Sunroof rattle

10242 Views 33 Replies 13 Participants Last post by betha_b1, Jan 27, 2022

oldsalt

Discussion Starter · Apr 13, 2019

Anyone have the same issue as me?

My sunroof is making noises that sound like something is rubbing together when I go over a bump.

If I open the sunroof and leave it open for a while then close it, the noise goes away.

Sadly the noise always returns. :crying:

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

slippercream

· #2 · Apr 17, 2019 (Edited)

Silly thing, but have you tried waxing those seals?

Next time you wash your car, try applying a bit of car wax onto the rubber edge seals of the sunroof. Not only does this make the rubber pliable, it also returns any kind of suppleness that may have been lost through 1 year's cycle of weather.

Also, I find that keeping the roof edges of any sunroof clean of dust and debris makes the sunroof less squeaky. It's those gaps between rubber and solid, non-porous surfaces (like painted metal) - regardless of how microscopic - that create noises.
Keeping rubber, leather, and other porous, high-contact surfaces, properly cleaned and oiled (in this case, carnauba or synth wax with some natural oleic component) is always best to keep those materials fresh.

Hope this helps.

Reactions: 1

ericoguedes

· #3 · May 20, 2019

My EC has the same problem. The sunroof is creaking as if something is not properly seated. I already took it to the dealer and they do not know how to solve it.

Reactions: 1

oldsalt

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 22, 2019

ericoguedes said:
My EC has the same problem. The sunroof is creaking as if something is not properly seated. I already took it to the dealer and they do not know how to solve it.

G'day mate, did you manage to solve the creaking?

I sprayed silicon around the edges etc and that stopped it for a while, I haven't been to the dealer yet as the noise is not always present and my luck, they won't hear a thing.

zarbs

· #5 · Sep 23, 2019

I had a rattle in my 380 (Oz version of the US Galant) and no-one could find it until I took it to a new dealership that opened locally under an umbrella company that sells all brands. They had a guy drive around the streets and another guy in the back seat listening for the noise. They found it and it turned put to be a loose bolt in the sunroof rail of all things. They had to remove the headlining to get at the culprit bolt. I rewarded the guys for their perseverance naturally. The noise never returned.

I haven't had any issues with my sunroof on the EC but I've only had its open twice in the 4 months of ownership. I know how annoying this sort of noise can be...

Reactions: 1

Kevin96k

· #6 · Dec 11, 2019

My Eclipse Cross started with a pronounced panoramic roof rattle when hitting bumps and anytime the car suspension would flex I would get a creak and rattle above the center brace between the 2 sunroof panels. I tried everything with greasing seals, contact points checking bolts everything and could not find it. Well I did. If you sit in the rear seat and reach up in under the center support the noise was coming from the power button for the rear sunshade. Up inside the ceiling panel the plug inside to the open button for rear panel was rubbing the panoramic roof support bar. I squeezed in 2 pieces of stick felt on the cross bar up inside so the plug hits it and the noise is totally gone! Weirdly enuf I dis not think it was coming from there but more to passenger side but sound traveled and it was the rattle and creak noise. Fixed!

Kevin96k

· #7 · Dec 11, 2019

This is sitting in back seat and looking thru the gap in the rear sunroof and this is the plug to the rear sunshade power button. Squeeze sumin between it and the pano roof cross bar. Pic turned sideways. The 2 tan felt pads would be above the plug. Its hard to squeeze your finger in the and you have to push the rubber out a way. But it fixes it!

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zarbs

· #8 · Dec 12, 2019

Thanks for the info. I'll file this one away for the future.

