Strange noise from drivers side dash area-W126 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Gary Ganaway · #1 03-12-2006, 07:46 AM

This is driving me nuts but also is somewhat humorous. Late last year on my 380SE I started to hear noise from dash on drivers side. It sounds like paper crumbling or like rain drops hitting the windshield. Also has been described as sound of "mexican jumping beans". I checked out air intake area below windshield for twigs, leafs, etc. see nothing. Removed under dash cover and cannot see anything loose. Removed dash speaker grille and speaker and cannot see anything loose. I thought it might be loose insulation or material on climate control flaps or something along those lines. Noise is there with climate control on or off

Sometimes it goes away and since we have had a lot of rain these last few days the noise is gone. ( Maybe humidity is playing role here) I don't know where else to look and when noise is evident it seems to be coming right by or very near the driver side dash speaker. The car is so solid and quiet when noise is gone so this is becoming obsession to fix

Anyone else have nagging noise issues similar to this?

bhatt · #2 03-12-2006, 12:17 PM

Is it a random noise or is it kind of "periodic" and happens at a set interval? (like a tick... tick... tick...)

If periodic, there are some small "ice cube" relays in the fuse box. If they click, you can hear them from the drivers seat. Open the fuse panel after this has been happening and see if one of the small silver relays is really hot. My power seat made this happen at one point.

Have you tried disconnecting the speaker or fading it to the rear when this happens? Bad speaker or speaker wire could certainly cause this.

I've also had two W126's where the hood hinge bolts loosen and hinge vibrates. Only seems to happen on the drivers side. If you see the left rear edge of the hood vibrating when at idle (the area at the bottom corner of the drivers side of the windshield), try tightening these two bolts.

Neal

Gary Ganaway · #3 03-12-2006, 04:49 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. I think it might be the speaker in some way. Since I took it out and played around and put it back in I have not heard the sound. When noise is there it is constant but goes away when slowing down to about 20-30 mph, which leads me to believe it has something to do with air flow. I'll check the hood hinge and the relays, though

86560SEL · #4 03-18-2006, 11:08 PM

Gary, did you find out what the sound was?

I feel fortunate that my 85' 380SE still has a quiet, rattle, pop, tick and squeak free dash panel, despite 265K miles. The only noises I have is from the dash cover installed on the dash pad. It sometimes makes "scrunching" noises. The only other interior noises I have is the wood trim on the door panels occasionally make a "scrunching" noise. Its not rattles or squeaks. Its like no other noise I have heard in a car before, but it is not a bothersome noise like rattles are. My car has always been a southern car and I think it is where the sun has hardened the trim on the doors, hence the scrunching. I have been using "303" protectant on them and the noise has been getting quieter and quieter.

The 90' 300SEL I test drove last summer with 174K had already developed this noise on one of the rear doors, but oddly, it also had a lower center dash rattle, but the owner had added a CD player there, which may have caused that.

Anyway, it sounds to me too like it may have been something with your speaker.

350SL4spd · #5 03-19-2006, 01:00 PM

Don't forget that the stereo on these over top German cars is speed sensitive; ie: Connected to the cruise amp to sense speed and turn the volume up the faster you go. It's a long shot, but if something in the old stereo was shorting and you were getting some speed sensitive "white noise" even w/ the stereo off...

Hey, anything's possible.

Gary Ganaway · #6 03-19-2006, 01:49 PM

No sure if I found it but it hasn't been there for about 5 days now. I took out the speaker again and saw nothing underneath that could cause noise except maybe a couple of cable ties around wiring. I tucked in the long ends of these and put speaker back in and so far no noise. I talso could have been something inside the speaker that was stabilized by just taking it out.

Anyway, I'm sure this was too easy and do expect the noise back at any time since I tend to be pessimistic when fixing car "things"