# Noise in 05/06 Pathfinder



## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

Hi, 
Anyone with a 05/06 PF hear a faint/low tapping noise while driving? Sounds like metal to metal tapping. It doesnt do it all the time. It comes and goes. Might not hear it for miles and all of a sudden it starts and will come and go for awhile then it will stop for a while. While driving it sounds like it is coming from over your left shoulder either where the seatbelt is or the rear drivers door. When I rode in the backseat and heard it it sounded like it was coming from the front drivers area, weird and hard to pinpoint. It may be coming from somewhere on the outside of vehicle. Never heard it during the test drive. Only thing different from then is that the dealer put on the 30 day tag with the dealer tag frame. Any ideas?? If you have it and figure it out let me know.


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## 06AgBlitzLE (Feb 11, 2006)

Pepco1 said:


> Hi,
> Anyone with a 05/06 PF hear a faint/low tapping noise while driving? Sounds like metal to metal tapping. It doesnt do it all the time. It comes and goes. Might not hear it for miles and all of a sudden it starts and will come and go for awhile then it will stop for a while. While driving it sounds like it is coming from over your left shoulder either where the seatbelt is or the rear drivers door. When I rode in the backseat and heard it it sounded like it was coming from the front drivers area, weird and hard to pinpoint. It may be coming from somewhere on the outside of vehicle. Never heard it during the test drive. Only thing different from then is that the dealer put on the 30 day tag with the dealer tag frame. Any ideas?? If you have it and figure it out let me know.


My new 06 is quiet, quiet, quiet. (It'll probably develop a rattle now that I've posted this.) My Titan was reasonably rattle free, but it definitely was not a quiet ride. I did read something about the Frontier having an issue with a metal to metal rattle, and if I remember correctly it had something to do with a metal air conditioning pipe against the firewall. (I don't know if the Frontier and Pathy share those parts or not, but I'm guessing they probably do.) I don't know if that helps, but it's a place to look anyway...

-Rob


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## MTBPATH (Sep 14, 2005)

are you driving with the drivers window down?
because if you are, I believe its the wind flapping the seatbelt or cuz wind noise.
I drive with my windows up because of that fact. I am lead to believe that the drivers or passenger window area, especially down is not aero design well.
my thoughts.


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## Xeno (Oct 5, 2005)

Close all the windows all the way, have someone (or yourself) push on the door glass when you hear this "noise" and see if it stops. It's probably the glass or regulator causing this noise.

http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Pathfinder/Body.htm


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## KSpider (Feb 9, 2006)

I had tapping noise in the same place you are talking about... It was my rear seat belt...


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

MTBPATH said:


> are you driving with the drivers window down?
> because if you are, I believe its the wind flapping the seatbelt or cuz wind noise.
> I drive with my windows up because of that fact. I am lead to believe that the drivers or passenger window area, especially down is not aero design well.
> my thoughts.


No, always drive with windows up.
Noise can only be heard when windows are up. Very light/faint tapping noise that is gone for miles and then comes back briefly.


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## KSpider (Feb 9, 2006)

As I was saying about my seat belt, it was just turned with the metal part facing the wall of the vehicle, instead of towards the seat where it should be. I only heard with window up...


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## gbest03 (Feb 15, 2006)

Pepco1 said:


> Hi,
> Anyone with a 05/06 PF hear a faint/low tapping noise while driving? Sounds like metal to metal tapping. It doesnt do it all the time. It comes and goes. Might not hear it for miles and all of a sudden it starts and will come and go for awhile then it will stop for a while. While driving it sounds like it is coming from over your left shoulder either where the seatbelt is or the rear drivers door. When I rode in the backseat and heard it it sounded like it was coming from the front drivers area, weird and hard to pinpoint. It may be coming from somewhere on the outside of vehicle. Never heard it during the test drive. Only thing different from then is that the dealer put on the 30 day tag with the dealer tag frame. Any ideas?? If you have it and figure it out let me know.



On my test drive, I noticed the same thing and the salesperson discounted it as a loose license plate on the back.(I did not agree)
On the LE that I purchased, It has the same noise coming from the drivers door.
If you push on the door, is stops.