Paolocasini

· #9 · Feb 5, 2020

Ciao sono Paolo da Roma, ho lo stesso problema. Ho provato a mettere il gommino nell'intercaledine del tetto ma non è cambiato nulla. L'ho portata dal concessionario e dopo tre giorni non hanno risolto nulla. Dicono che è da sostituire il tettino apribile. Io penso sia il rivestimento del tetto che ha qualche punto che sfrega e fa da cassa di risonanza. Al prossimo tagliando cambierò concessionaria. Se non risolvono scrivo a mitsubishi. L'auto è bellissima ma questo scricchiolio è veramente fastidioso. Ciao paolo

Willisjamaica

· #10 · Aug 4, 2020

Lol that pad solution is a genius one

However when we are describing a noise ...use something comparative so we can have an actual idea ...just saying a noise coming from is too broad and this will only make finding the problem difficult muchless to repair....
How I check for noise is to narrow down the area ... note that because you hear it from right window doesn't mean it coming from the right side of vehicle..
Once u narrow the area .. check all moving parts by shifting, push, rattling etc..all in an effort to reproduce the sound.....
I dont have sun roof option but that wind piece that lift mechanism could likely be the culprit as unlike the other larger moving sun roof has weight and more unlike to rattle ... this could explain why when its shut and reopen you hear the sound return .... that implies that its nothing major loose ... however if search is unsuccessful report to dealer and make sure its log in system just incase future reveals something serious

betha_b1

· #11 · Oct 6, 2020

Kevin96k said:
This is sitting in back seat and looking thru the gap in the rear sunroof and this is the plug to the rear sunshade power button. Squeeze sumin between it and the pano roof cross bar. Pic turned sideways. The 2 tan felt pads would be above the plug. Its hard to squeeze your finger in the and you have to push the rubber out a way. But it fixes it!

I tried this but it didn't solve my creaking. It's driving me crazy!! It's coming from the area above my head-between the sun roofs, and I've tried to isolate it and I can't seem to. Anyone find anywhere else its creaking and rattling? I'm going to have someone drive while I sit in back next, just need to find that driver who is up for an hour of driving residential roads while I look... lol.

LuF

· #12 · Oct 6, 2020

betha_b1 said:
I tried this but it didn't solve my creaking. It's driving me crazy!! It's coming from the area above my head-between the sun roofs, and I've tried to isolate it and I can't seem to. Anyone find anywhere else its creaking and rattling? I'm going to have someone drive while I sit in back next, just need to find that driver who is up for an hour of driving residential roads while I look... lol.

I took my EC to the dealer under warranty for the same noise. They told me it was a factory fault. In brief, some screws came loose in some units in the bar that separates both crystals. They had to remove the roof, tighten the screws and fixed! 1 day of work, at no cost to me.

betha_b1

· #13 · Oct 7, 2020

Thanks LuF. Ok. I will take it in for it. It's hopeful that warranty covered it for you.

betha_b1

· #14 · Oct 22, 2020 (Edited)

I took it the dealership and the two guys that rode with me could not hear it. When I had them drive and I rode in back I became more confident it was coming from behind the panel between the sunroofs. Nothing was done. I will attempt to start jamming stuff between the panel to try to fix it myself. The sound is similar to like plastic wiring knocking against aluminum, or metal against glass, or the sound of creaking of an old car body flexing (but this isn't happening specifically when the car flexes). It happens over some bumps, but not all. It is not a constant rattle. It happens more after the car has sat for a while. Investigation continues!
Below is my video of the noise on youtube. I put my phone wedged up between the sunroofs in the headliner. It does it two times at the begining and three times in a row at the end of the 25 second clip. "click"........"click"......................"click, click, click". The lower pitched thuds are me driving over manhole covers with the tires and can be ignored. Some manhole covers or bumps cause it, some do not.

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Kevin96k

· #15 · Oct 23, 2020

betha_b1 said:
I tried this but it didn't solve my creaking. It's driving me crazy!! It's coming from the area above my head-between the sun roofs, and I've tried to isolate it and I can't seem to. Anyone find anywhere else its creaking and rattling? I'm going to have someone drive while I sit in back next, just need to find that driver who is up for an hour of driving residential roads while I look... lol.

