Front door panel / window creaking / rattling (Updated w/ Fix)

[Kdog]

I want to pile on the thanks to Unixadm for posting this fix and for taking the time to post the pictures. My 21 F150 is only 2 months old and has started rattling/squeaking on both front doors over the last few weeks. It is probably heat related. The noise has been really bad this past week and while I could somewhat temporarily stop the driver's side door while I was driving, I could not reach the passenger door.

After reading the post, I immediately ordered the felt tape. I removed the triangular-shaped cover, tightened the door panel screw. I don't have the tape yet, so I simply wrapped the four clips with Kleenex to serve as a temporary cushion. The sound is gone for now. I will use the felt tape as a more sustainable solution once I receive it.

Thanks everyone. This fix made my day.

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[BDUBSpeed]

As I put more miles on my truck (about 525 miles now), the door rattles started to get worse. I think it's less about miles and more about warmer weather in California. While driving I applied pressure to various parts of the door panel assembly and isolated the noise to the front triangular panel. It was hard for me to test the passenger side, but it sounded similar to what I was hearing from the drivers side.

I went ahead and removed both panels (they just pull off, start at the top. The bottom clips can be a little finicky but it just requires a little tweaking of your technique. Once removed I did three things:

1. Behind the triangular panel is a 7mm screw which holds the top of the door panel to the door itself. On both sides of my truck, that screw wasn't really snug. I noticed when applying pressure to that area, I could get a rattle/squeaking noise to occur. Don't go crazy, but tighten it a bit if it's loose. After doing that, I couldn't reproduce the noise.
2. I used some thin felt tape to isolate the triangular trim piece from the door panel and door frame. This stuff is cheap and available from Amazon. I always keep some on hand for covering wires or sorting out rattles. I applied small pieces around each panel and also into the holes where the lower clips engage.
3. Tightened both 10mm mirror nuts. One was barely snug on the driver's side.

After reassembly and a test drive, no more noises were coming from either door panel. YMMV for obvious reasons, but on my truck that's where the rattling was coming from.

Thanks. I also was experiencing this so I checked the threads and found this right away. The tape fixed it!

 

[ryanblake]

As I put more miles on my truck (about 525 miles now), the door rattles started to get worse. I think it's less about miles and more about warmer weather in California. While driving I applied pressure to various parts of the door panel assembly and isolated the noise to the front triangular panel. It was hard for me to test the passenger side, but it sounded similar to what I was hearing from the drivers side.

I went ahead and removed both panels (they just pull off, start at the top. The bottom clips can be a little finicky but it just requires a little tweaking of your technique. Once removed I did three things:

1. Behind the triangular panel is a 7mm screw which holds the top of the door panel to the door itself. On both sides of my truck, that screw wasn't really snug. I noticed when applying pressure to that area, I could get a rattle/squeaking noise to occur. Don't go crazy, but tighten it a bit if it's loose. After doing that, I couldn't reproduce the noise.
2. I used some thin felt tape to isolate the triangular trim piece from the door panel and door frame. This stuff is cheap and available from Amazon. I always keep some on hand for covering wires or sorting out rattles. I applied small pieces around each panel and also into the holes where the lower clips engage.
3. Tightened both 10mm mirror nuts. One was barely snug on the driver's side.

After reassembly and a test drive, no more noises were coming from either door panel. YMMV for obvious reasons, but on my truck that's where the rattling was coming from.

I tried this and it didnt fix mine.. mine seems to be coming more around my left elbow area door panel. When I hear the rattle i apply pressure to that area and it seems to go away, this is driving me crazy!

 

[superfordman]

As I put more miles on my truck (about 525 miles now), the door rattles started to get worse. I think it's less about miles and more about warmer weather in California. While driving I applied pressure to various parts of the door panel assembly and isolated the noise to the front triangular panel. It was hard for me to test the passenger side, but it sounded similar to what I was hearing from the drivers side.

