Ok, so I got brave and took apart the dash completely. It was shockingly easy actually, and the clips were much easier to remove than in a Scion tC I had a while back. Turns out after pulling it all apart, all of the plastic is very, very thin and squeeky, but the rattling turned out to be coming from a harness holding some electrical box, attached in part to the frame, with 2 screws, and to a plastic container, with 1 screw and a guide pin. The hole for the screw and guide pin appears to be too big, and the harness moves with ease and causes the tin can rattling noise whenever a bump is hit (the screw and pin contacting the aluminum harness).

I haven't figured out how to tighten it up yet, perhaps shoving some foam between the 2 surfaces will do the trick.

You can actually get to the piece from under the steering wheel, above the pedals and all. I had quite a difficult time contorting around and getting an arm up there. I'll take some pictures hopefully tomorrow if I get a chance.

 

yepp same problemm maybee its the sound system shaking everything up :P

 

dang no one has commented on this in two years, but ill provide some input. just installed a JDM double din in my 2010 lancer. it had some bad rattling, so i took it back to the shop who did the installed and they put some matte on it to minimize the noise. i also noticed that the JDM piece didnt have foam around the vents like the vents that came in the car so I did a switch. not sure if it will help because i literally just changed them. havent had a chance to drive it yet.

 

Mine also just started rattling around the dash I think it is the cold weather. While it's idling I really feel the vibration/rattle. I have 43k miles on my ES. When I pull down on the stearing wheel I don't here it anymore?

 

I've got rattles, only in addition to the dash rattle (which isn't too bad--I think it comes from the center of the dash?), there's a rattle from the column where the driver's seatbelt is mounted. THAT is SUPER annoying.

Has anyone had that issue? Are these rattles things that are just loose or did the third-world-quality roads in my town knock them loose?

 

Rattles are present in mine as well, started around 50k, seem to be coming from drivers side kick panel area.. Frustrating.. Again mention to dealership, and they said they had a service bulletin about noise from the door, but nothing under the dash.

 

dood i have the same 2 rattles... dash behind the stereo display, and the driver side B pillar.

This is what I do too, push on the top of the stereo face. I have the rockford fosgate though and mine rattles loudly at 1500 rpm

 

The plastic plate above the ashtray (where the 2 little lights are located) was the problem on my 2009 GTS. Sound like it was comming from the stereo or vent control, but no.

 

I still am getting the same rattling in the middle of the dashboard when I hit a bump and then accelerate. It doesn't seem to happen as often in the Summer....I think it has to do with the cold and heat expanding and contracting the plastic, so it isn't fitting as well as it should. That is just my guess though.

 

yea I was thinking the same thing. It's def worse in the cold. Sounds like it's directly behind the radio display screen.