Shake, rattle, and roll...

[Twizzler]

I have two rattles at roughly 3k. No off roading yet, just the usual bumpy Maryland roads lol.

Neither of these rattles are on 100%, just bumps at slow speeds, I mean maybe they are but at faster speeds road noise takes over.

1. This rattle is coming from the “panel” with above the rearview mirror, that 3 button panel? I’d call it more of a vibrating, plastic type sound than a rattle. I could make it go away by pulling down on the molding. I suspected that a part of the molding was vibrating up against the windshield frame. I took a piece of black, stryofoam pipe insulator and wedged it in between the molding a frame. Solved! Took off the panels to troubleshoot Rattle #2, #1 came back, reset foam, panels back on, all is well.
2. This rattle is coming from the passenger side, either the passenger freedom panel or the seat belt molding area. This rattle sounds like plastic flexing at first then there is a distinct, deep, plastic rattle. I’m pretty sure it is in the area of the seat belt or the roll cage bar. But everything seems secured and tight.

Both rattles are easily reproduceable, slow speed, bumps, so I am confident I can get the dealer to at least hear them, hopefully fix them. I’ll cross that bridge at my oil change.

This is my 3rd “Wrangler”, first hard top. The rattles are disappointing but not new to me and hey the hard top does not leak during rain! Still, given what we paid for the JT I wonder when does “It’s a Jeep thing” no longer apply to the various quirks we routinely accept?

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[sad85XD]

Just hit 13,000 miles. Only rattle I've gotten is once or twice when the sun visor gets "sat" weird. Other than that, no other noises. Not that I would know with the amount of wind noise!

 

[JeepCares]

I have two rattles at roughly 3k. No off roading yet, just the usual bumpy Maryland roads lol.

Neither of these rattles are on 100%, just bumps at slow speeds, I mean maybe they are but at faster speeds road noise takes over.

1. This rattle is coming from the “panel” with above the rearview mirror, that 3 button panel? I’d call it more of a vibrating, plastic type sound than a rattle. I could make it go away by pulling down on the molding. I suspected that a part of the molding was vibrating up against the windshield frame. I took a piece of black, stryofoam pipe insulator and wedged it in between the molding a frame. Solved! Took off the panels to troubleshoot Rattle #2, #1 came back, reset foam, panels back on, all is well.
2. This rattle is coming from the passenger side, either the passenger freedom panel or the seat belt molding area. This rattle sounds like plastic flexing at first then there is a distinct, deep, plastic rattle. I’m pretty sure it is in the area of the seat belt or the roll cage bar. But everything seems secured and tight.

Both rattles are easily reproduceable, slow speed, bumps, so I am confident I can get the dealer to at least hear them, hopefully fix them. I’ll cross that bridge at my oil change.

This is my 3rd “Wrangler”, first hard top. The rattles are disappointing but not new to me and hey the hard top does not leak during rain! Still, given what we paid for the JT I wonder when does “It’s a Jeep thing” no longer apply to the various quirks we routinely accept?

Hi Twizzler,
We understand why this may be frustrating. When the time comes and you decide to have your dealer address this, please feel free to send our team a PM. We would be happy to offer additional assistance to your service visit if needed.
Alex
JeepCares

 

[ATLalien]

I have two rattles at roughly 3k. No off roading yet, just the usual bumpy Maryland roads lol.

Neither of these rattles are on 100%, just bumps at slow speeds, I mean maybe they are but at faster speeds road noise takes over.

1. This rattle is coming from the “panel” with above the rearview mirror, that 3 button panel? I’d call it more of a vibrating, plastic type sound than a rattle. I could make it go away by pulling down on the molding. I suspected that a part of the molding was vibrating up against the windshield frame. I took a piece of black, stryofoam pipe insulator and wedged it in between the molding a frame. Solved! Took off the panels to troubleshoot Rattle #2, #1 came back, reset foam, panels back on, all is well.
2. This rattle is coming from the passenger side, either the passenger freedom panel or the seat belt molding area. This rattle sounds like plastic flexing at first then there is a distinct, deep, plastic rattle. I’m pretty sure it is in the area of the seat belt or the roll cage bar. But everything seems secured and tight.

Both rattles are easily reproduceable, slow speed, bumps, so I am confident I can get the dealer to at least hear them, hopefully fix them. I’ll cross that bridge at my oil change.

This is my 3rd “Wrangler”, first hard top. The rattles are disappointing but not new to me and hey the hard top does not leak during rain! Still, given what we paid for the JT I wonder when does “It’s a Jeep thing” no longer apply to the various quirks we routinely accept?

I have #1 as well, will try that fix!

Found my most recent rattle: sounded like the roof, but turned out to be the external bolts on the passenger door

 

[TrailHiker]

I had a “squeaky” sound from the roof (passenger) side Freedom panel, took it off, checked the latch bolts were tight, but reinstalled and the squeak rattle was gone.
Cheers

 

[ATLalien]

I had a “squeaky” sound from the rift (passenger) side Freedom panel, took it off, checked the latch bolts were tight, but reinstalled and the squeak rattle was gone.
Cheers

Update: I thought I'd fixed this rattle but I had not! At this point I've tighted everything I can think of, or have access to; freedom panel latch screws, door bolts, all trim pieces on the roof etc; and it's actually worse than it was. So, I'm taking it into the dealer to see if they can fix it. I do understand we'll probably have to live with some rattles in vehicles that go off-road and have removable doors/top, but this one is annoying as hell. About to make a road trip for the holiday and don't fancy listening to that the entire way. Will update with results from the dealer....