I went ahead and removed both panels (they just pull off, start at the top. The bottom clips can be a little finicky but it just requires a little tweaking of your technique. Once removed I did three things:

1. Behind the triangular panel is a 7mm screw which holds the top of the door panel to the door itself. On both sides of my truck, that screw wasn't really snug. I noticed when applying pressure to that area, I could get a rattle/squeaking noise to occur. Don't go crazy, but tighten it a bit if it's loose. After doing that, I couldn't reproduce the noise.
2. I used some thin felt tape to isolate the triangular trim piece from the door panel and door frame. This stuff is cheap and available from Amazon. I always keep some on hand for covering wires or sorting out rattles. I applied small pieces around each panel and also into the holes where the lower clips engage.
3. Tightened both 10mm mirror nuts. One was barely snug on the driver's side.

After reassembly and a test drive, no more noises were coming from either door panel. YMMV for obvious reasons, but on my truck that's where the rattling was coming from.

Thanks for the tip! I had a fait noise coming from the mirror area at speed and was at a loss of what it might be. Tried this, tightened up the mirror bolts and door trim bolt on the driver side and that solved it right away! So much that I could then hear the same from the passenger side then, so tightened it up also and now no more fait noises!

 

[sglide05]

Where is the door trim bolt located?

 

[unixadm]

Where is the door trim bolt located?

Behind the triangular trim piece.

 

[sglide05]

Behind the triangular trim piece.

Is that where the mirror bolts are too?

 

[unixadm]

Is that where the mirror bolts are too?

Yes.

 

[sglide05]

Thank you.

 

[Nelson21]

Yes.

Thank You for helping making me realize I am not alone. Rattle has been in that exact area on the passenger side since day one. Looking forward to fixing on my own and avoiding yet another trip to the dealer! Appreciate the pictures!

 

[Levi1998]

Another big thumbs up for this fix! Mine started making noise around 500 miles. Popped off the trim and found door panel screws on both sides were a bit loose. Tightened them up and added a bit of felt tape Mirror nuts were tight. Two hundred mile trip last week with no noise!

 

[sglide05]

I fixed my driver side rattle this weekend. Thanks unixadm for the helpful tips. So far the fix is working well.

 

[calebryandarnell]

As I put more miles on my truck (about 525 miles now), the door rattles started to get worse. I think it's less about miles and more about warmer weather in California. While driving I applied pressure to various parts of the door panel assembly and isolated the noise to the front triangular panel. It was hard for me to test the passenger side, but it sounded similar to what I was hearing from the drivers side.

I went ahead and removed both panels (they just pull off, start at the top. The bottom clips can be a little finicky but it just requires a little tweaking of your technique. Once removed I did three things:

1. Behind the triangular panel is a 7mm screw which holds the top of the door panel to the door itself. On both sides of my truck, that screw wasn't really snug. I noticed when applying pressure to that area, I could get a rattle/squeaking noise to occur. Don't go crazy, but tighten it a bit if it's loose. After doing that, I couldn't reproduce the noise.
2. I used some thin felt tape to isolate the triangular trim piece from the door panel and door frame. This stuff is cheap and available from Amazon. I always keep some on hand for covering wires or sorting out rattles. I applied small pieces around each panel and also into the holes where the lower clips engage.
3. Tightened both 10mm mirror nuts. One was barely snug on the driver's side.

After reassembly and a test drive, no more noises were coming from either door panel. YMMV for obvious reasons, but on my truck that's where the rattling was coming from.

I'm going to try this tomorrow. I picked up a '21 demo with 3500 miles the other day and the rattle is driving me nuts! I was able to reach across one day while truck was idling and touch the door lock area and it stopped for a second. I'm confident this will fix mine, i'll let you all know.

 

[BSD_USER66]

Thanks unixAdm!!
Fixed on my drivers side 2021 Limited and also did the passenger side to future proof it (hopefully). I effing hate rattles, makes my brain glitch, & I get straight up pissed off at service dept. personnel if they do not hear it too.

 

[unixadm]

I've received a few PM's from people asking what tape to use. Here's a link to one example on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Wire-Harness-Automotive-Cloth-Tape/dp/B086X3DN2N/

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