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Loose Door Panels

W

WGFP

GUEST
When my Avalanche was new I noticed the inside door panels were loose and ratteling. I went to the dealer where I bought the vehicle and checked the other Avs on the lot and they were all loose. I complaigned to the dealer. He checked his Avs and agreed. They took the vehicle in, removed all of the door panels, installed a foam strip at the top, and replaced the panels. Check your Avalanche and I am sure you will find the panels loose and rattling.
 
What year 02 or 03 ?
 
My panels are tight...heck I have taken them on/off a few times .....
 
My panels have been tight since day one - I took one panel off and it is still tight.

Good idea for owners to be aware of, if some are coming from the factory loose.
 
I had my drivers side door panels replaced. Front and rear. I saw that the panels were about $250 for each. After all was said and done, the total billed to GM was appox $900. Good to know that they're spending money on me. The door panels are just fine now.
Durwin
 
My Avalanche is an 02 model that I bought this past summer. I have checked about a dozen other 02 models and found that all of them had loose and ratteling door panels.
 
Our 02' Z66 built 12/01 also has slightly loose panels. ?They're generally "tight", but give with even a little pressure, and because of this, the plastic sections often creak against each other. ?Sometimes, I'll notice a rattle somewhere in the Av while driving, and it's usually just one of the door panels doing a little flexing.

Our 300M was the same way. ?It's most noticable on cold mornings (stiff, cold plastics) and disappears on rainy days (humidity expands the plastic). ?A very, very little issue, but it can be annoying. ?If they were just a little more "like a rock"....
 
What do you mean like loose door paanels. Do you mean when you open the door, you hear a squeaking sound?
 
My driver door panel was loose for a while after I did my stereo overhaul. When I had slid the panel back on, I had missed one of the upper catches above the handle below the window line. It only takes a minute to pull the 2 screws and pop off your door panel and re-secure it making sure all catches are snapped in. That may be the problem for some.
 
This is additional detail about my original post about loose door panels. I am talking about the plastic/fabric panel that forms the inside surface of the four doors. Catch the panel up high where it meets the window and you might find you can move in and out away from the door up to a quarter of an inch. All four of may door panels had this movement and, when driving on the dirt road in front of my house, these things would rattle. I went to the dealer where I bought the Avalanche and checked the six vehicles on the lot. All of them had the same problem. I next went to Colorado Springs and checked a number of Avalanches there and they all had loose door panels. Finally I took the vehicle back to the dealer where they confirmed the problem and fixed it with foam strips under the top edge of the panel. I have an 02 Ave that I bought last summer.
 
WGFP, you described my problem exactly. The dealership saw it my way and installed new panels. Ever since then, no noise.
I didn't like the idea of spending 34K on a vehicle and then being able to move the top of the panel in and out. They made noise when the vehicle went down the road as well.
Durwin
 
i was thinking about this loose door panel thing. ??? i wonder if you could remove the panel and shim the clips that attach it to the door with some electrical tape or those thick rubber bands. that way when you install the panel the materials you use to create the shimming effect would in fact pull the panel in closer to the door itself. i would think in the long run this would be a better fix. seems like the new door panels would eventually do the same as the old door panels.
even if you use something other than the afforementioned items you should think about a way to pull the panel closer to door for a tighter fit. no more rattle. :B:
 
The dealer fixed my panels by placing a strip of sticky-back foam along the very top, inside, edge of the door. This tightened them up and has them right against the window. I am happy with the fix and it seems to be holding.
 
Durwin said:
WGFP, you described my problem exactly. The dealership saw it my way and installed new panels. Ever since then, no noise.
I didn't like the idea of spending 34K on a vehicle and then being able to move the top of the panel in and out. They made noise when the vehicle went down the road as well.
Durwin
Click to expand...

Ditto for me. This is exactly the problem I have started noticing. I will have the dealership fix it next visit.
 
I too am having the same problem with the rattling of door panels. I noticed it yesterday and did a search on this wonderful forum today and bingo....found it! Once again I have to take my AV back to the dealer and this isn't the first time either. So far I have had to take my AV back to the dealer 3 times for the following reasons:
1. Found glue residue on the front of my AV...no problem got a free detail voucher.
2. Onstar antenna seal loose. Dealer replaced it.
3. Noise coming from driver side window. Dealer replaced regulator.
4. Hard tonue cover had white stains on Panel #1. Dealer told me that they have no problem replacing the cover, but the new ones would do the same. They recommended me using Meguires.
5. Now the rattling noise coming from driver side panel.
6. Wonder whats next....

I have put more miles taking my AV back and forth to the dealer for these nuisance problems. I don't believe a vehicle worth $35K should have these problems. My AV is hardly 2 months old and with the hard tonue cover looking like its 5 years old and neglected. :8:
 
oh I forgot about #6. 1-2 second delay in tranny after I put it in drive and then in Reverse it takes a 1-2 before the AV starts to move.
 
I took my AV to dealer and the problem is fixed. This is what it states on the receipt:
R&R All trim panels & hammer inner door in to tighten trim panels at top all 4 of them C3348 .3 ST 1.0 for the others.
 
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