Driver side B-Pillar rattle

[ShanMan14]

My 2018 ST Hatch has developed a rather annoying rattle originating in the B-Pillar, somewhere low near the floor. I've searched all over and there are plenty of "rattle" threads here and elsewhere but I haven't found one where the rattle is low in the pillar. It has gotten progressively worse and my car is at the dealer right now for that, and some other things. I suspected the seat belt pre-tensioner but they were unable to locate a rattle or hear it on a road test, which is amazing to me because it's all I hear anymore.

It does sound like it could be wind noise, something flapping around in a wind current but as it's gotten louder, I'm leaning toward a mechanical rattle. I hear at 40MPH and it's louder at higher speeds.

Thoughts?

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[DRUSA]

My 2018 ST Hatch has developed a rather annoying rattle originating in the B-Pillar, somewhere low near the floor. I've searched all over and there are plenty of "rattle" threads here and elsewhere but I haven't found one where the rattle is low in the pillar. It has gotten progressively worse and my car is at the dealer right now for that, and some other things. I suspected the seat belt pre-tensioner but they were unable to locate a rattle or hear it on a road test, which is amazing to me because it's all I hear anymore.

It does sound like it could be wind noise, something flapping around in a wind current but as it's gotten louder, I'm leaning toward a mechanical rattle. I hear at 40MPH and it's louder at higher speeds.

Thoughts?

I repaired a 2019 Accord with the same issue this week. It was the plastic cover surrounding the seatbelt tensioner in the b-pillar, down by the floorboard. Just ended up taping the cap down to the tensioner and applying foam tape to the area.

From the tech perspective, please tell us when, where, how to duplicate this concern. Most service writers are trash and don't relay proper info to the tech. I get repair orders that just say "customer states car makes a noise" all day long, that's all it says. If we can't duplicate the concern we should not be assuming and throwing parts at the car about what we think it could be. This opens the gates for lemon law, so if we can't duplicate we return the car until we can. Ask for a ride along with the tech for all noise concerns.

 

[ShanMan14]

I repaired a 2019 Accord with the same issue this week. It was the plastic cover surrounding the seatbelt tensioner in the b-pillar, down by the floorboard. Just ended up taping the cap down to the tensioner and applying foam tape to the area.

From the tech perspective, please tell us when, where, how to duplicate this concern. Most service writers are trash and don't relay proper info to the tech. I get repair orders that just say "customer states car makes a noise" all day long, that's all it says. If we can't duplicate the concern we should not be assuming and throwing parts at the car about what we think it could be. This opens the gates for lemon law, so if we can't duplicate we return the car until we can. Ask for a ride along with the tech for all noise concerns.

Thanks for the feedback. The dealer was unable to duplicate, allegedly. I told them there was a rattle sound low on the pillar, as described above. I might just try your fix myself to see if that works in my case.

 

[ShanMan14]

I returned for the AC compressor to be replaced and they looked at the rattle again. This time, they discovered there were rocks or gravel in the "upper rocker panel" that was generating the noise.

I have yet to confirm this solved the issue as I've not driven fast enough to hear but considering rocks don't below there, I'm fairly confident this was the issue.

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