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Rattling noise from rear bench leather

Will1122

Member
Joined
December 22, 2018
Messages
32
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9
City, State
Vienna, Virginia
Year, Model & Trim Level
2016 Ford Explorer Sport
Is anyone else having issue that the leather is rattling so much it makes noise on the rear passenger side bench? The leather seems particularly loose on my car, so when driving, and no one sitting in it, the vibrations of driving causes the seat to make noise. If so, any fix out there?
 



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Look under seat. The leather has plastic clips that hook onto the metal frame if seat. Fold up the seat to check. Also while it is flipped up grab the cushion and shake to check if mounting bolts have gotten loose.
 






I literally have been having this issue since it got really cold outside. I'm tearing into mine tonight to look
 






Have someone sit back there and make sure it's not the headliner. I thought the leather was dancing when it was really the headliner at the c-pillar.

Also had a plastic "snap" sound coming from the base plate at the bottom of the passenger door. Every so often it starts up again before I ptu pressure on it.
 






I've narrowed down the issue to be the leather on leather between the seat and back cushions, where they meet at the crack. My temporary fix is to stuff some cloth in the gap, but haven't yet sorted out what I'll do long term. I'm thinking I might use some tape on one of the two hidden surfaces, to change the nature of the rubbing.

REVISION / SOLVED: I believe it is the metal "U" brackets between the two cushions..
 






My 2017 LTD had a noise, which sounded like a rattle, coming from the right middle row seat. I wrapped electrical tape around the metal to metal parts - no luck. As I concentrated on the "rattle", the noise seemed to travel. I stuck foam (the type like you stick between window sashes when installing a window air conditioning unit in your house) into every crack and crevice I could find. No luck. I found that the headliner attaches with magnets and I could pull it down a little and stick some of the foam into that area and sometimes it would stop for a while - not a cure. I finally, while riding around the neighborhood, saw my neighbor and his wife and inquired (since my wife said she couldn't hear anything - but accuses me of not being able to hear) as to whether either of them could hear really well. His wife jumped in the front passenger seat and before we got out of the driveway, she said "it's back there (pointing to the back). She went to the back and we left and she said, "it's the seatbelt - right where it fastens to the side". Took her back home and stuffed foam all around that area - still "rattled". I folded the seat down looking again and saw two metal "U" shaped metal clamps holding the lower cushion to the frame of the lower portion of the seat which were only exposed when the seat was folded about 1/2 way down. Brain said - "That might be it". Got some white lithium grease (in a tub) out of my shed and, with my right index finger smeared a thin coat on each of these "clamps". Set the seat back into its normal position and no more "rattle" - which was actually the leather upper (back) of the seat rubbing on the metal. It was a squeak disguised as a rattle. I have reapplied once since then as the leather soaked it up, but it's an easy fix. Like driving a new vehicle.
 






My 2017 LTD had a noise, which sounded like a rattle, coming from the right middle row seat. I wrapped electrical tape around the metal to metal parts - no luck. As I concentrated on the "rattle", the noise seemed to travel. I stuck foam (the type like you stick between window sashes when installing a window air conditioning unit in your house) into every crack and crevice I could find. No luck. I found that the headliner attaches with magnets and I could pull it down a little and stick some of the foam into that area and sometimes it would stop for a while - not a cure. I finally, while riding around the neighborhood, saw my neighbor and his wife and inquired (since my wife said she couldn't hear anything - but accuses me of not being able to hear) as to whether either of them could hear really well. His wife jumped in the front passenger seat and before we got out of the driveway, she said "it's back there (pointing to the back). She went to the back and we left and she said, "it's the seatbelt - right where it fastens to the side". Took her back home and stuffed foam all around that area - still "rattled". I folded the seat down looking again and saw two metal "U" shaped metal clamps holding the lower cushion to the frame of the lower portion of the seat which were only exposed when the seat was folded about 1/2 way down. Brain said - "That might be it". Got some white lithium grease (in a tub) out of my shed and, with my right index finger smeared a thin coat on each of these "clamps". Set the seat back into its normal position and no more "rattle" - which was actually the leather upper (back) of the seat rubbing on the metal. It was a squeak disguised as a rattle. I have reapplied once since then as the leather soaked it up, but it's an easy fix. Like driving a new vehicle.

I discovered the same thing. Those 2 "U" metal brackets on the seat cushion vibrate against the leather on the back cushion. I corrected my issue by covering the metal with electrical tape. Grease was a smart way to test, but is it a permanent fix?
 






I too have been battling this issue for more than 2 years now with my 2017, and have just been driving around with the rear passenger side folded down so I haven't had to listen to it.
How well did the electrical tape work out>? I will try it this weekend. I was using some extra foam pieces in the upper half leather upholstery which tightened up the leather on the back side, but now that the colder season is here I am hearing the rattle again and its driving me nuts.

i am glad I found this page, and I want to say thank you to everyone who as posted as hopefully this will be a big help/fix to this issue.
 






I too have been battling this issue for more than 2 years now with my 2017, and have just been driving around with the rear passenger side folded down so I haven't had to listen to it.
How well did the electrical tape work out>? I will try it this weekend. I was using some extra foam pieces in the upper half leather upholstery which tightened up the leather on the back side, but now that the colder season is here I am hearing the rattle again and its driving me nuts.

i am glad I found this page, and I want to say thank you to everyone who as posted as hopefully this will be a big help/fix to this issue.
I have fixed mine in 2 places, and seems to have solved it:
  1. put electrical tape on the metal hook that catches the seat on the floor when flipped down (this reduces overall vibration)
  2. put electrical tape over the childseat hook behind the seat cushion (this reduces rubbing on the crease).
I recommend debugging the problem by stuffing towel or other soft fabric between bottom and top cushions when in upright unfolded position. I have a 2016 sport with leather and bench.
 






Will1122 and others you're correct in that it was the U Shaped bolts in the bottom of the Seat. (I enclosed a picture so that others can see what we are talking about in case they are searching).

I used a foam black tape around the "U" bolts and now.....

No more issues!


Thank You to all!!!
 

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I double checked mine this evening, and only tape I had on mine still was on the floor mounts, and they seem to do the job. I think the vibration starts here, and goes up through metal on carseat hooks to leather.

PXL_20201104_004508448.jpg
 






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