My Eclipse Cross started creaking and poping again from the center brace of the panoramic roof, more when the body flexes. I tried al lthe seal lubing and everything else and did not work I knew it was something inside the car. Sure enough it was. Like leaving my driveway on a hill and turning right I would get the noise right in the support beam of the panoramic roof. Well I dropped the headliner enough to get up in there and these 3 screws (showed 1 in pic) were loose especially the one above driver seat was super loose. I also tightened the support brackets where the support beam attaches to the b-pillars. I tested in through town everywhere it makes the noise and in my driveway in and out several times and the noise is 100% gone and I mean its totally silent. These were not tightened near enough in the factory and that plastic piece all the way across screwed to the support beam just creaked as the screws were not tight. I had to remove the b pillar trim, seat belt bracket, all 4 grab handles, loose both a pillars and both c pillars trim, remove both sunvisors and clips, pop down thepanoranic roof controls and sos button part then I could drop the whole headliner about 4 to 5 inches so I could reach and see up in the to find the noise. You have to be very careful not to bend or flex the headliner it will crease. I was super careful and got it all apart and back together with no no marks of damage. I paid and downloaded the 9,800 page Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Service Manual and it showed me where everything in the headliner was and where all the clips were located to do the job easily.

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Kevin96k

· #16 · Oct 23, 2020

Go to youtube (Kevin McKenzie) and type 2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Panoramic roof Noise and my video wil lcome up to shower inside the support beam and the screws that are loose and you can show your dealer. Mine were very loose. Our red Eclipse Cross makes the noise too. I though i fixed it by putting stuff in there and tape felt on the bracket but it came back. Now I found the true issue the loose screw bolts.

Reactions: 1

betha_b1

· #17 · Oct 24, 2020 (Edited)

Kevin96k said:
Go to youtube (Kevin McKenzie) and type 2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Panoramic roof Noise and my video wil lcome up to shower inside the support beam and the screws that are loose and you can show your dealer. Mine were very loose. Our red Eclipse Cross makes the noise too. I though i fixed it by putting stuff in there and tape felt on the bracket but it came back. Now I found the true issue the loose screw bolts.

Thank you so much! I will bring this in and show them and see what they say. I hope not to have to tackle this since it's a new car under warranty and especially since winter is starting here and it's cold to work on the car outside.

betha_b1

· #18 · Nov 4, 2020

Kevin96k said:
Go to youtube (Kevin McKenzie) and type 2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Panoramic roof Noise and my video wil lcome up to shower inside the support beam and the screws that are loose and you can show your dealer. Mine were very loose. Our red Eclipse Cross makes the noise too. I though i fixed it by putting stuff in there and tape felt on the bracket but it came back. Now I found the true issue the loose screw bolts.

Kevin96k - is the sounds still gone? I'm going to bring it in but just wanted to check again before I go in. Also what kind of screw heads are they? Alan? Phillips? I can't quite see the patern just peaking in.

betha_b1

· #19 · Nov 5, 2020 (Edited)

6

We got an out of the ordinary 74 degree day in October so I took advantage of it and sat in the car and tried to fix this. I was able to fix this myself thanks to Kevin96k's insights. The head on the screws is a t25 bit. I was able to do this with only popping down the velcro hooked parts on the headliner very gently in between the sunroofs and along the sunroofs towards the front and back. I taped up the rubber flap concealing the sunroof bar to help me see and then I put on a small headlamp for light. I was able to squeeze an offset ratcheting screwdriver and my hand in a just enough to get them tightened. I was able to tighten all 3 and it no longer squeeks! I did not take off the seat belt column and tighten under there, which Kevin96k mentions he does. But if the sound returns and it's not fixed by retightening the 3 screws overhead again, I will tackle the column bolts.

I drove my route to work to check it which usually drives me crazy with all the squeaking and there wasn't a peep the only thing I could hear were my leather seats rubbing on each other which doesn't bother me! I'm very happy and I didn't have to take the whole roof down thanks, again, to Kevin96k!

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zarbs

· #20 · Nov 5, 2020

Excellent realist @betha_b1. Put the service guys out of a job.

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