[Dom]

Don't think so. Am pretty sure it's the headrest. I have pulled it fully forward and the rattle seems to have gone.

[salamigs]

Did the rattle get worse when there was someone sitting in the seat? Or is it worse when there is nobody in it?

And when you say you pulled the headrest fully forward to fix the issue, what kind of motion are you talking about? Fully up? Entire back rest fully forward? Just the top half of the back rest fully forward?

[blackberrycubed]

move the headrest to the lowest position and move the seat belt stopper lower until it rests on the side bolsters. This should clear up all the rattles.

[salamigs]

anyone reporting rattles with the passenger present?

[Rallo]

nope, it seems to be the seat belt for me. when i hear it, i just realign the seat belt to the natural position it should be and it goes away. sometimes when people get out of the car they just unclip and get out and the seat belt doesn't come back to the "normal" position.

[JoshVS4]

Originally Posted by blackberrycubed

move the headrest to the lowest position and move the seat belt stopper lower until it rests on the side bolsters. This should clear up all the rattles.

Old post but have been search for the same issue. I have the headrest rattle. I will try moving it to the lowest position but that is a band-aid. I need to put the headrest back up when I connect the iPad mount for my son then it rattles again. I think the dealer should fix this.

[blueridger]

Headrest rattles on mine... not severe, but annoying.

[JoshVS4]

Putting the headrest all the way down didn't help!!! ARRGHHH

[rhinosaur]

Is there any known solution for the headrest rattle in an empty passenger seat?

[Lp01]

Originally Posted by rhinosaur

Is there any known solution for the headrest rattle in an empty passenger seat?

I pulled it 5 cm and the rattle stopped. Must try other combinations between headrest height and seat back angle. Its a ressonating phenomena and its natural that it goes away changing some seat "parameters".

I still have 2 other noise sources to be resolved/confirmed:

1. Top brake loght cover seems to make some ressonating noise upon going through small bumps (someone reported it in this forum but I still have to confirm it; one thing is for sure, the "cover" seems to be a little loose);

2. I ear a faint thump/clunk whenever pulling away from rest. It doesn't seem to come from transmission (auto; 8 speed) because there seems to be like a half second delay between accelerating and the noise itself. If I pull away very slowly there seems to be no noise at all so I'm suspicious about something related with suspension. Car has just 150 km on the clock so I will wait for the breaking period before reporting it to dealer...

Cheers

[arnsbrae]

Originally Posted by rhinosaur

Is there any known solution for the headrest rattle in an empty passenger seat?

It sounds like a headrest rattle but it's the seatbelt. Let the passenger side belt hook over the seat back rather than in between the seat and B pillar and you'll be fine.

[Lp01]

Originally Posted by arnsbrae

It sounds like a headrest rattle but it's the seatbelt. Let the passenger side belt hook over the seat back rather than in between the seat and B pillar and you'll be fine.

I'm sure there should be some seat belt related noise, but I also confirmed one originating in the headrest. It doesn't sound like coming from there; it actually does come from there!

Cheers

[dbs600]

I have the same problem on a 750Li with comfort seats, and it's not the seat belt, but the headrest. More like a constant tapping/click noise than a rattle; very annoying!

[arnsbrae]

Originally Posted by Lp01

I'm sure there should be some seat belt related noise, but I also confirmed one originating in the headrest. It doesn't sound like coming from there; it actually does come from there!

Cheers

No problem. Pity it wasn't just the seatbelt buckle for you. I was all ready to take my car in for a headrest rattle when the seat was unoccupied but I got lucky and found the seatbelt buckle between the seat and the B pillar. Moving it fixed the problem.

Hope you guys get sorted out soon.

[rhinosaur]

Originally Posted by Lp01

I pulled it 5 cm and the rattle stopped. Must try other combinations between headrest height and seat back angle. Its a ressonating phenomena and its natural that it goes away changing some seat "parameters".

