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View Full Version : Seat belt B pillar rattle driving me to road rage


Dave1027
01-28-2013, 11:56 AM
Searched but surprisingly found nothing here. So I did a google search and found this on another BMW forum. Seems like this problem has been around for a while. This post is from 2003:



bmw325
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Location: New York, NY Join Date: Dec 2001
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Mein auto: 335i
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Yep. THis is one of those classic e46 rattles that BMW is, for some reason, incapable of fixing. Its been around since 1999 and will probably continue through the end of production. Back in 2001 there was a TSB to address this that involved adding a spacer-- nice try, but it doesn't work.

It is the most annoying possible location for a rattle since its right in your ear. On my 2001 325i, I took off the B pillar trim, and applied self-adhesive felt to everything that looked like it might rattle or click. This solved the problem for about 1 year-- but now its back again-- a piece of felt must've fallen off. If you do take the B pillar trim off to try and fix it-- you'll see what a rattle trap the whole mechanism is. I think it would need to be completley redesigned to really eliminate this problem.


Has anybody found an easy fix for this?
Avetiso
01-28-2013, 12:01 PM
Is it a really squeaky rattle?
Dave1027
01-28-2013, 12:03 PM
It's kind of a metalic, buzzing rattle at freeway speeds. Mostly on my passenger side but I have also heard it briefly on the driver's side too.
Dave1027
01-28-2013, 12:06 PM
This potential fix I found googling. It's for a Mitsubishi but I'm trying it any way.

http://forums.evolutionm.net/evo-x-how-tos-installations/570933-how-b-pillar-rattle-fix.html
Dave1027
03-21-2014, 08:35 AM
Follow up:

Finally got this fixed. Took adding an o-ring behind the main bolt of the seat belt mechanism and then wrapping two inches of electrical tape around the bolt. The rattle on both sides is now gone. Unfortunately I'm now hearing other rattles like some coming from other places like the rear deck. Oh well. Still so much quieter now.
Asiah119
04-09-2014, 06:45 AM
Oh god, I thought that was just something that my car did. Thankfully its intermittent, and on the passenger's side. I'll have to remember your fix for if it picks up.
My car does the rear deck creak at low speeds, esp on the brick roads in my neighborhood.
BMWCurves
05-26-2015, 05:01 PM
Follow up:

Finally got this fixed. Took adding an o-ring behind the main bolt of the seat belt mechanism and then wrapping two inches of electrical tape around the bolt. The rattle on both sides is now gone. Unfortunately I'm now hearing other rattles like some coming from other places like the rear deck. Oh well. Still so much quieter now.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I have this exact same problem. How far down is the seat belt mechanism and how much trim/panelling did you have to remove to get at it? Something like this?

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1709700-E46-Coupe-B-Pillar-DIY
Dave1027
05-29-2015, 12:55 PM
You only need to remove the top pillar piece as shown 19951

That exposes the metal parts that rattles. It's the thing that seat belt hangs from
BMWCurves
05-29-2015, 02:38 PM
Awesome, thanks for the clarification! Hopefully I can get to it this weekend.