Glovebox squeak help

Vorsprung5 · 11-21-2007, 12:12 PM

Hey everyone -

Long-term S4 owner (7 glorious years now with my 2001 S4) here. Although the quality of the interior overall is still excellent, a very annoying squeak has developed in the glovebox. It is slowly driving me crazy. (And making me contemplate the new 2008 S5!)

I finally determined that it appears the right lower hinge of the glovebox--way down under--is loose. In fact, when I push up on it (it takes a fair amount of force, by the way), I can reproduce the annoying squeak.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? Any way to get to that hinge?

I've tried to remove the panel that shields access to the hinge, but to no avail. I'm reluctant to start unscrewing other panels nearby in the footwell for fear that I might not be able to get everything put back together.

Eventually I'll be going to the dealer again for service, but before that, I thought I'd seek the advice of this forum -- especially those of you familiar with disassembly of the glovebox area of the dashboard.

Thanks!

golfindaily · 11-21-2007, 12:25 PM

S4_Cinci (I S'edTFA) · 11-21-2007, 12:46 PM

a good ballpark date.

Roque · 11-21-2007, 01:07 PM

where the rubber bumpers on the glove box hit. This tightens down the glove box when closed and my squeak is about 90% better.

ZK · 11-21-2007, 01:25 PM

thing weighs a ton! ud be surprised! good luck!

LaserRedB5S4 · 11-21-2007, 01:52 PM

AVANT S4 KING · 11-21-2007, 02:15 PM

1 - Use velcro strips to keep the door tightly attached to the plastic innards.

2 - Remove the entire box and trim all of the excess plastic below/behind the box

3 - Squirt silicon in between the glovebox and the metal frame (on the back side). Use lots and lots of it.

4 - Buy a small pack of Dynamat. Trim it into small pieces and stick it all over (both sides) of the "D" shaped piece of metal connected to the dash (the one on the far right side, where the glovebox mounts into the car). I went for 3 months without a glovebox and i still had a rattle. This was the culprit. If you dont know what Im talking about (regarding the D shaped piece of metal), take the glove box out and it will make sense.

- Use the rest of the dynamat on other places that rattle. I found that a small triangle piece at the top corner of the passenger door frame got rid of another creak/rattle.

Vorsprung5 · 11-22-2007, 11:39 PM

Thanks, CASA *S4* KING for the advice. That was a bit more helpful than the leading suggestion of... err... lobotomy, shall we say? I like my glove box and need the storage space.

The loose hinge is definitely the source of movement in the glovebox assembly. Is there a way to remove that panel below the glovebox to access the hinge directly?

This is the piece of plastic that is at the back of the footwell, directly above the passenger's feet. It seems to have some give in it already and has a lot of what appears to be fiberglass material above it. (Which is also why I'm not sure about where I would squirt silicon.)

Thanks, folks, for the ideas though.

Vorsprung5 · 11-22-2007, 11:42 PM

Any way you could post a quick close-up pic of what you did? I'd sure appreciate it.

Roque · 11-23-2007, 03:22 PM

I put one of these thick felt buttons from Home Depot on each side.

11-21-2007, 12:12 PM	#1
Vorsprung5 New Member Account #: 138057 Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 9	Glovebox squeak help Hey everyone - Long-term S4 owner (7 glorious years now with my 2001 S4) here. Although the quality of the interior overall is still excellent, a very annoying squeak has developed in the glovebox. It is slowly driving me crazy. (And making me contemplate the new 2008 S5!) I finally determined that it appears the right lower hinge of the glovebox--way down under--is loose. In fact, when I push up on it (it takes a fair amount of force, by the way), I can reproduce the annoying squeak. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Any way to get to that hinge? I've tried to remove the panel that shields access to the hinge, but to no avail. I'm reluctant to start unscrewing other panels nearby in the footwell for fear that I might not be able to get everything put back together. Eventually I'll be going to the dealer again for service, but before that, I thought I'd seek the advice of this forum -- especially those of you familiar with disassembly of the glovebox area of the dashboard. Thanks!

11-21-2007, 12:25 PM	#2
golfindaily Junior Member Account #: 94253 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 565	paging Casa 4 king, he can prob help

11-21-2007, 12:46 PM	#3
S4_Cinci (I S'edTFA) Member Account #: 20251 Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 6,215	Tech Article, I believe - if not, there has been a posted fix, but I can't recall the author or a good ballpark date. __________________ 2002 S4 Laser/Silver 6-speed Cold, Premium, Bose, Changer <Brian May guitar riff>..."I'm in love with my car, got a feel for my automobile"...I OWN an S4, I DROVE many a service loaner from Enterprise! $19k+ worth of warranty repairs. Tally ended on 8-23-05! She's now free of the man; DIY all the way! Now spending AoA retroactive cash back bonus for crappy dealer service! Thanks for the check, AoA! Please help to fight window-licking! (I hear they have a cure over on Audizine...)

