I've really felt good @ 2008 xk recently, finished the front leather seats, not seeing any tpms faults (knock on wood), running well...actually considering getting back to working on my xk100, then...I started getting what sounded to me like plastic on plastic rattles!
I'm not looking forward to pulling the dash, thinking it might be the airbox.
I've read and read, it is not the hood, not the heat shield, not the aspirator fan, really seems to come from the center left of the dash. Pressing on the dash top does nothing to change it, i cannot get the rattle by tapping or slapping different areas, don't think it is the vent area.
Would someone like to speculate?
thanks folks
wj

 

I have an occasional squeaky noise from my dash area also, but sadly when I push on the dash in that area the sound subsides. Clearly I have to pull the dash and cure the problem. OR, turn up the stereo.

 

yeh, well I've been doing the music thing but my OCD is pretty strong!
wj

 

I get an occasional rattle from that plastic bit that sits in front of the display - I'll get on it one day by stuffing some felt between it and the trim. Usually stops after I fiddle with it,

 

I trick I learned from a shop, use thin adhesive window weatherstripping between the components and around those locations with clips.

 

all good ideas but, I need to find the causes before I can fix them.
In my previous life I removed the dashboard in my MB SEC, disassembled the air box and glued thin felt on every flap and diverter. I hope the cold weather is the reason I'm hearing all this noise, will dissipate with warmer temps and a few drops of silicone here and there, not wanting to get into it that deep again.
wj

 

My wife's old Jeep WJ when the PAX heater blend door was stuck on cold a couple decades ago... She about panicked when she got home and saw what I did to fix it. Now I'm with WJ, I'll maker her buy a new car to fix this problem before I do this again.

 

CeeJay, good times weren't they?
wj

 

Some 30 years back, we would diagnose NVH issues by taking a stack of business cards on a test drive, inserting them into different crevices and gaps as we drove. Larger gaps, fold the cards, etc.

 

I'm pretty sure I have this exact same rattle... I've gone as far as pulling the cluster (a very easy job) and wedging some pieces of closed cell foam between the HVAC vent tubes and the dash. It seemed doing that made the noise go away since I couldn't hear it anymore when I would pound on the dash with my palm, but the noise soon returned after I closed it up and went for a drive.

It's a relatively loud plastic assembly rattle that almost sounds like it's coming from the gauge cluster itself (it's not). Similar to the noise a spring door stop makes when you bend it a few millimeters and let it go.

The rattle only happens at low speeds like driving around the neighborhood, never on the highway. Small bumps in the road cause it most often. I would be overjoyed to figure out the culprit!!

 

Folding business cards and filling cracks is basically what I'm trying @ the moment. Only I'm using some mylar sheeting I have.
The cold temps did bring this to a head!
Drove to dinner last evening, rattles reduced a bit...will continue this search. One area was the front vent...this was handled with a few drops of silicone lubricant.

WJ

 

You can use playing cards too,,

and start a poker game while doing it!!

 

The rattle is either in the dash/ airbox area or below and transferring. I found a pipe the runs parallel to the drive shaft and just above it. It seems a little to loose, what is its function?
wj

 

Fuel line?

 

How can the rattle come from the dash Or below the car by the driveshaft? Those are two completely different areas.

In my car, I can only hear a rattle from inside the dash near the gauge cluster... Now it seems like you're hearing something completely different from what I hear. Can you post a video of the noise?

 

Sound does travel, so sometimes it can be misleading.

 

Sorry to confuse. When I started searching with car in the air I found that the heat shield would rattle if this pipe struck it. It is not the dash rattle but another that occurred every now and then

Recording is a no go at this point. The rattle only occurs occasionally and I have not determined a particular road surface or situation that will initiate it.

 

I know you say it is not the aspirator fan but have you tried running without it connected .
I have read of putting a paper gasket on it to stop rattles.
Rattles can drive you nuts

 

Since the rattle comes and goes on less than smooth surfaces and is coming from an area to the right of the center speaker and slightly rearward, I don't think it is the asperator fan.

WJ

 

I know rattles can be infuriating and often difficult to track down; mine has an intermittent buzz (depending on road texture and generally only at very high speeds) that I thought was located somewhere under the dash. Nope, It is from the plastic covering of the instrument panel. Putting my hand on it stops the vibration and hence the noise. All it is needs is some sort of shimming or wedge to firm-up its location. (On the off chance, just thought I'd offer that experience)

Best of luck.