A-pillar trim rattle advice sought

[irregularshed]

Hi folks, first-time poster here.

My 2014 Multispace has developed a rattle behind the trim of the passenger-side A-pillar. It doesn't kick in until I'm doing 50 mph on the dual carriageway so it's hard to pinpoint where exactly it is. It sounds to me like it might be a cable that's come loose (that's my guess).

Questions:

• does anyone know if there's a cable in there that could be rattling?
  
• what's the best way of removing the trim without destroying clips? When I fixed my Panda there was a helpful Youtube video of someone who knew what they were doing that I could refer to but I can't find anything similar for the Berlingo.
  

I don't have any specialist tools like trim pullers, just general DIY bits and bobs, so I'm hoping a good flat screwdriver won't mess up the plastic.

[Tomcat3]

Hi there welcome to the forum, cant help with your model as mine is an M59 but there could be the aerial cable going up the pillar. To get trim panels off without scratching metal work and plastic get a set of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8x-Car-Trim-C...Sw~2ldKDx2
Trust me after years of using screwdrivers and levers and scratching panels these are a godsend.

[ffrenchie]

Check the windscreen seal before you start pulling interior trim apart. How can the wind be getting to something inside the pillar ?

[irregularshed]

Hi there welcome to the forum, cant help with your model as mine is an M59 but there could be the aerial cable going up the pillar. To get trim panels off without scratching metal work and plastic get a set of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8x-Car-Trim-C...Sw~2ldKDx2
Trust me after years of using screwdrivers and levers and scratching panels these are a godsend.

If they're worth it, I'll get some - thanks!

[irregularshed]

Check the windscreen seal before you start pulling interior trim apart. How can the wind be getting to something inside the pillar ?

Yeah, I'm certain that the seal is sound. It's only happening on one stretch of a particular road at a certain speed, and it sounds like something is resonating against the inside of the plastic trim. That's what made me think a cable could have come unclipped, the pitch sounds about right.

[geoff]

A bit " bodgy " perhaps but in the past with a weird rattle I've seen me get a thick elastic band and a long thin object ie a butter knife and worked the band into a suspect void in the hope of a good outcome, often this has worked for me.
I'm not a fan of removing trims as sods law always says that they will break, having said that I've always run older cars so maybe older plastic is more prone to fracture but anyway who knows it may work for you.

I had a rattle from a Triumph Dolomite gearlever that stripdowns and new parts failed to solve, even the main dealer couldn't solve it ( I knew him so no charge ) and yet in desperation whilst driving along the motorway one day I slipped up the gaiter and inserted a rag into the void - bliss and silence.

[irregularshed]

A bit " bodgy " perhaps but in the past with a weird rattle I've seen me get a thick elastic band and a long thin object ie a butter knife and worked the band into a suspect void in the hope of a good outcome, often this has worked for me.
I'm not a fan of removing trims as sods law always says that they will break, having said that I've always run older cars so maybe older plastic is more prone to fracture but anyway who knows it may work for you.

I had a rattle from a Triumph Dolomite gearlever that stripdowns and new parts failed to solve, even the main dealer couldn't solve it ( I knew him so no charge ) and yet in desperation whilst driving along the motorway one day I slipped up the gaiter and inserted a rag into the void - bliss and silence.

That's genius mate The only thing I could think of was expanding foam! (although now that I think about it, slipping in a sandwich bag and squirting the foam into that might actually work quite well for noise dampening!)