DashBoard Creak (Fabia)

[PEMBO]

Its been annoying me for weeks, and I decided that while Im off college with man flu, Ill fix the creak. Armed with 6 plastic cards, I managed to get the vents out and (hopefully) fix the problem. Heres a guide avec pictures...

To stop anything that may snap (god forbid) falling into an abyss, put the heaters onto the feet position.
Heres the hard bit. Use the cards to release the retaining clips which are circled (there are another 4 under these too in the same positions).

If its too tight a fit with 3 cards under and 3 cards above just use 3 under, and gently prize the top part away (this is abit more risky as you need a fair bit more force and the clips could snap). The top should protrude about 3-5mm, then you can "wiggle" the bottom out fully.


Heres some close up pics of the clips:


Dont pull the vents fully out, as you need to unclip the hazzard light switch from the vents first!

Once you have the vents out its plain sailing.
Now you need to choose your method of taking up the gap.

From awt41 - If you use a long thin screwdriver or something similar, you can just manage to push some foam into the gap between the bracket and the top of the dashboard. Pack it in tight.

I know it looks daunting, especially with the ventilation cups and the metal bracket down the middle - but it can be done!

It cured the problem on mine - see recent thread.

Regards, awt41

Alternativly,

From Bingyp - Hi there everyone,

I've also used the cork method, and so far it is a succcess. Dash seemed to be getting noisier and was driving me potty so I gave it a go.

I didn't use the same method as the above, slightly more unusual tools!!

On removing the vents, the bracket to wedge is central, about 6 inches in and underneath where the ridge on the dash is. I say central but I got better access from the driver's side vent.

Looking at the bracket, there is a gap at the bottom about 2-3 mm.

I cut the cork length ways. The cork is then 'D' shaped. the flat part goes to the bottom.

Thanks to skomaz' excellent advice I tried it with a small chamfer but couldn't get the cork to go in very far. So I then cut a much flatter angle, leaving the leading edge around 2-3 mm as per the gap.

To offer the cut cork to the bracket, I used a wooden chopstick about 10 inch long. Sticking the cork onto the pointy end of the chop stick firmly gave good control as the cork is put in position.

Once the cork is where it needs to be, I slowly rotated the chopstick to release the cork.

To push the cork more firmly home, I used the shaft of a small-headed hammer to gently, repeatedly knock it home. Securing the shaft with a 'pool-cue' type grip gave nice control as I tamped the cork home.

And that's it. The cork seems nicely seated, wedged in the bracket. There are now no squeaks from the dash so I can now hear all the noises from the trim/seats etc!!

It was a simple, painless job. If I can do it then anyone can.

Hope this helps someone.

Regards,

Bingy

Whichever you choose, your aiming for this part which looks like a top hat metal section, its behind a greyish plastic vertical support strut. I cant really describe it, but youll know what part when you see it.


Oh, and I thought it would be ideal if I sorted out my head unit at the same time and heres the result :


Hope this helps everyone who is turning deaf because they had to turn the radio so loud in order to drown out the mouse under the dash!

Mike Pembo

[seano47]

Thanks alot i thought it was just my VRS that made this noise lol
will av a go at sorting it at the weekend

[PEMBO]

Originally Posted by seano47

Thanks alot i thought it was just my VRS that made this noise lol
will av a go at sorting it at the weekend

Your very welcome! PM me if you need anymore info.

[lakeywhite]

My set up seems to be different to this, when I start to remove the fascia part of the vent it seems to leave behind the louvre and adjustment dials. I have not looked further into it as I didn't have much time, so I put it back.

[PEMBO]

Originally Posted by lakeywhite

My set up seems to be different to this, when I start to remove the fascia part of the vent it seems to leave behind the louvre and adjustment dials. I have not looked further into it as I didn't have much time, so I put it back.

Sounds like the facia clips are detaching instead of the full unit coming out.
These are the locations of the clips that are coming undone I presume on yours:


It may be easier to remove the radio and put your hand up behind the vents and push it out that way Give it a try

[echase]

Not quite clear where to put the half cork. I have put mine 6" in front of the greyish plastic vertical support strut. It's inside the top hat and underneath 2 diagonal plastic struts that slope down from above.

Photo (double click on it) taken from left vent shows the top hat to right of cork and one of these sloping plastic struts above it. Is this the right place?

When pulling out the vents 4 of the spring clips detached from the vent and one fell inside. Maybe I had got the credit cards below the top clips rather than above them. Took me 3 hours of dismantling the central fascia to find it. Not helped by Halfords selling me the wrong radio removal tool.

[reflex88]

Originally Posted by echase

I have put mine 6" in front of the greyish plastic vertical support strut. It's inside the top hat and underneath 2 diagonal plastic struts that slope down from above.

Well, that's where I stuffed an almighty amount of packaging foam from a HDD! Seems to have fixed my squeek... Now to cure the 2 other major noises (the plastic trim that goes over the high level brake light rattles between 1000-1500rpm.. and summint aint down proper like, in the boot!

anyways.. just wanted to confirm the location as correct and your description as perfect!..

two plastic supports come down from the dash at an angle.. the aim is to stuff something under these and in the top hat metal bracket to push UP on the plastic supports! and stop the flexing.. wherever it actually is!