I have an odd sounding rattle that seems to come from the middle of my dash. It sounds very much like dice in one of those backgammon game cups.
I thought it might be something in the vents, but couldn't find anything loose after prying off the centre fascia and having a quick look around.
I checked the rattle threads in here and didn't find anything relevant to my car.
Anyone have anything similar? Suggestions?

 

Here are some TSBs for diagnosis and repair

bob gauff

 

I've had several cars with this type of irritating rattle (hells bells, they're all irritating).
The first thing is to press a suitable rope or something similar between the dash and the windscreen, and see if it changes or eliminates it. Very often, the windscreen itself wasn't properly seated in its mountings and rattles on something. Remember, the windsreen is part of the body structure, and everything around it flexes slightly with road bumps and undulations.
The other "rattly parts" are every single piece of trim, air-vents, and where their edges abutt the next one. Get hold of some silicone oil in an aerosol from an electronics parts store, as they come with a highly convenient little polythene "pipe" which happens to be perfect for getting into those cracks and crevices. Have a rag handy, and spray every joint and crack you can find, using the rag to immediately wipe up any excess. You'll probably not find the rattle first time, but persevere. These rattles are very good indeed at hiding from you.
Also check in the "squeaks rattles and groans dept".
Leedsman.

 

I've been fighting a "tap noise" type of rattle, right side dash/A-pillar area, for weeks. Lord knows how many hours I've spent on the problem. Very frustrating.

Along the way I've found and fixed numerous noises so the car is much quieter overall...but I haven't gotten my hands on THE noise that I'm most interested in ! Grrrr!

Fortunately the noise isn't constant. It'll occur only on certain roads at certain speeds where the impact to the suspension is fairly sharp and rapid.

Cheers
DD

 

Hi
We like to know what we should use to gentle pry and loosen the trim panels from their spring clips on the instrument cluster and center section of the dashboard.

Jim Lombardi

 

Go to a windscreen/windshield shop and get some plastic pry sticks. They are like THICK popsicle sticks and have rounded tapered and wedge ends (opposite). I use these ALL THE TIME.

bob gauff

 

I have been chasing a rattle that appears to be coming from the center of my dashboard at the top. I feel that if I could remove the top of my dash board I would find a 14mm bolt that has lost the nut and is rattling against a piece of metal. I have tried everything in 910-05, 910-10, 910-11. The one I am having difficulty with is locating the False Bulkhead Mounting Bolts described and pictured in 910-04. I wish there was just a bit larger picture so that I could gain a better reference. Can someone help me as to where these bolts are located on the XK8?

 

I too had an irritating dash rattle on my yr 2000 Xk8 which happened on certain road surfaces. After a lot of pressing, pulling, squashing and wedging, I eventually traced it to the long vents at the base of the windscreen. They are not fixed and can move about 3mm (1/8") under the dash cover. When the rattle happens poke a finger in the slot and see if it stops. I managed to slide the rattly bit back towards the inside of the car and it wedged - rattle gone!

 

Here's something from JTIS, the FalseBulkheads are inside the engine compartment, with the covers on each corner.. I'd say somewhere in there

 

Same problem here 3 months ago,

check your upper shock mounts in engine compartment above each front wheel, if the are bad the shock bolt can tap against the firewall supports and telescope into the dash board.

Sounds exactly like it is coming from inside the dash but it is really emanating from engine bay area specifically the shock mount towers and the sound telescopes to the firewall, thus sounds like it is coming from inside dash area.

Check to see if shock bolt is in the middle or askew of the tower area, maybe even touching the side and tapping on metal sides.

If the are not in middle you need new shock mounts.

Good luck and remember

Happy Motoring...

 

Same problem with our 99 XK. Will be taking off the cluster surrounds and report back with finding or not.

 

See if this is your problem

Link JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

 

I went nuts chasing a similar noise. I took the front vents out, felt strips around the instrument cluster and dash speakers. Still didn't help. It ended up being the defroster vents. The glue that holds the dash clip area the vents clip to seems to give up after a bunch of years. The noise seems to be coming from the front area but it seems the windshield throws the defroster vent noise forward.

This may not be your problem but it's easy to check.

 

I solved my demister rattle the same way several other members have done - by pressing 3/8 rubber tubing between the windscreen and the front of the dash. Becomes invisible and completely eliminates rattle.

Might be a lazy way of doing it, but it is effective.

 

+1. The defroster vent was the cause of mine also. Put up with it for a year and fixed it in 10 min.

 

Rattle noise found. Comes from left front defroster cover at lower left end of windshield. Place a folded business card in the area. Noise stopped. Now have to figure out a way to properly fix the problem so it does not look like a redneck fix LOL.

 

I used a piece of brown baize folded a couple of times, just about any cloth or soft leather of a color similar to your dash will work.

 

I'm still chasing this stubborn rattle. I have installed the 3/8" tubing across the entire dashboard between the windshield and the dash vent. It might be my imagination or wishful thinking but it did add a bit of noise reduction or solid sound. Maybe it was just some movement now reduced, but in any case my rattle is still around. I rebuilt the entire front suspension 1,000 miles ago which included strut, bumper and mounting collar/bearing plus a whole lot more down below. There was no rattle before the rebuild, none immediately after. It arrived about 500 miles after. Still looking so if anyone finds something, no matter how remote, please let me know...

 

My rattle actually turned out to be the rear view mirrow

 

I had the console out, the instrument cluster out, both wood panels, the knee cushion below the steering wheel. then thought it might be one of the two braces in the engine compartment, so I took off the windshield wipers and cowling. I was about to give up and read this thread. Yep, the upper shock mounts are leaving sawdust under the black cap, and I can fit a socket on the shock nut and move them around. Thank you... thank you... thank you. Gordo