Beretta.net

Okay, my drivers side door panel has been rattling very annoyingly for a long time. I found it was the door panel because while it was rattleing I put my elbow against it and it stops, everytime.

Any guesses of what to do? I hope the plastic pushpins aren't all broken.

Like to be clearer, any specific piece in the door panel/door that tends to come loose and rattle? It Isn't any exterior door panel piece, and my map pockets aren't broken.

It sucks because I fixed more or less all the other rattles I experienced.

Older doors had a plastic arm with velcro on it. The door panel had the other side of the velcro(as you can guess) and it's on the top part of the panel. The arm(or whatever you call it) breaks off at the door. There is not much to hold it on due to a poor design. As for fixing it I was never able to get it to stay. You could try weather strip adhesive.
There is also a (damn I hate to say it) jew nail looking holder that mates to the door panel. It's just a thin block of steel that has a bunch of rectangles punched into it. That leaves "tabs" to press into the particle board(or more like MDF). Once those fall out or are pulled out they don't have any holding power. Mine took parts of the door panel backing with it. I have no idea how to fix that.

Oh and the part of the arm rest that you use to pull the door closed comes loose too. As long as it's not stripped out all you have to do is tighten it down(it's a #2 phillips screw). I'm sure you have already done that though.

I didn't see any screws, which is odd because I did swap that panel when I got it because the old one was covered in duct tape from the previous owner. The handle seems firm and not loose though. But just for the sake of trying it where are the screws? I'd go out and look again but it is like 37 degrees out and I don't feel like messing with it in the cold.

Maybe it is that, does the handle help support the door panel? It seems fairly secure around all edges.

mine makes noise as well (95), seems to be the top where the door panel trim meets the metal windowsill/frame. it's not a rattle, more like a squeak... also the old body can't handle all the torque when flying around corners, i hear the door catch clanking a bit as the door moves slightly within the door frame...

edit # 2... also, i have not run into this as per say with beretta's but 2 cavaliers (including a friends 89 and my 88 3 door z24's) both have/had stress cracks around the main door pin/ frame latch... mine made metal clunking when maneuvered with the door open...

The screw(the only one) is on the inside of the door panel. Really the two things I listed in my first post are the main problem areas for the upper part of the panel. Hey man feel lucky that you don't have any problems with the map pocket. That is the number one problem with those older panels.

Ok for the two of you(berettaboi and GTU89) there is a small trick. The metal for the window seal can be bent down to hold the door panel a little better. It doesn't work all that well but does help some. You can push the panel in and then hit the metal with a rubber mallet(don't use a hammer). Just watch out, the metal can kink easy.

Mine no longer has the window felts inside or out if that is what you are talking about, so I don't know if that would help me.

It almost sounds like something flapping/vibrating against metal in the door.

So the metal and the rubber are gone or just the rubber?
I still say that the "arm" is what's doing it. The one on my 90GT was red and close to the center of the door(almost were my GT emblem was on the outside).

thanks for the tip, Moneypit! good stuff

Your welcome. Got to say I sure don't miss fighting with the old door panels, but I still miss that car.

I pulled the door handle plastic surround thing that also contains the locks and power locks and there is a loose bracket thing behind the door handle thing you use to pull the door closed, any clue what it is? The handle pull thing is a bit loose, but not that bad. I stuffed some polyfill behind and around the bracket thing to keep it from vibrating.

I didn't drive it after doing that, but I noticed it sounds like there is something vibrating in the seatbelt area of the door behind the panel a bit. I would pull the panel off but I superglued the top to the door where it tucks under because it kept coming off/sliding out at the top like all seem to do.

It would have been nice to have a photo of what your talking about. Did it look like a rectangle?

You put superglue on the particle board? That won't last long.

Money pit Beretta wrote:Ok for the two of you(berettaboi and GTU89) there is a small trick. The metal for the window seal can be bent down to hold the door panel a little better. It doesn't work all that well but does help some. You can push the panel in and then hit the metal with a rubber mallet(don't use a hammer). Just watch out, the metal can kink easy.

Yup, I have done this on every Beretta I have owned. Really tightens up the top of the panel. As for busted pop clips, just buy more, remove the door and install all new ones. With the panel off you can check for anything else wiggling around in there.