Question:
Wow, what great customer service they have at Circuit City. Something has definitely been disturbed behind the door panel. Go back to hem and say tat you don’t care if it neve rattles when you go there or if they can’t hear it, but that you want that door panel removed. Tell them that they can take you word for it. After all, you drive and spend time in that car everyday, you should know ! If they remove the door panel or maybe just the speaker there could be obviosly something loose in there. Or the foil migh just have to be glued, a wire repositioned, or the speaker and the way it is mounted could be distorting the shape of the door panel and leaving a gap that vibrates. Also one of the most likely causes, now that you mentioned what they had to modify, is that either the cutting of the metal to accept he speaker isn’t big enough, or the speaker is mounted in such a way that the back of the speaker is touching the metal ofthe door and vibrating. In this case they could cut it bigger, unscrew the speaker screws, or insert some soft foam, felt mateial or position strips of the fuzzy side of velcro at key points to stop the vibration. Take the car back. If you want, try unscrewing the speakers and shifting them around in their mounting holes while playing music and see if you can isolate the=A0source. Pull them out to see if their is anything obvious in there. If t appears that thespeaker is touchin something, by some velcro and stick the fuzzy part on the areas you think are making contact. Then re-install the speaker and see if you an find a better position within the hole and still allowing the screws to go in. You can screw in the screw alittle and shift the speaker around maybea couple os millimeters and sometimes that’s enough to stop vibration or contact with something. Have you gotte on your hads & knees, put your ear agains the door panel, and listened around the door while playing music to isolate the source ? Is it from the speaker ? or the panel ? OK, Good Luck ! B R O N E K
Response:
> lodged or press against the backside of the speaker cone itself. > If you have any problems taking this stuff apart or anything like that, > take your car back to the place that installed the speakers, as it is > 99% positive that this was caused by the installation of the speakers. > Good Luck !
They did not remove the door panel to install the speakers, but they did do a little cutting because the new JBL speakers were deeper than the factory speakers were. However, they had removed either the entire door panel or at least the part with the door release so they could install an alarm system with keyless remote and access the power door lock controls a few days earlier. I have taken it back to Circuit City a couple times, both times I went in the buzzing either had temporarily stopped or was so faint you could hardly hear anything wrong. They said "sometimes cars rattle," and said I could take the car to the dealer and if they found anything wrong caused by them, they would reimburse me. I don’t think the dealer wants to deal with an aftermarket stereo and alarm install.
Response:
On a tangent – my 97 Civic dorrs both buzz/rattle – but in and around the latch (driver’s door) and rear view mirror (passenger side mirror). I posted a note a few days ago and received email from other late model Civic owners noting similar problems. So it’s s not uncommon. I’m afraid to pull the door panels myself lest I damage one of those many clips holding it on. Anyone out there have detailed instructions on how to pull the door panels? I’d rather do it myself than trust a dealer. Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Before you try dynamat or any of that stuff, chances are that during the >installation process, something was disturbed in the door panel. Was >the door panel cut at all to accomadate the speakers ? Was the door >panel removed ? Your door panel is made of a pressed-board backing >with many clips that snap into place. These clips are frequently >damaged in the removal/replacement proccess of the door panel and one or >a few clips may be distorted or loose in the area of the speaker, not >holding the door panel tightly in place. Also one of those clips, a >screw or piece of wire, etc, may be loose inside and rattling. With the >door panel removed, there is what is referred to as the inner door foil, >which is just a piece of plastic sheeting (like a trash bag) that >protects against moisture. It is just glued-on with an adhesive or >caulk around he outer edges of where your door panel would be and a few >key places. This foil usually comes loose when feeding wires through >the doors or cutting or tearing it to accept a speaker. When this foil >is pulled away from its adhesive it can just sit there sandwiched in >between the metal door and the door panel, and just vibrate. This thin >plastic is so sensitive to vibration that it sometimes vibrates or >buzzes to the idle of the car. I would check that the speaker itself >is securely fastened in place and the the clips & screws are tight. >Also, Check to see if there is anything actually pressing or lodged >behind the speaker cone. Sometimes too much extra speaker wire, >insulation, connectors, screws, clips, ar any small debris, can get >lodged or press against the backside of the speaker cone itself. >If you have any problems taking this stuff apart or anything like that, >take your car back to the place that installed the speakers, as it is >99% positive that this was caused by the installation of the speakers. >Good Luck ! > B R O N E K