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

Xeno said:


> Close all the windows all the way, have someone (or yourself) push on the door glass when you hear this "noise" and see if it stops. It's probably the glass or regulator causing this noise.
> 
> http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Pathfinder/Body.htm


I rode in the back drivers side and when noise started I could barely hear it and it sounded like it was coming from drivers area. That got me to thinking it may be coming from the outside. But, I didnt push on the back glass or door panel. I will give that a try. When I first heard it on the way home from the dealership, I asked my daughter is that back door rattling, she said no it sounds like its coming from where you are. Its just weird, it will not do it for a longtime and then it starts, may do it a while then its gone.


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

KSpider said:


> As I was saying about my seat belt, it was just turned with the metal part facing the wall of the vehicle, instead of towards the seat where it should be. I only heard with window up...


KSpider, I know what you are talking about, I dont think its that cause when my kid is buckled up it does the samething. Its almost like a metal to metal vibration noise.


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## KSpider (Feb 9, 2006)

you got me then!


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

06AgBlitzLE said:


> My new 06 is quiet, quiet, quiet. (It'll probably develop a rattle now that I've posted this.) My Titan was reasonably rattle free, but it definitely was not a quiet ride. I did read something about the Frontier having an issue with a metal to metal rattle, and if I remember correctly it had something to do with a metal air conditioning pipe against the firewall. (I don't know if the Frontier and Pathy share those parts or not, but I'm guessing they probably do.) I don't know if that helps, but it's a place to look anyway...
> 
> -Rob


Dont get me wrong, this is a very quiet vehicle and and I am very happy it has no other rattles(knock on wood) in the 2 weeks I have had it. My wifes Muranos door panels rattle like crazy in cold weather.


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

gbest03 said:


> On my test drive, I noticed the same thing and the salesperson discounted it as a loose license plate on the back.(I did not agree)
> On the LE that I purchased, It has the same noise coming from the drivers door.
> If you push on the door, is stops.


I am thinking it may be the license frame that the dealer put on it. Thats the only thing that has changed since my test drive. I didnt hear it during test drive and boy after the Murano I was listening for rattles. Also the right side of the plate will get tight,but the left side will not screw in all the way leaving that side a little loose.


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

KSpider said:


> you got me then!


 I know its something very simple, it will just take some time to pinpoint it. I love the Pathfinder after driving my 92 Toyota pickup for 14 years.


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## supraholic (Nov 21, 2005)

is it the sunroof?? thats what mine is


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

supraholic said:


> is it the sunroof?? thats what mine is


I dont think its the sunroof. There is a TSB out for the sunroof rattle. http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2005/NTB05-019.htm

I think my noise is coming from behind the panel where the drivers seatbelt retracts into. Between the drivers and rear drivers side window. Does anyone know how to take that panel off??


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## Lungpower (Jan 11, 2006)

*Tap Clunk*



Pepco1 said:


> Hi,
> Anyone with a 05/06 PF hear a faint/low tapping noise while driving? Sounds like metal to metal tapping. It doesnt do it all the time. It comes and goes. Might not hear it for miles and all of a sudden it starts and will come and go for awhile then it will stop for a while. While driving it sounds like it is coming from over your left shoulder either where the seatbelt is or the rear drivers door. When I rode in the backseat and heard it it sounded like it was coming from the front drivers area, weird and hard to pinpoint. It may be coming from somewhere on the outside of vehicle. Never heard it during the test drive. Only thing different from then is that the dealer put on the 30 day tag with the dealer tag frame. Any ideas?? If you have it and figure it out let me know.


If you are getting a thud thud thud when you go over expansion strips in the road have the dealer check a service bulletin for the sunroof shade. Mine drove me nuts, the dealer did put a factory kit in that solved the problem. I had the metallic ticking also, it is gone now but will probably come back when it gets above zero around here. Seatbelts also account for interior noise. Good luck


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## Xeno (Oct 5, 2005)

Pepco1 said:


> I dont think its the sunroof. There is a TSB out for the sunroof rattle. http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2005/NTB05-019.htm
> 
> I think my noise is coming from behind the panel where the drivers seatbelt retracts into. Between the drivers and rear drivers side window. Does anyone know how to take that panel off??



If you vehicle has air bags, then some of the parts of it are right behind there also. Do you really want to be poking around? 
Anyhow just take off the small square access panel above belt retainer/adjuster and then it should just unclip.


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

Xeno said:


> If you vehicle has air bags, then some of the parts of it are right behind there also. Do you really want to be poking around?
> Anyhow just take off the small square access panel above belt retainer/adjuster and then it should just unclip.



