How to get rid of that horrible rattle from your hatch area.

[talnlnky]

Ok... not sure if anybody else has this problem, but I did.

The Problem:
I had a very annoying rattle coming from the hatch area. I couldn't quite tell exactly where it was coming from, but I suspected it was from the Brake light mounted at the top of the rear window.

The materials
1) about 4sq inches of sound dampening mat (dynamat, raammat, or even an aluminum backed, buetyl rubber based roof/gutter tape like you can find at home depot).

2) Flat head & phillips screw driver


THE FIX:
There are a few small pieces of thing awg metla inside the LED brake light fixture that resonate easily and thus make noise.

(sorry no pictures, both the GF's and My digital camera's got injured recently)

1) The brake light fixture has two round plastic plugs. Grab a flathead screw driver and pop them out

2) Take a phillips screwdriver and remove the two screws that were revealed.

3) Yank straight down on the plastic light fixture. It will take A LOT of force because the two clips are very thick and stury. As long as you removed the two screws you shouldn't have to worry about breaking anything.

4) Unplug the wiring harness from the light fixture

5) Remove the clear plastic LED light strip from the black plastic shell by pushing back the clips and pulling the strip out.

6) Remove the clear Plastic lens from the LED strip. This will now reveal the metal contacts which are around 1-2sq inches in size each.

7) Take small pieces around (1 sq inch) of the sound mat and stick it to the LED strip. Place it so it touches both the thin rectangular pieces and the plastic strip. Do this to all of the metal pieces

8). Put it all back together, except, put I tiny bit of that mat, or foam tape around the clip holes (which are square) where the whole fixture clips back into place. This will keep the fixture from rattling againts the sheet metal of the hatch.

9). Optional (if you want to go overboard also add some thin foam tape to the area that the LED strip clips into the Light fixture shell. This will help keep the LED strip from rattling around.

10) Optional, this is tricky, but to prevent the light fixture from rattling against the glass you can add a very thing layer of silicone sealant (either clear or black) to the edge of the light fixture that touches the glass.



once again, sorry for not having any pictures... Both of the camera's I had access to died a horrible death and Smith Rocks (rock climbing).... tho at different dates.


I just did this mod this weekend, and the results are awesome... not sure if anybody else has the wierd rattling coming from their brake light fixture... but my ride is A LOT more enjoyable now.