Rattle from passenger airbag

[lorriman]

Does anyone have a problem with an annoying rattle from the area around the passenger airbag? :drummer:

The top techie at Mitsubishi HQ in Cirencester ordered the airbag to be replaced. It was duly removed and when I drove the car the rattle had gone. As soon as the new one was installed the rattle was back. It happens at speeds of over 65ish.

I think the garage has always thought this was down to the cheap padded plastic cover under the dash above the passenger footwell, but mine's been off for months now, so it can't be that.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Nick Mann]

Is it a buzzing type of rattle? I get a noise from that area on rough roads.

[Nick VR4]

I got this and thought it was the airbag :rolleyes:
Turned out it was items in the glove compartment rattling around
And some loose wiring above the compartment for the hands free kit :D

[Big Ian]

:headsc: could it be traveling sound from something on either side of the bulkhead :uhoh: ??

[lorriman]

Thanks for your feedback.

The noise is a rattle - a little like a small ball bearing rattling in a metal tin (I am imagining this bit).

Good suggestion about the glove compartment, but I was driving at over 90mph while the techie had his head inside the dashboard through the hole where there was once a glove compartment. He was convinced it was the airbag and as soon as it was removed the noise disappeared (that's the airbag and not his head).

I know that airbags are activated with some kind of plunger or ball bearing and I can't help feeling it's something to do with this.

It's obviously set off by the kind of vibrations you get inside the car at speed, whether it's the low profile tyres or the engine and probably never happened when the Galant had tractor tyres instead of the 215/45/ZR17s they have on them now.

Cheers.

[leem]

Yes i too have a rattle in my Mitubishi Colt Sport somewhere behind the dash.Mitsubishi have looked at it and can't find it and are now saying it's not detrimental to safety so i'll have to live with it!! It's a brand new car!!