— Jun-97 97 Civic LX 5sp commute car: 3,900 miles. No major mechanical problems. No fit and finish problems. Minor rattles, creaks & buzzes. Fuel: 50/50 city/freeway. Worst tank of gas: 28 mpg. Best: 38 mpg. Avg: 34 mpg. 3 best features: styling, handling, fuel economy. 3 wishes: 195-60 14" tires on mags (Tire-rack can expect some future business when these Firestones wear out), more low end power, better structural integrity (like the Camry :>). rating: A- 96 Camry V6 LE family car: 10,700 miles. No major mechanical problems. Minor rubber trim problems. No buzzes, rattles. Fuel: 85/15 city/freeway. Worst tank of gas: 18 mpg. Best: 30 mpg. Avg: 23 mpg. 3 best features: power train, interior room, vault like feel. Wishes: firmer suspension (but this IS the family car), mag wheels, better steering feel (like the Civic :>). Rating: A
Response:
I have a ‘97 Civic LX, after I had JBL speakers and an amp installed, the driver’s side door panel buzzes with the bass. It will buzz and rattle even at low volume. The passenger side door never rattles despite having an identical speaker installed. The problem is that it doesn’t do it all the time. Everytime I take the car back to the stereo shop, it doesn’t rattle when they listen to it. Whenever it does rattle, I can stop the buzzing by pressing my palm against the lower section of the door panel. Would installing Dynomat in the door panel cure this type of problem? Is there a better solution?
Response:
>I have a ‘97 Civic LX, after I had JBL speakers and an amp installed, >the driver’s side door panel buzzes with the bass. It will buzz and >rattle even at low volume. The passenger side door never rattles >despite having an identical speaker installed. The problem is that it >doesn’t do it all the time. Everytime I take the car back to the stereo >shop, it doesn’t rattle when they listen to it. Whenever it does >rattle, I can stop the buzzing by pressing my palm against the lower >section of the door panel. Would installing Dynomat in the door panel >cure this type of problem? Is there a better solution?
Try installing the dynomat on the inside of the door panel itself, should fix it.
Response:
>>I have a ‘97 Civic LX, after I had JBL speakers and an amp installed, >the driver’s side door panel buzzes with the bass. It will buzz and >rattle even at low volume. The passenger side door never rattles >despite having an identical speaker installed. The problem is that it >doesn’t do it all the time. Everytime I take the car back to the stereo >shop, it doesn’t rattle when they listen to it. Whenever it does >rattle, I can stop the buzzing by pressing my palm against the lower >section of the door panel. Would installing Dynomat in the door panel >cure this type of problem? Is there a better solution?
Dynomat will probably work but there’s much cheaper alternatives you might want to try first. Since your passanger door is fine, there might just be a loose screw or fastener on the door panel causing the rattle. You might also try putting sponges, big rubber washers or any other materials between rattling parts. Tommy Tsou http://w3.gwis.com/~tommy
Response:
Before you try dynamat or any of that stuff, chances are that during the installation process, something was disturbed in the door panel. Was the door panel cut at all to accomadate the speakers ? Was the door panel removed ? Your door panel is made of a pressed-board backing with many clips that snap into place. These clips are frequently damaged in the removal/replacement proccess of the door panel and one or a few clips may be distorted or loose in the area of the speaker, not holding the door panel tightly in place. Also one of those clips, a screw or piece of wire, etc, may be loose inside and rattling. With the door panel removed, there is what is referred to as the inner door foil, which is just a piece of plastic sheeting (like a trash bag) that protects against moisture. It is just glued-on with an adhesive or caulk around he outer edges of where your door panel would be and a few key places. This foil usually comes loose when feeding wires through the doors or cutting or tearing it to accept a speaker. When this foil is pulled away from its adhesive it can just sit there sandwiched in between the metal door and the door panel, and just vibrate. This thin plastic is so sensitive to vibration that it sometimes vibrates or buzzes to the idle of the car. I would check that the speaker itself is securely fastened in place and the the clips & screws are tight. Also, Check to see if there is anything actually pressing or lodged behind the speaker cone. Sometimes too much extra speaker wire, insulation, connectors, screws, clips, ar any small debris, can get lodged or press against the backside of the speaker cone itself. If you have any problems taking this stuff apart or anything like that, take your car back to the place that installed the speakers, as it is 99% positive that this was caused by the installation of the speakers. Good Luck ! B R O N E K