I have posted this before but i don't think there was much response - I am getting a plasticky crackling noise from my console area, it is driving me flippin crazy - gets more pronounced when cornering or accelerating and when going over bumps....almost like the car is flexing at the console and the wood/plastic is torquing at the console.

Does anyone else have this and is there anything i can do? The shop i go to put some foam in the console under the wood grain to try and help to no avail...

Help please

 

Take out the wood section of the center console and then drive around. Check to see if the noise is still there. You have to isolate the problem one at a time. After you find your source of problem, then you use felt-pad and apply the thin pad to whereever it's making noise.

Sometimes you have to be a bit creative to add some kind of insulation to get rid of the noise.

 

thanks for the response/input.

the shop i went to for a 60K service said they did add some felt/foam...how do you remove the wood in the console? does it pop out?

 

Let me see if I can remember the procedure for removing the wood trim. It's been awhile since I've taken it out. Someone correct me if I forgotten a step

-Take out the ashtray and the climate control panel. The Ashtray you can pull out by using your hands. You'll need a flat-head screwdriver for the climate control panel. Gently pry it out.

-You'll see (4) 10mm bolts holding the radio to the metal chassis. Take those 4 bolts off and pull out the radio.

-Now take the flat-head screwdriver and gently pry out the wood trim starting from the area with the VSC/PWR/Heated seat switch. You should be able to pull the wood trim out.

 

thanks - i am heading out of town tomorrow but will try this over the weekend... sure hope it helps as i am falling out of love with the gs430 (I had an old MB prior and while it was expensive to maintain a had zero squeaks/rattles, didn't really appreciate it until this crackling thing started).

 

You only need to take out the ashtray to remove the wood grain. It pulls right out after the pry the area where the seat heater switches are. Be sure to disconnect the plugs the switches are connected to first.