Trying to fix interior squeaks 95 Mustang GT - Well that was disappointing

[95SN95]

On my new to me 1995 Mustang GT convertible, my passenger side door panel squeaks like crazy so I took it off to figure out why and found every single one of the tabs broken off. Every. Single. One. No wonder the plastic excessively rattles and squeaks. I guess I’ll be looking for a new door. Bummer because other than that this one is in really nice shape

 

[ttocs]

yea someone had a hard time with that door judging by the white silicon holding the two pieces together.

 

[PWNY]

Oh shoot! I plan on looking into my door rattles over the winter. I hope I'm not in the same boat!

 

[ttocs]

with some careful planning a screw here/there will hold it as well. Just don't use too long of a screw and know what is behind it.

 

[95SN95]

with some careful planning a screw here/there will hold it as well. Just don't use too long of a screw and know what is behind it.

This might be the way if I can get a couple of screws in the bottom where no one can see them

 

[ttocs]

in that carpet area it would be easy to hid some flat/countersunk screws and there shouldn't be much problem with the window or motor in the way. Take a box knife and make a small X-shaped cut in the carpet were you want to put the screw. You can peel the carpet back enough, throw the screw in and then you can cover it up with the carpet.

 

[95SN95]

in that carpet area it would be easy to hid some flat/countersunk screws and there shouldn't be much problem with the window or motor in the way. Take a box knife and make a small X-shaped cut in the carpet were you want to put the screw. You can peel the carpet back enough, throw the screw in and then you can cover it up with the carpet.

Yes thank you! Solid idea!

 

[95SN95]

ttocs, thank you for the suggestion. I removed the door panels, found two strategic locations to install screws in the lower carpeted area, and measured how long of screws to use - 3” long if anyone needs to do this as well. Installing the screws over the top of the carpet you could still see the screw heads - the carpet pile is too thin to hide the screw head. Functionally it works but I wanted the screws hidden. I used a flat head screwdriver to pull back the carpet where the screws would go and installed them under the carpet. Served the purpose of holding the bottom of the door panel to the door perfectly. No more door panel slapping the door when the door is closed.

Now, while I have no intention of ever selling my car - what’s that old saying, we’re just caretakers of these cars for the next caretaker or something? The next guy that gets the car is going to be scratching his head figuring out how the door panel comes off.

 

[optionizerSS]

ttocs, thank you for the suggestion. I removed the door panels, found two strategic locations to install screws in the lower carpeted area, and measured how long of screws to use - 3” long if anyone needs to do this as well. Installing the screws over the top of the carpet you could still see the screw heads - the carpet pile is too thin to hide the screw head. Functionally it works but I wanted the screws hidden. I used a flat head screwdriver to pull back the carpet where the screws would go and installed them under the carpet. Served the purpose of holding the bottom of the door panel to the door perfectly. No more door panel slapping the door when the door is closed.

Now, while I have no intention of ever selling my car - what’s that old saying, we’re just caretakers of these cars for the next caretaker or something? The next guy that gets the car is going to be scratching his head figuring out how the door panel comes off.

i'll have to check this out. my drivers door 'rattles' when i close it and i can't find anything loose but i do have 1 or 2 tabs broke off. gonna see if i can buy a whole new panel but mine is 2 tone so might be hard to find

 

[95SN95]

Two areas that rattled, one being because the tabs are broken, the other was the plastic cover for the interior door handle rattled in its opening. I ran some silicone around the opening from the inside of the panel and that eliminated the rattle.

Oh, and removing the half dozen broken tabs from the bottom of the inside of the door helped as well.

 

[ttocs]

there could be some loose parts inside of the door that are rattling like the window track or regulator

 

[optionizerSS]

there could be some loose parts inside of the door that are rattling like the window track or regulator

I just replaced that regulator and felt around and didn't feel anything loose or laying in there

 

[maillemaker]

My driver's side panel was coming apart. The heat stakes from one part of the panel to the other were broken. Also some of the L tabs were broken. But they were inside the door.

I used Vicrez bumper repair epoxy to re-bond the panels together, and I put some threaded rod into the grooves of the L tab and slathered it up with Vicrez epoxy. Seems to hold so far.

 

[maillemaker]

I should have gotten a custom license plate for my car: OLDSQUEAKY

 

[badass98svt]

I never really had that many squeaks or rattles. But I did tear my interior out and added sound deadening and some "Noico red" in the strategic areas where heat/squeaks/rattles may develop.