Convertible owners: If you've got a medium sized rattle coming from behind your head... and you're scratching your head trying to find it; I may have some good news. I've been chasing this rattle for years and finally found it! It sounds like its coming from the rear or center of the car..It not a grind or scrape, or not a heavy clunk like a rear axle or drive-line thud. Every speed bump you'll hear it.

At first I thought it might be one of the upper rear spring/shock mounting plates; or a brace or bracket of some kind; or maybe even a loose exhaust hanger...something underneath. On the lift I tightened down everything I could see, zip tied P-Brake cables, etc.. No luck there.

Then I focused in the trunk and spare tire well. Went so far as to pull everything out of the rear... panels, etc. I completely stripped the back of the car; and drove it around... but the rattle was still there.

Recently I thought I had found it with the fuel filler cap. There was a little vibration tinny noise which was fixed... but it wasn't the rattle

The clue should have been that the rattle was mitigated whenever the top was down. I thought maybe one of the top cylinders was banging against something when the top was up. But for the life of me, I couldn't find it.

Finally, while doing some interior work, the backseat was out and I decide to clean the inside of the rear window. Viola! I grabbed this stiffing bracket, officially known as the squab panel stiffener bracket; and all four (4) 10 mm bolts had vibrated loose. Each had backed out two or three complete turns! When the top was folded down, it put pressure against the plate and dampened the noise. That was the clue I missed, but found today.

So Vert owners next time your back seat squab is out... Tighten up these babies up w/ some loctite. That is all. Gordo

 

I certainly wouldn’t think to look there. Thanks for the tip and pictures!

 

Well done. If my wife ever complains about interior rattles in her XK8, I will try my best to remember this thread....

 

I am sure there will be more rattles and clunks, but this one was really a surprise to find.

 

I am sure I have this problem, wish I had noticed when my seat back was out.

 

Gordo, I am so grateful you posted this. I’ve had the same rattle going on for 2 years in my 2002 vert. Same symptoms which mostly went away when the top was down, and no clue about the source.

So, it looks like the rear seats will be coming out soon.

 

How hard are the seats to remove in the back?

 

Easy.

Remove two (2) 10mm nuts under the bottom cushion near the carpet line. Sometimes hidden by rubber caps. Pull out the cushion. Stuff the seatbelt receivers through the cushion. They remain attached.

Then remove another two (2) 10mm nuts on the bottom edge of squab (upright) back-cushion.

Finally, you need to remove the two plastic seatbelt guides on either side of the squab. Two (2) phillips screws on each side.

The top edge of the back of the squab cushion it formed to grip over the top of the bulkhead so you need to pull up first, then out. Work them around the seatbelts which remain fastened.