I dont have the side curtain airbags. This is what I've found in the service manual. Seems like alot of steps just to just to remove that top panel. Maybe I should wait and let dealer have a try at it an hope they dont make it worst. I not sure about removing the door welts(seals). I still must say that the noise is not reallly bad. Its a low faint tick/tapping vibrating noise that that comes and goes. It may do it when going over bumps and it may not do it. Its just weird. Other than that small noise(when it occurs) Pathfinder is Super quiet.No other noise from anywhere. 


CENTER PILLAR UPPER FINISHER
Removal
1. Remove front and rear door welts.
2. Remove seat belt shoulder anchor and D-ring. Refer to SB-3, "Removal and Installation of Front Seat
Belt" .
3. Remove front and rear kick plates. Refer to EI-28, "KICK PLATES" .
4. Remove center pillar lower finisher.
5. Remove assist grip.
6. Remove center pillar upper finisher.


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## 05LE (Feb 22, 2006)

I have a horrible rattle also...but mine comes after 60mph and up and it sounds like a loose wiper but when i turn the wiper on it is still there...i have heard of the sunroof rattle but i really don't think that is the problem... :balls:


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## silkecycler (Feb 23, 2006)

*The source comes from...*

I have the same problem with my 05 Nissan Pathfinder. I have discovered the source, and am able to (at least temporarily) make the sound go away. At first I swore the sound was coming from the door, somewhere in there. I took all the stuff out of the little storage slot, cleaned everything, but still the noise came! Finally, I discovered that it is coming from a set of cables in a metal box that is to the left of the steering wheel behind the dash. Reach down as if you are going to touch the parking brake pedal, and reach under the edge of the dash cover. There you will feel a metal case of some sort with a bunch of cables and wires coming out of it. If you lightly press on a plug section, where all the cables come together to plug into a receiver, the rattling stops. It usually stops for quite a while before it rattles loose again, but that is the source of my "metal on metal" noise coming from the drivers side in my Pathfinder. Eventually I'll bother with a permanent fix, but for now this does the trick.


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## flith (Feb 8, 2006)

*Me too*

My Pathfinder has that noise also. I heard it during the test drive and so did the salesman. I've had it back 4 times for that noise. It can be stopped by pressing on the glass. They have replaced the door panel, and gaskets and it still makes the noise. It seems to be temperature related. It doesn't do it if its cool/cold out. I've also had the TSBs done on the roof bows and sunroof.


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

silkecycler said:


> I have the same problem with my 05 Nissan Pathfinder. I have discovered the source, and am able to (at least temporarily) make the sound go away. At first I swore the sound was coming from the door, somewhere in there. I took all the stuff out of the little storage slot, cleaned everything, but still the noise came! Finally, I discovered that it is coming from a set of cables in a metal box that is to the left of the steering wheel behind the dash. Reach down as if you are going to touch the parking brake pedal, and reach under the edge of the dash cover. There you will feel a metal case of some sort with a bunch of cables and wires coming out of it. If you lightly press on a plug section, where all the cables come together to plug into a receiver, the rattling stops. It usually stops for quite a while before it rattles loose again, but that is the source of my "metal on metal" noise coming from the drivers side in my Pathfinder. Eventually I'll bother with a permanent fix, but for now this does the trick.


I will take a look at the box you are talking about. 
When you hear the noise while you are driving, does it sound like it is coming from over your left shoulder??? Mine sounds like it is coming from the panel where the drivers seatbelt retracts into or the rear drivers side door. I rode in the back and when it started I could barely hear noise while in backseat and it sounded like it was coming from the front somewhere. While driving and when noise starts I can put my ear up against the panel and it seems to get louder. But I have heard that noises can come from totally different places from where you think they are. Thanks I will check it out


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

flith said:


> My Pathfinder has that noise also. I heard it during the test drive and so did the salesman. I've had it back 4 times for that noise. It can be stopped by pressing on the glass. They have replaced the door panel, and gaskets and it still makes the noise. It seems to be temperature related. It doesn't do it if its cool/cold out. I've also had the TSBs done on the roof bows and sunroof.


I have pressed on both the front and rear door glass and couldnt get it to stop. At times it does sound like something tapping glass or metal to metal. Sunroof is fine, no other noise what so ever other than the one we are talking about.


