dieseltouring

You are more advanced than me. After removing the screws and plastic retainers, does the trim just pull out? I was too afraid to pull it too hard. This trim isn't the whole story in my car, but it was the worst offender. I continue to insert pieces of felt in strategic places to try and rid the car of the last remaining odd creaks. We shouldn't have to do this on a £50k car!

olivierfm

DT and MV thanks for the great feedback. I have looked at this as well in the past and noticed that a simple push on the trim pieces around the trunk area causes them to creak. It really is a cheap piece of plastic that certainly could have been improved upon to avoid this. I was going to work on that area as well. I also have a squeak/rattle from the roof liner in the rear that I have located at the small rectangular speaker looking thingy??? (area above the rear seats on each side above seats). Over all the car is pretty quite inside when driving which tends to amplify the squeaks and rattles. I still think the huge sunroof plays a big part in sacrificing torsional rigidity despite the added braces underneath the floor (which I feel could be improved upon). DT did your car have a sunroof?

mmitev

Yes it pulls out easily, but you might have to remove the two side panels first - the ones that go up along the D-pillar and have the rails for the trunk cover in them. I have forgotten whether they overlap with the trunk floor piece we are talking about, but I think so. They are also easy to disassemble - search for the LCI lights DIY thread by ArneT or ArneR in this forum and he explains it pretty well.

I have also put felt in some places but this has not helped that much. I hope that with time we can jointly identify the worst offenders and how to neutralize them.

And yes, I am ready to go and shoot someone in Munich. I bet its the same idiot who designed the sunroof drains of the last 3 touring generations, the electronics location at the trunk floor, the rear suspension compressor, and the rear door cable harness..

mmitev

I still have not been able to identify the "small rectangular speaker looking thingy", but I suspect it might be an alarm sensor. I guess your sunroof mechanism located above this thing rattles, something other people have reported too. I guess this might be the hardest to fix - noone likes to fiddle with this GBP 2,000 mechanism. And yes, the sunroof should be the ultimate catalyst for all those creaks.

Has anyone here driven a well used E61 without sunroof and noticed whether it had any creaks and rattles? Would be really helpful to know..

Theo

This has got to be the most useful thread ever for E61 owners!

I've got a very well driven E61 (200K+) and it has no creaks from the panoramic contraption whatsoever (when not opening/closing, mechanism rattling like hell).

Mine has creaks come and go as well, annoyed me for years, treated the door seals and recently the baggage cover and side storage panels in the trunk, got most of them but one remained.

And now you've found the culprit: whenever I push on the rear floor at the hatch lock, it makes that sound.

I'll try to treat it this weekend but my hopes are up.

Kudos!

legwag

I spoke with the owner of this company/website a few weeks back (http://www.nextgentuning.com/), and he said he has confirmation from Ultra Racing that their front and rear frame bars will fit our cars (http://www.nextgentuning.com/product...?cid=22&clev=2). I know there has been discussion in other threads about these bars but it sounds like this may be an additional option for us. I am most likely going to get these later this summer, as far as I know these are the only real frame strengthening options we have...

dieseltouring

I have a sunroof too. Maybe the theory is right that this makes the creaks worse. When I first got the car I had a couple up front, but they were really easy to fix compared to the rear. The front of my car is now totally silent, the rear luggage area much better, but not yet silent. All suggestions welcome!

Drove one of my employees' A4 estates the other day. Not even the slightest creak or squeak. So annoying.

mmitev

+1000 on the silent front vs rear, and also on the A4 avant impression. Obviously there are things which Audi clearly does better than BMW.

But did the A4 have a sunroof? The one I drove did not have one. True that the panoramic sunroof is a completely different animal - it totally destroys the supportive function of the roof - but would still be good to know.

dieseltouring

No it did not, which adds to your theory I guess.

After my last round of stuffing felt and foam in strategic places, my car was silent today. But, since it is much cooler and my car is worse for creaks in hot sunshine I won't declare victory just yet.

mmitev

+1 on the hot and cold weather. indeed it is early for a judgement.

Also, mine creeks depending on how I drive it. If I go through a few potholes in the beginning of a drive, it continues making noises for the whole day. if not, its quiet. Must be careful not to upset it LMAO...

When you believe you are done with "stuffing felt and foam in strategic places" (no misunderstandings here, but I still don't want to know what are your OTHER hobbies :-)) we can make a diagram based on who stuffed what where and how did it work. I would certainly do one, as it will be easier to explain and understand than in writing.