I still have 2 other noise sources to be resolved/confirmed:

1. Top brake loght cover seems to make some ressonating noise upon going through small bumps (someone reported it in this forum but I still have to confirm it; one thing is for sure, the "cover" seems to be a little loose);

2. I ear a faint thump/clunk whenever pulling away from rest. It doesn't seem to come from transmission (auto; 8 speed) because there seems to be like a half second delay between accelerating and the noise itself. If I pull away very slowly there seems to be no noise at all so I'm suspicious about something related with suspension. Car has just 150 km on the clock so I will wait for the breaking period before reporting it to dealer...

Cheers

Thanks for the info! I will be trying additional different seat position combinations and hopefully it will be solved that way.

[rhinosaur]

Originally Posted by arnsbrae

It sounds like a headrest rattle but it's the seatbelt. Let the passenger side belt hook over the seat back rather than in between the seat and B pillar and you'll be fine.

It is indeed from the empty passenger's seat headrest.
I also had the one you mention but defeated it as you suggest. Now the buckle is always resting on the side support of the seat and it doesn't rattle against the B pillar.

Did anyone here take the car in to solve the headrest rattle problem or is everyone trying to solve this their own way?

[Lp01]

Originally Posted by Lp01

2. I ear a faint thump/clunk whenever pulling away from rest. It doesn't seem to come from transmission (auto; 8 speed) because there seems to be like a half second delay between accelerating and the noise itself. If I pull away very slowly there seems to be no noise at all so I'm suspicious about something related with suspension. Car has just 150 km on the clock so I will wait for the breaking period before reporting it to dealer...

Cheers

Just to keep you informed about this issue. Noise is almost gone. Now I cant pratically ear it.

I'm now almost 100% sure it was related with the brakes and the thump sound was either the "pads" or some brake system part that just got loose upon pulling away.

With some more km on the clock i'm sure it will go definitely away

I'm just surprised no one reports a similar issue. It must be something rather common in brand new bmw's...

[ManiacGT]

It amazes me this... the e85 I had the seat belt rattle badly... I left the seatbelt clipped most of the time. In the e89 the sports seats hold it away from the cabin plastics, but, if I throw the car around it will slip off the seat and start rattling on the plastics. Has no one at BMW thought I know, I'll stop that happening as our cars are really expensive and it could annoy customers... but then if they could do that, they'd also stop all the interior rattles across the range!

[OzDriver]

My 530 suddenly developed a very annoying rattle last weekend, and it was just as bad when the passenger seat was occupied as when it was empty. I checked everything suggested in this thread to no avail. Spent 2 days trying to find the cause.

Turns out my wife had unclipped the sun visor to swing it to the side and not locked it back in place properly I think this is an example of Ockham's Razor as applied to cars.

[Lp01]

Originally Posted by OzDriver

My 530 suddenly developed a very annoying rattle last weekend, and it was just as bad when the passenger seat was occupied as when it was empty. I checked everything suggested in this thread to no avail. Spent 2 days trying to find the cause.

Turns out my wife had unclipped the sun visor to swing it to the side and not locked it back in place properly I think this is an example of Ockham's Razor as applied to cars.

Nice to know unclipped sun visors can originate annoying rattles than seem to come from the seats... Could have happened to me

[BMWrules7]

Originally Posted by Dom

I get a rattle from the passenger's seat area when the seat is empty and going over rough patches in the road. Just wondering has anyone else experienced this and is there a cure?

BMW recommends that you purchase a $6000 Real Doll(TM) and keep her strapped into an otherwise unoccupied front seat.

Apparently, not only will your rattle go away, BMW says that when the Real Doll(TM) is appropriately dressed, you will be able to drive in the HOV lanes found near most major cities.

Due to the potential for residual fluids, BMW does not recommend the Real Doll(TM) for use with cloth seats.

[OzDriver]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

BMW recommends that you purchase a $6000 Real Doll(TM) and keep her strapped into an otherwise unoccupied front seat.

Apparently, not only will your rattle go away, BMW says that when the Real Doll(TM) is appropriately dressed, you will be able to drive in the HOV lanes found near most major cities.

Due to the potential for residual fluids, BMW does not recommend the Real Doll(TM) for use with cloth seats.

) laughs uncontrollably for several minutes (