Anyone have any experience removing the rear trim pieces between the door and back seat in a coupe? I have the rattle going on back there which has slowly gotten worse over the last 6 months. I feel like it might be a loose bolt or something dealing with the rear seat belt so I thought I would give it a shot this weekend.

 

ive done this many times and its easy. First remove the read seat cushions by lifting up hard on the bottom part, for the back rest, pull the lever to let them down and theres 2 screws on either side of the rear back rest. Uncsrew them and take out the seat cushions.

next just pull on the rear side panels (bottom one ) and there ya go, they stay in by pop rivets,

Reverse order to put back.

 

Did you have any issues with the rivets breaking?

 

^ they break if you aren't careful removing them. fortunately, you can get new ones at any decent auto parts store for a few bucks. i keep a handful around for just that reason.

 

I was at work earlier and didn't read this all that carefully. I need to remove the rear seats just to get to the trim or just lay the seats down? Seems like the seats aren't really in the way once they are down. I'm trying to basically get to where the seat belt attaches and what not.

 

You can get those panels out with the seats still installed, but if its your first time its going to be much more difficult. Just pop the seats out (yes, you have to lay down the backrest to access the two bolts)...takes 5 minutes max.

 

alright. Will do. Thanks!

 

So i took everything out and still couldn't find anything loose. Thanks for the reassurance about taking everything out. I didn't realize removing the rear seat was that easy. I assumed you guys were talking about taking out the back of the seat and not the bottom until I finally got in there and started messing around with it.

 

^ do you have a sunroof? that's a common source of rattles. also, there are a bunch of 10mm bolts back there that can work themselves loose over time. another source of rattles is the rear parcel shelf and the trim panels around it and the trunk pass-through...i stuffed a bunch of closed cell foam in there to get rid of rattles. finally, it could just be one of your seat belts hitting against the side panels.

 

I do have a sunroof and I read about some people experiencing that issue but I didn't find any sound clips so I wasn't sure. Plus I figured it would be easier to try to rear area first. I feel like I felt every bolt but I will check again tonight. The seat belts aren't the problem. I drove to work today with everything removed and its still making the noise. Its coming from the rear passenger side area (unless the sound is traveling down the pillar from the sunroof).

 

the next time you hear the noise press up on the headliner to see if that stops it. if it does, then 90% chance its the sunroof.

the only other thing I can think of to help you is to check all of the panels inside the trunk. this includes the false floor, the 'carpet' side lining, the rubber trim & clips at the pass-through, and the molded plastic spare tire well.

rattles back there suck so i hope you find it.

 

Did mine today to install rear deck 6x9's , fortunately I had extra push pins. because 2 broke on me, they are fragile, be careful

 

So I drove back and forth to work today with all the trim pulled out and it still made the noise. I held the headliner in several spots but nothing seemed to work. I also had already pulled all the trunk pieces out last night. It is either the sunroof and its very tricky to pinpoint or it has to be the passenger rear suspension.
Here is the noise, about 5 seconds in and further

I was looking at the rear shock; the only way I can imagine getting to the top of that thing is to unbolt the two bolts holding it in, correct?