11-21-2007, 01:07 PM	#4
Roque AudiWorld Senior Member Account #: 124609 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,000	I put two self adhesive, round, thick, felt, chair leg bottoms on the plastic where the rubber bumpers on the glove box hit. This tightens down the glove box when closed and my squeak is about 90% better. __________________ 2001 A4 1.8T. (Sold) 2001.5 S4. (Sold) 2002 A6 Avant. 2002 S4 Avant, 6MT, Sport. APR Stage 3. OEM RS4 Seats Installation RS4 Fuel Pump Installation Unclog Avant Sunroof Drains Quickly Removeable Front License Plate Glove Box Squeak Fix Plastic Squeaks? Need Floor Mats? Radio Reception Problems? Latest APR Stage 3 FATS, 91 Oct DIY Thread

11-21-2007, 01:25 PM	#5
ZK New Member Account #: 115459 Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 177	i just hit the glovebox. give it a good smack! i couldnt deal anymore... so i just removed it! thing weighs a ton! ud be surprised! good luck!

11-21-2007, 01:52 PM	#6
LaserRedB5S4 New Member Account #: 135217 Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 280	amputate, it'll save weight! __________________ 1997 A6 Avant Quattro Volcano Black Mica Still Running Strong after the TRanscontiental Excursion 1991 Volkswagen Passat GL (sold) Second owner Red 5 speed Bought it off a little old lady who couldn't drive it anymore 2001.5 S4 Sold (sold) Evolution Motorsports Diverters, Evolution Motorsports V-Flow intake, APR BiPipe, APR Snub Mount, AWE DTS, Stainless Brake Lines, Low Temp After Run Coolant Pump Switch, EPL Tuned 280whp, 319.7 wtq 1997 A4 2.8 Quattro 5spd (Sold) The dark blue with grey

11-21-2007, 02:15 PM	#7
AVANT S4 KING AudiWorld Super User Account #: 39523 Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 6,761	I took several approaches: 1 - Use velcro strips to keep the door tightly attached to the plastic innards. 2 - Remove the entire box and trim all of the excess plastic below/behind the box 3 - Squirt silicon in between the glovebox and the metal frame (on the back side). Use lots and lots of it. 4 - Buy a small pack of Dynamat. Trim it into small pieces and stick it all over (both sides) of the "D" shaped piece of metal connected to the dash (the one on the far right side, where the glovebox mounts into the car). I went for 3 months without a glovebox and i still had a rattle. This was the culprit. If you dont know what Im talking about (regarding the D shaped piece of metal), take the glove box out and it will make sense. - Use the rest of the dynamat on other places that rattle. I found that a small triangle piece at the top corner of the passenger door frame got rid of another creak/rattle.

11-22-2007, 11:39 PM	#8
Vorsprung5 New Member Account #: 138057 Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 9	But what about accessing the hinge to tighten it? Thanks, CASA S4 KING for the advice. That was a bit more helpful than the leading suggestion of... err... lobotomy, shall we say? I like my glove box and need the storage space. The loose hinge is definitely the source of movement in the glovebox assembly. Is there a way to remove that panel below the glovebox to access the hinge directly? This is the piece of plastic that is at the back of the footwell, directly above the passenger's feet. It seems to have some give in it already and has a lot of what appears to be fiberglass material above it. (Which is also why I'm not sure about where I would squirt silicon.) Thanks, folks, for the ideas though.

11-22-2007, 11:42 PM	#9
Vorsprung5 New Member Account #: 138057 Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 9	Did you put these on top of the existing bumpers, or next to them? Any way you could post a quick close-up pic of what you did? I'd sure appreciate it.

11-23-2007, 03:22 PM	#10
Roque AudiWorld Senior Member Account #: 124609 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,000	Sure. Lame glovebox squeak fix. I put one of these thick felt buttons from Home Depot on each side. __________________ 2001 A4 1.8T. (Sold) 2001.5 S4. (Sold) 2002 A6 Avant. 2002 S4 Avant, 6MT, Sport. APR Stage 3. OEM RS4 Seats Installation RS4 Fuel Pump Installation Unclog Avant Sunroof Drains Quickly Removeable Front License Plate Glove Box Squeak Fix Plastic Squeaks? Need Floor Mats? Radio Reception Problems? Latest APR Stage 3 FATS, 91 Oct DIY Thread

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