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## silkecycler (Feb 23, 2006)

*Sound without source*



Pepco1 said:


> I will take a look at the box you are talking about.
> When you hear the noise while you are driving, does it sound like it is coming from over your left shoulder??? Mine sounds like it is coming from the panel where the drivers seatbelt retracts into or the rear drivers side door.


I swear I thought I heard the noise coming from 10 different places before I finally pin-pointed it. The only way I finally did was by parking and revving the engine with my hand on the gas pedal to the point where I could get the car to shake enough that the I could "inspect" the car with my ear. I never would have guessed it was coming from below until I encountered the noise. When I sat in the back I actually thought it was from the passenger front side, then when I drove I thought it was behind me...that's how car noises go I guess. Good luck!


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

silkecycler said:


> I swear I thought I heard the noise coming from 10 different places before I finally pin-pointed it. The only way I finally did was by parking and revving the engine with my hand on the gas pedal to the point where I could get the car to shake enough that the I could "inspect" the car with my ear. I never would have guessed it was coming from below until I encountered the noise. When I sat in the back I actually thought it was from the passenger front side, then when I drove I thought it was behind me...that's how car noises go I guess. Good luck!


I looked at the box and wires you are talking about , some of the wires have foam insulation on them, I saw one small wire touching the large one and pulled it away from the large one. Well, today going to and from work there was no noise,total silence. So far so good, thanks 
Anyone know what that box is for???


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## smartswap (Jun 14, 2005)

I GET THAT FAINT TAPPING NOISE. Sometimes its there, sometimes not. Usually comes out when temp is cold. I would hear it early morning. I have an LE with sunroof. I thought it was headliner or doors. Doors make noise too, srapyed lubricant, got rid of some weird 'tapping' noise. That faint one though is still present. Dealer thought it was headliner, no deal. Found out that it was the glass on the sunroof or maybe the mechanism. I would push up on the sunroof and I can make the sound appear. I still will pplay around with the screws, maybe just a lttl bit tight or loose. But I wont trust dealer anymore. They really dont care, honest truth. Good luck!




Pepco1 said:


> Hi,
> Anyone with a 05/06 PF hear a faint/low tapping noise while driving? Sounds like metal to metal tapping. It doesnt do it all the time. It comes and goes. Might not hear it for miles and all of a sudden it starts and will come and go for awhile then it will stop for a while. While driving it sounds like it is coming from over your left shoulder either where the seatbelt is or the rear drivers door. When I rode in the backseat and heard it it sounded like it was coming from the front drivers area, weird and hard to pinpoint. It may be coming from somewhere on the outside of vehicle. Never heard it during the test drive. Only thing different from then is that the dealer put on the 30 day tag with the dealer tag frame. Any ideas?? If you have it and figure it out let me know.


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

Here is a TSB for the sunroof noise if you have a 05 http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2005/NTB05-019.htm



I dont think my tapping noise is coming from the sunroof. I still think it is coming from the panel where the drivers seatbelt retracts into. I thought it might be the box under the steering wheel,but things seem ok there. It comes and goes but lately I havent noticed it as much.


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## smartswap (Jun 14, 2005)

How did you fix sunroof noise? I would re-tighten/re align but eventually sound reappears, not as bad as before though.


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## thrbek (Oct 27, 2005)

My 2005 Pathfinder LE is the noisiest, rattliest, most irritating vehicle I've ever owned. I'll be getting rid of it as soon as I can. 

I have rattles in all four doors and in a couple places in the dash. VERY irritating for a $36K+ vehicle. 

How embarassing for Nissan.


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## KSpider (Feb 9, 2006)

thrbek said:


> My 2005 Pathfinder LE is the noisiest, rattliest, most irritating vehicle I've ever owned. I'll be getting rid of it as soon as I can.
> 
> I have rattles in all four doors and in a couple places in the dash. VERY irritating for a $36K+ vehicle.
> 
> How embarassing for Nissan.



wow. honestly, im getting very annoyed at my creaking issue...


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## Pepco1 (Feb 3, 2006)

thrbek said:


> My 2005 Pathfinder LE is the noisiest, rattliest, most irritating vehicle I've ever owned. I'll be getting rid of it as soon as I can.
> 
> I have rattles in all four doors and in a couple places in the dash. VERY irritating for a $36K+ vehicle.
> 
> How embarassing for Nissan.


Sorry you feel that way. Has dealer tried to fix problems? My 06 is solid and quiet except for that faint tapping or vibration noise that comes and goes over my left shouder, but it is still early.


