Door Frame Ticking / Squeaking Elimination

[leecm]

I used felt tape on the plastic trim piece of the inside of the door window frame that makes contact with the rubber seal and it has solved the main ticking that I've been annoyed with - at least in the short term. I will have to wait to see how this performs over time but so far I'm happy with the results and will be doing the rest of the doors soon. Still doesn't fix the chassis flex that I hear but I think that is just something I will have to live with. Hopefully Kia corrects it next MY.

 

[MerlintheMad]

this chassis is about a rigid as a limp noodle. Sad but true.

I don't agree. The chassis is one of Kia's particular triumphs with this brand new platform/design. They make a point of emphasizing how much time and research went into assuring a stiff chassis. Others have asserted that the Stinger is too flexible. Assertions and comparisons with other models do not prove the point.

The few vehicles that exhibit extraneous noises have fitment issues. The most convincing culprit of the door ticking issues is a retaining clip not fitting snuggly into its steel hole. With as many parts as are fitted to a given door it is a wonder that mass produced cars are not a mass of rolling, discordant, "symphonic" noise. Kia does really well in the pursuit of quietude. They advertise it as part of the ambient, "luxurious gran Turismo ride".

I hope that all of you are finding solutions to your various aggravations. But don't blame it on the design, blame it on imperfections in individual vehicles.

 

[Last Lemming Alive]

@MerlintheMad

Kia may say it's a particular Kia Triumph, and they may advertise it as such, but those are just words, and not what I have experienced. I've had many modern cars, this is, by far, the worst - at least the worst by being able to be noticed by the Owner (ticks, creaks and other such noises). It's adequate at best. When you say blame it on individual vehicles, that means QC is poor at the factory - that's a design flaw ultimately. If the car cant be put together such that a consistency in quality can't be achieved then the engineering wast thought through. All these fixes we are doing should never need to done, they are just band aids at this point. Accept it for what it is, a good, but not great chassis relative to overall stiffness. The fact that I can feel the doors move as dramatically as I do is a clear indication of issues that were designed into the platform. The fact that I back out of an inclined drive and hear the creak is another indication.

Lets face it - its their first foray into this type of vehicle, and expected to a certain degree. I'm not saying it horrible, just not up to snuff given its price point and advertising.

BTW I owe zero loyalty to any badge - I could care less about make. I've owned Subarus four of them WRX -2, STI-1, BRZ -1 (plastic squeaky interior but rigid chassis), mazdas, a miata and RX8 - quiet as I recall and no perceivable body flex, Porsches '86 911 and '86 944 turbo - vintage - less squeaky than the Kia for their 30+ year age, Infiniti's - 3, quiet, Mercedes - quiet, '78 Chevy Camaro - ok that was a shit box, Ford ST - pretty quiet actually, but very rigid, yes a small car so it's easier, '97 Mustang - didn't make an noise till I changed the suspension, but that was suspension noise, not body flex, and a Golf GTI, that had a maddening creak from the body seams that could not be fixed, sold the car because of that. That's just some off the top of my head. I've modified most of these cars to one degree or another - the only car (other than the Golf), out of all my cars where I noticed body flex is the Kia. Maybe because it is otherwise so quite those things stand out, but that should have been considered in the design and manufacturing. And while I know all cars flex to one degree or another, not all let it be known to the degree the Kia has. At least to me.

And hey, if you want to think that the Stinger is above any design issues, I guess that's on you, more power to you. I don't love any make enough to over look the basics. I imaging many would agree and many would disagree. To that I couldn't care less, I'm just hear to add info to help people out.

 

[Revvdmedia]

I used felt tape on the plastic trim piece of the inside of the door window frame that makes contact with the rubber seal and it has solved the main ticking that I've been annoyed with - at least in the short term. I will have to wait to see how this performs over time but so far I'm happy with the results and will be doing the rest of the doors soon. Still doesn't fix the chassis flex that I hear but I think that is just something I will have to live with. Hopefully Kia corrects it next MY.

I actually wondered about this option, adding the felt tape between the plastic on the door and the rubber seal. If this is functional in reducing noise and does not greatly compromise the ability to displace water (part of the purpose of this seal), with some skilled hands, this may be a reasonable solution. I would suggest rather than "hockey tape" as I'm sure most of us are using (more like a cloth tape, not felt), using a suede like adhesive backed product may result in a cosmetically pleasing finish that also results in noise reduction.

 

[leecm]

I actually wondered about this option, adding the felt tape between the plastic on the door and the rubber seal. If this is functional in reducing noise and does not greatly compromise the ability to displace water (part of the purpose of this seal), with some skilled hands, this may be a reasonable solution. I would suggest rather than "hockey tape" as I'm sure most of us are using (more like a cloth tape, not felt), using a suede like adhesive backed product may result in a cosmetically pleasing finish that also results in noise reduction.

The following product is what I'm using. I will let you know how well the sticky part ages and how the overall product handles water, as we are supposed to get several straight days of rain soon. It should only be an issue when the door is open during rain (or when it trickles down from the above door frame), as there is a rubber seal above the plastic piece that I applied the felt tape to.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013H8QDQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Doel]

@MerlintheMad

And hey, if you want to think that the Stinger is above any design issues, I guess that's on you, more power to you. I don't love any make enough to over look the basics. I imaging many would agree and many would disagree. To that I couldn't care less, I'm just hear to add info to help people out.

You're new so you don't know, but it's Merlin, he is unable to see fault with the car. I noticed awhile back that the door was moving independent of the body, if you put your finger where the door meets the body while driving over bumps, it's pretty noticeable. I would agree that this fact is probably the primary cause of the sounds people are hearing. I have a very slight buzzing sound coming from mine when I hit bumps.

