Bought a used S a few weeks back and a rattle has developed (or maybe now Im driving it slow enough to actually hear it). Any help would be appreciated. I love my car but this rattle drives me nuts!

I was hoping someone might have some insight on things/areas to check that are prone to rattling.

It sounds like its coming from the passenger side, like around the glove box area (if there were one). its a plastic rattle, almost like a rock inside the AC vents, that only happens when Im driving down some jacked up los angeles street.

 

have a friend ride with you and get a rubber hose. have him put the hose to his ear and use the other end to track down the rattle!

 

I find that with no passenger, the passenger seat belt taps on the side and is pretty annoying

 

here are some:

underhood
hood latch and weather stripping
prop rattling

cabin:

soft top clamps
soft top hinges/joints
passenger seat belt clasp rattling on the door
passenger seat reclined too far and rubbing against the back trim
driver side seat belt strap rubbing on leather seat
loose articles in the glove box.
spare tire tie down.
trunk springs
fallen chump change b/t cup holder

 

That covers 99% of the ones I've had or read about in the last 3 years.

 

I had a rattle that sounded like it was coming from deep inside the dash...sounded like a loose duct or something. I asked my wife to listen for the rattle as I drove and she tracked it down...to a piece of plastic trim on the upper right windshield frame inside the car. I couldn't believe that the rattle was that far from where it seemed to be emanating from, but there it was!

 

I bet you it's the spare tire clamp thingy. When mine had rattles, I looked all over and finally found that stupid spare tire thing was loose.

 

It could also be your passenger window. When my passenger window is all the way down, something rattles against it inside the door. It stops when I raise the window up so that it isn't all the way down. Even raising it a fraction of an inch will work just as long as the window is resting against something.

 

Can you tighten the internal door components such as the power windows?

 

Great recommendations all. I've got some serious work to do.

This rattle is currently the bane of my existence and I will find it if it takes me to the edges of sanity. I'll let you know what it was......