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## smartswap (Jun 14, 2005)

I noted the same thing - too noisy, not worth the money. I sprayed WD40 on the gaps in the door panels. If you push them in, you'll hear some 'tapping' sound. Caused I think by the cheap leatherette trimming. Had my driver window worked on with dealer. Last item, the sunroof noise, fixed it! Did I mention that I installed another horn? They just install one piece! No wonder it sound like a Hyundai! Now, it sound like a $37K machine. I have no noise left - thank God!


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## kashmi (Feb 13, 2005)

Is it possible to wash the engine on an 05 Pathfinder ?


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## thrbek (Oct 27, 2005)

smartswap said:


> I noted the same thing - too noisy, not worth the money. I sprayed WD40 on the gaps in the door panels. If you push them in, you'll hear some 'tapping' sound. Caused I think by the cheap leatherette trimming. Had my driver window worked on with dealer. Last item, the sunroof noise, fixed it! Did I mention that I installed another horn? They just install one piece! No wonder it sound like a Hyundai! Now, it sound like a $37K machine. I have no noise left - thank God!


I took the center console trim off this weekend. It was really easy...and I took out the BOSE radio...left all of the parts in the garage. The center was totally open from the cup holders all the way up to the center of the dash...just an ugly open hole.

I drove on the bumpiest roads I could find and I realized that the irritating "tapping" noise that had been coming from behind the radio was GONE. So...the door noises are still there, and there are some creaks where certain plastic joints rub against other plastic joints...(I might try your WD40 trick for those smartswap!). When I put everything back together, (which took all of 5 minutes), the tapping was gone...and I haven't heard it since!

The only problem now is that my airbag warning light is flashing in my face. Apparently I bumped something or unplugged something that the airbag computer didn't like. I'm thinking that maybe when I unplugged the harness for the "Passenger Airbag" yellow light in the console, the airbag computer may have freaked out thinking the passenger airbag light was broken. Hopefully the computer just needs to have the code cleared out of it.

Anyway...one rattle down....only about 8 more to go. I'd take it to the dealer to have them fix these things, but the dealer is a 45 minute drive away and I'm a busy guy. So...now I need to take it to them anyway so they can make that irritating airbag light stop blinking.



-Tony


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## jrex (Jan 20, 2005)

thrbek said:


> My 2005 Pathfinder LE is the noisiest, rattliest, most irritating vehicle I've ever owned. I'll be getting rid of it as soon as I can.
> 
> I have rattles in all four doors and in a couple places in the dash. VERY irritating for a $36K+ vehicle.
> 
> How embarassing for Nissan.


I would have to agree. I have found most of the rattles and will get around to fixing them if I decide to keep this car. As of now, it has been too much trouble. Been in the shop 7 times in 15 months for various things. Dealer says they will not fix any rattles because they are ALL caused by my ventvisors and aftermarket exhaust.


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## boris (Apr 10, 2005)

05 pathfinder here with 14300 miles bought it new.

Both front door panels rattle ALL THE TIME, windows down mettalic rattle coming from rear of the truck.. i mentioned the muffler rattle twice, nothing fixed.. also a new sqeeky rattle i dont know where the hell its coming from..


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## PRAYN4SNO (Jan 26, 2005)

boris said:


> 05 pathfinder here with 14300 miles bought it new.
> 
> Both front door panels rattle ALL THE TIME, windows down mettalic rattle coming from rear of the truck.. i mentioned the muffler rattle twice, nothing fixed.. also a new sqeeky rattle i dont know where the hell its coming from..


Same here..Pass side door is worse, its coming from the arm rest (i fixed it once before because its that cheap felt stuff they use) I am getting a god awful rattle in the rear seat behind the passenger front seat thats driving me out of my mind and i cant pinpoint it. Also I have that nice rattle behind the stereo when at stop lights with my foot on the break, if i push down on the dash near the Nav screen it goes away.


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## Xeno (Oct 5, 2005)

kashmi said:


> Is it possible to wash the engine on an 05 Pathfinder ?


I high pressure wash it every few months. It has a sealed ignition, so it starts up no problem.


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## smartswap (Jun 14, 2005)

How did you fix the sunroof noise - same as mine.


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## boris (Apr 10, 2005)

i mentioned the door rattle today..they called and said its because of the speakers i put in.. yea ok how can top of the door rattle because of the speaker...it started ratteling after the window regulator greasing that they did last time.


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