 

[Revvdmedia]

You're new so you don't know, but it's Merlin, he is unable to see fault with the car. I noticed awhile back that the door was moving independent of the body, if you put your finger where the door meets the body while driving over bumps, it's pretty noticeable. I would agree that this fact is probably the primary cause of the sounds people are hearing. I have a very slight buzzing sound coming from mine when I hit bumps.

A buzzing from what sounds like under the dash, but very slight and kind of muffled sounding? I have that. I'm currently choosing to ignore it since it is rather minor right now and nowhere near as bad as the sunroof.

I hoped when I bought the car I would get at least a couple years out of it before it started to become noisy. It has been noisy from new. It's the last new car I'm ever buying, I give up.

 

[westcoastGT]

I actually wondered about this option, adding the felt tape between the plastic on the door and the rubber seal. If this is functional in reducing noise and does not greatly compromise the ability to displace water (part of the purpose of this seal), with some skilled hands, this may be a reasonable solution. I would suggest rather than "hockey tape" as I'm sure most of us are using (more like a cloth tape, not felt), using a suede like adhesive backed product may result in a cosmetically pleasing finish that also results in noise reduction.

Rev , did you ever contact my guy in NF ?? I really think you should pursue the sunroof frame replacement , my car is still tight as a drum ! AND silent .

 

[Doel]

A buzzing from what sounds like under the dash, but very slight and kind of muffled sounding? I have that. I'm currently choosing to ignore it since it is rather minor right now and nowhere near as bad as the sunroof.

I hoped when I bought the car I would get at least a couple years out of it before it started to become noisy. It has been noisy from new. It's the last new car I'm ever buying, I give up.

I can't really tell where it's coming from, aside from somewhere around the door. I was thinking window for mine but I'm honestly not sure. I've been ignoring it but I may try to fix it, it's annoying me more now. As for the sunroof, it only makes noise when it's closed but the sunshade is open, which I never do. When it's open or the shade is closed it's perfectly quiet, so for me the only noise is the buzzing. Oh yeah, and a weird squeaking sound from my steering wheel when I make 90 degree turns, I think I'm the only one with that problem lol. Time to take it apart and try to figure out what it is.

 

[David Truax]

A lot of good info here.

Right now I am more annoyed with just the road and wind noise. Has anyone tried anything for that like extra trim, etc? I know there are a bunch of products out there. Just wondering what, if anything, everyone has used.

 

[Peeso33]

Close the windows and doors. Stand outside the car. Push inward on the window or door from the outside... for me, I can see, feel and hear (rubber seal squeaking) of the door's micro movements. Dealership already replace the weather trimmings on the door, it actually made it worse. I'm just periodically lubing up the rubber seals on the door now, and living with it. It just feels like the door after closing isn't rigid enough to maintain the cabin seal, when going over bumps, or when turning a certain way.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Rev , did you ever contact my guy in NF ?? I really think you should pursue the sunroof frame replacement , my car is still tight as a drum ! AND silent .

Not yet, mostly was waiting on the few others who are/were undergoing surgery themselves. It seems Kia is slowly acknowledging this internally since they issued a tsb or whatever to add silicone to the roof. I figured once that doesnt work they may issue a later one to better address the problem officially. I called around other dealerships and it seems only 2 offer loaners for free, the one near me (their offer on the repair sucked) and then the north side which is part of the same conglomerate. I'll give it a little longer and see if Kia comes up with something official. I could otherwise bring the car in before my week long vacation and they can just have it for the week that I'm not here and get it when it is done, no loaner needed.

 

[MerlintheMad]

You're new so you don't know, but it's Merlin, he is unable to see fault with the car.

Slight correction: I am unable to see fault where none exists, in my car. (And I just deleted a repetitive response about incidence.)

 

[Last Lemming Alive]

Kinda like the 15 other Chernobyl reactors then. Perfectly safe, mother Russia even said so.

Oh wait . . .

Are you seriously saying because it hasn’t happened to you it doesn’t exist? Does that go for heart attacks, strokes, cancer anything else that can go wrong ?

Sorry, not trying to start something here, I’m genuinely curious

 

[westcoastGT]

Kinda like the 15 other Chernobyl reactors then. Perfectly safe, mother Russia even said so.

Oh wait . . .

Are you seriously saying because it hasn’t happened to you it doesn’t exist? Does that go for heart attacks, strokes, cancer anything else that can go wrong ?

Sorry, not trying to start something here, I’m genuinely curious

....................Boys someone bring the Popcorn !!

 

[Last Lemming Alive]

No no no no let’s not do that I would just have a little fun my apologies

 

[westcoastGT]

No no no no let’s not do that I would just have a little fun my apologies

Oh , come on , Merlins fun to play with , he's more OCD than the rest here , thats all

 

[leecm]

I was honestly going to respond to Merlin with the same question but decided against it. His comment seemed pretty inane so I was hoping it was just poorly worded.

 

[westcoastGT]

I was honestly going to respond to Merlin with the same question but decided against it. His comment seemed pretty inane so I was hoping it was just poorly worded.

Merlins takes pride in his wording , if he said , he meant it . He truly believes his car is defect free ...........which can be frustrating to those of us which have had or have issues , hes our # 1 Stinger Fan Boy !! Its all good !

 

[leecm]

Merlins takes pride in his wording , if he said , he meant it . He truly believes his car is defect free ...........which can be frustrating to those of us which have had or have issues , hes our # 1 Stinger Fan Boy !! Its all good !

I don't mind him thinking his car is defect free. In fact I hope it is. But you don't have to search far in this forum to see that others are having some issues. I don't think this thread would exist (much less have eight pages of comments) if there wasn't a legitimate issue(s) that Kia needs to address in future design/production.