Door Panel Creaking / Squeaking Elimination

[corradoMR2]

If you have a ticking/tapping noise, see this thread here.

This DIY below is to address a different creaking noise from the door panels.

Symptom
- Pressing firmly in the door panel either above, on, or below the armrest creates a creaking/squeaking noise. Issue can be reproducible on both front doors, possibly the rear ones too.
- While driving up or down a driveway ramp, when the car's body and door can flex slightly, the noise can occur.
- While driving/braking creating similar body motions, the noise can occur.

Issue/Root Cause
- space between subpanels allows for motion
- incomplete bonding of the sub-panels of the door panel.

Fix
- Add a quality cement glue to all the joints on the underside.
- Add felt tape (hockey tape) to the clips.

DIY Complexity
Beginner - Moderate - Advanced - Go to Kia

Scope
Applies to the front doors (similar procedure can apply to rear though it was not attempted/done)

Tools
- Plastic trim/prying tools (Ebay)
- Quality Household Cement glue (i.e. Elmers)
- Philips screw driver
- hockey (felt) tape


Step 1: Remove Door Frame Trim
- See Door Frame Ticking DIY here



Step 2: Remove Door Panel
- Remove the covers and the three screws.






- Pry outwards along the entire perimeter of the door panel beside each clip (11 of them). (To find the clips, slide the tool sideways underneath the door panel until it stops). To help you locate the spots, also see further pics below on the inside panel - you will see the location of the clips. You will need some force (at least the first one or two spots) to pop out the panel. NOTE: Near the small speaker, there is one clip.



Pull and lift the door panel upwards off the metal door sill and release the clips for the door handle/lock and speaker








Step 3: Apply cement and felt tape
- You will need to carefully pull out most of the padding (you will put cement glue on the same contact spots when re-assembling)
- Apply cement along all welded joints (and screws after tightening). This is the key step so ensure you apply glue in every seam/joint you see from the lower, mid, and upper sections of the panel. The creaking stems from one or more of these joints/interfaces.
- Apply felt tape on the clips
- Tighten each panel screw (mine required at least a quarter to half turn)
- Place the panel upright for a few minutes immediately after applying the cement, then switch it upside down too to ensure the cement crawls in the spacing.
- Let dry a few hours








Step 4: Re-assemble
- reverse the above removal steps.
- To avoid the cement glue odor in your car, you may want to let the panel dry overnight.

 

[robz32]

Excellent write up.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Never thought]

This is the issue I’ve been having. Really noisy creaking from all the doors and the sunroof when there is any body flexing.

 

[westcoastGT]

This is the issue I’ve been having. Really noisy creaking from all the doors and the sunroof when there is any body flexing.

..................been there , got the t shirt ............if you open your sunroof , not tilted , but open about 8 inches do you still hear the noise ???

 

[Never thought]

..................been there , got the t shirt ............if you open your sunroof , not tilted , but open about 8 inches do you still hear the noise ???

Not sure but I’ll give it a try and report back. Does that work for you? Did getting the sunroof replaced make any difference for you?

 

[westcoastGT]

Not sure but I’ll give it a try and report back. Does that work for you? Did getting the sunroof replaced make any difference for you?

it's in the shop now , yesterday they removed the roof liner and pillar air bags , today they have a glass company coming in to remove the glass , then they have to remove / replace the frame and reinstall the glass , roof liner etc . I probably wont get it back til Friday ..........i pin pointed the creaking sounds to the roof , thinking it was doors as well ..............if you open your roof and the sounds are gone then it's likely the roof frame ( TBD Friday ! ).........something you may want to try on your door seals is the Honda door grease , it really works for those subtle ticks etc , I imagine your door frames get pretty dry and dusty down there ( where you have swimming pools and palm trees )

 

[Never thought]

I’ll try it! But no door ticks just the creaking.