curtain airbag goes off the A-pillar cover does not smack you in the head.

So it is difficult to get the clip with the tether off without destroying it.
Now that I can get the part it's not such a big deal. I have had people claim they could remove the defroster panel with the A-pillar covers hanging on the tether. I could not and destroyed the retaining clip with the tether. The good news is I fixed the rattle 100%!!

F6DZ-5403552-AA Retainer $4.23
3W4Z-5403552-AA Retainer W/Tether $12.34

Each A-pillar cover uses one of each clip. I have attached the Lincoln LS parts diagram with the clips highlighted.

I use a great product to fix the defroster vent rattle it's a adhesive backed felt. Got it on EBay. I have used felt and foam rubber before but always just used spray glue to attach it. This product works much better. The defroster duct is held on with similar type fasteners I ran across in the dash. So be prepared to fiddle and fight them off. The ends are pretty good but the last two center clips next to the PATS sensor were real tight. Come at them from both sides and go back and forth. The clips kind of walk their way out and finally "Pop" loose. Again use nylon pry sticks and NOT metal screw drivers! The problem with the defroster panel is Jaguar put a nice bit of stick on foam all around the edges of the panel to prevent squeaks and rattles. My foam was pushed out of position and had lost some of it's give. I cut 1/2" wide strips of felt and outlined the entire panel on the underside. Left all the factory foam in place. People have reported the center senor as a noise source but mine seemed fine and I did not add anything around that. I unplugged the sensor so I could turn over the defroster panel and work on it on the bench. Then reconnect the wires and snap the defroster panel back in place. If you built up the new padding too much you won't get a good "Snap" back into place. If so remove the panel and adjust your padding. If the clips are not tight it is likely you will have a rattle from that. The passenger A-pillar cover also has a wire connection. I took it off so the covers could be completely removed from the car. Just snap the A-pillar covers back in place and finally put the door rubber weather-stripping back in place.

Very happy with the results!!!
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Good post tbird, yes you can remove the demister without pulling off the tethers. Pull the a pillars loose and then up and out from the demister leaving them still attached. The demister panel squeeking was more an issue on the early stypes, the best fix i used was 3m silicone paste on the attachment clips, they not only install easier and therefore tighter, but the squeeking is stopped cause you lube and eliminate the plastic movement noise. Squeeks and rattle are only covered by jag for the first 12/12 after that many dealers normally eat the repair to maintain customer satisfaction. So dont go in acting like a jerk over a squeek, I know they can be frustrating after you TUNE into them, But can you imagine going to work, doing a job that your gonna eat, not your fault, but doing it to maintain good customer relations and have that customer berate you for it? . So really everyone that think a squeek and rattle is covered by the full factory warranty is, well mistaken..thatnk god jaguar has made huge leaps and bounds in making the cars so much quieter from squeeks and rattle. They really do alot of preventative fixes when designed and built to specifily address these issues.....

 

Great points Brutal!! Now if you could give a bit of information on this silicon paste?? Where do you get it? Sounds like I might want to have a jug in the garage for future use!! I never thought that the clips themselves might be a source of noise too?
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In comes in a 8oz can and i get it in our parts dept, im sure you can find out there somewhere

 

Brutal:
Does the Silicone Paste look like this?? I have attached what I think is the product you mentioned.
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Yes thats it

 

Thanks guys for the feedback.

My dealer is great and I have always treated them likewise.
I called and said the noise has returned, and recently gotten worse, he was more than happy
to say bring it in and let us correct it.

So thats what I will be doing.
I will also print the info on the paste maybe that will help!

Thanks guys.

 

Thanks for the spam website!
Please came back again!
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Any ideas on how to remove a cracked demister/defroster panel, and repair?
The bugger snapped right in the middle and if I could find a new replacement in the U.S.A. it would cost $250!
I would like to remove the panel then super glue/epoxy/plastic/bondo/gorilla glue, etc weld from the reverse side and then pop it back in.
Has anyone had any luck repairing this part?
Thanks,
Cheers.
Bob

 

I was thinking of just getting mine covered with Alcantara or something similar.

 

What is Alcantara?

 

A continent near Italy that sank into the ocean around 1100 BC.

 

Alcantara is some sort of suede leather ,it looks cool on headliners

 

Dashboard Rattle - Fix for 1999 on pre facelift cars

Open both front doors.
Pull back the rubber door seals beside the ''A'' pillars.
Remove the ''A'' post trim panels.
Prise up the demister vent panel at the base of the windscreen with care!
Remove panel and break the wire at the connector - wire feeds from the right hand side.
You will find the metal clips which secure the panel broken away with a bit of plastic from the panel.
Identify and glue clips with attached plastic to appropriate part of panel with superglue.
When dry I reinforced with epoxy glue.
Reverse process to refit.

Update - I am advised that later cars are basically the same.

...everything is exactly as it is described other than on the passenger side A pillar trim there is some kind of sensor about a 1/3rd of the way up. It looked a bit fiddly to disconnect but there is enough slack in the cable to rest the trim between the dash and the seat - other than that, all the same.


Not done this myself yet but I will have to give it a go sometime.

 

As both Brutal and Ninja have indicated there was a TSB about rattles and squeaks on earlier cars. My 1999 model was particularly bad when I bought it second hand and at that time I was not aware of TSB's and Jaguar Forums so I was on my own.

I ended up insulating the parts of the dash as much as possible with strips of thin foam and it did the trick. I found the vents where particularly bad so I took them out and insulated the openings. Seven years later and all is silent.

 

Actually how difficult is it to remove the windscreen demister vent? Could a numpty like me do it without breaking it?

I don't want to turn and annoying rattle into a disaster!