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Update: I thought I'd fixed this rattle but I had not! At this point I've tighted everything I can think of, or have access to; freedom panel latch screws, door bolts, all trim pieces on the roof etc; and it's actually worse than it was. So, I'm taking it into the dealer to see if they can fix it. I do understand we'll probably have to live with some rattles in vehicles that go off-road and have removable doors/top, but this one is annoying as hell. About to make a road trip for the holiday and don't fancy listening to that the entire way. Will update with results from the dealer....

Odd - mine has been on rough roads - granted not OFF-road, but still, 1600 miles and no rattle, no squeak, no odd noise, pretty quiet, IMO. Only minimally more wind noise than any of my other vehicles.

No odd noises, the panels and everything fit fine and tight.
Like I expected, on a really COLD day like this am, once we were on the highway and headed with a bit of wind hitting the left front corner, I could feel cold air on my face but not any worse than my hard top cars either. Many cars seen wind push through the door seals and such. I'm pretty happy with the fitment and sound levels at this point. I expected actually MORE cold air because of the extra joints everywhere - windshield, for example, but no, not really, you just "notice" the cooler air moving through when there's a wind.

 

[ATLalien]

Odd - mine has been on rough roads - granted not OFF-road, but still, 1600 miles and no rattle, no squeak, no odd noise, pretty quiet, IMO. Only minimally more wind noise than any of my other vehicles.

No odd noises, the panels and everything fit fine and tight.
Like I expected, on a really COLD day like this am, once we were on the highway and headed with a bit of wind hitting the left front corner, I could feel cold air on my face but not any worse than my hard top cars either. Many cars seen wind push through the door seals and such. I'm pretty happy with the fitment and sound levels at this point. I expected actually MORE cold air because of the extra joints everywhere - windshield, for example, but no, not really, you just "notice" the cooler air moving through when there's a wind.

I'd get minor rattles all the time after going off road, mostly just dirt/gravel forest roads. Almost always it was the trim panel bolts. Easily fixed most of them until now. This one has had me stumped for a while, but I think I may have actually found it today.

The passenger freedom panel is coated with a gasket/foam material at the front, right corner (same material found elsewhere on the freedom tops). When the hard top is installed, that front right corner rests in a cradle shaped piece at the top right corner of the windshield. I found that both pieces were worn through the gasket material on each, so there was plastic to plastic contact. The wear spots are tiny; maybe similar to the heads of two ball point pens. I covered each with a small piece of black gorilla tape, reinstalled the freedom top and took it for a spin. No rattle in 10 miles.

I'm guessing I may have caused the problem myself by possibly over tightening some of the latch bolts on the freedom tops (attempting to fix a previous rattle). So I've backed them all off to a little more than "finger tight". I'll probably have to replace those gaskets one day, but until then Gorilla tape it is!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'd get minor rattles all the time after going off road, mostly just dirt/gravel forest roads. Almost always it was the trim panel bolts. Easily fixed most of them until now. This one has had me stumped for a while, but I think I may have actually found it today.

The passenger freedom panel is coated with a gasket/foam material at the front, right corner (same material found elsewhere on the freedom tops). When the hard top is installed, that front right corner rests in a cradle shaped piece at the top right corner of the windshield. I found that both pieces were worn through the gasket material on each, so there was plastic to plastic contact. The wear spots are tiny; maybe similar to the heads of two ball point pens. I covered each with a small piece of black gorilla tape, reinstalled the freedom top and took it for a spin. No rattle in 10 miles.

I'm guessing I may have caused the problem myself by possibly over tightening some of the latch bolts on the freedom tops (attempting to fix a previous rattle). So I've backed them all off to a little more than "finger tight". I'll probably have to replace those gaskets one day, but until then Gorilla tape it is!

Well that's something to watch out for - anyone removing and reinstalling the top, and the panels, could run into this. Seems like quick wear but also sounds like you know what MAY have happened. Good to know.

 

[DFWJEEP]

Well that's something to watch out for - anyone removing and reinstalling the top, and the panels, could run into this. Seems like quick wear but also sounds like you know what MAY have happened. Good to know.

I found mine in the passenger side of the hard top. I had to push it in on the bottom when I tightened the bolt on that side.

 

[sass JT]

I found a rattle that I’m going to go see if the dealer can fix. On both sides of the front area, the seatbelt movable tensioners are moving and rattling even when seat belts are enganged. Gah... I hate rattles but at least I can get em fixed.

 

[Gladiator4Runner]

I found a rattle that I’m going to go see if the dealer can fix. On both sides of the front area, the seatbelt movable tensioners are moving and rattling even when seat belts are enganged. Gah... I hate rattles but at least I can get em fixed.

My two biggest pet peeves are #1 cords/wires/ropes that get tangled and #2 rattles in a vehicle that you can't find or fix!

 

[G8R]

15,000 miles. Lots of off road and rough dirt roads (probably 50+ hours in 4 low). Never had top or doors off. The only sound I get is when driving in a cross wind and my fender liners get sucked into the tires, again.

 

[JeepCares]

I found a rattle that I’m going to go see if the dealer can fix. On both sides of the front area, the seatbelt movable tensioners are moving and rattling even when seat belts are enganged. Gah... I hate rattles but at least I can get em fixed.

Feel free to keep us updated on your dealer visit. If additional assistance is needed, our team is available via PM.
Alex
JeepCares

 

[ATLalien]

Well that's something to watch out for - anyone removing and reinstalling the top, and the panels, could run into this. Seems like quick wear but also sounds like you know what MAY have happened. Good to know.

Yeah, I thought it was very quick wear as well, but I can't say that I didn't cause it myself. It does look like that foam around the area is crazy thin and I can't see how it will last long. The stuff is all over the vehicle too.
Good news is that I just finished putting on about 500 miles for holiday travel and the rattle has not returned. Really pleased with that as I was almost dreading driving it before.

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