[casualDIYer]

As much as I like my car one thing that drove me crazy was a rattle I thought was coming from the backseat. After investigating I realised the seat wasn't the issue but the headliner near the dome lamp.

The first step was to remove the mid-cabin dome lamp. To remove push the entire lamp assembly forward (i.e. toward the front of the car) then down. Suggest using a plastic prise tool because if you use a metal screwdriver and slip, your dome lamp will truly be 'screwed'. Two retaining 'spring' clips hold the lamp in place and need to be pushed forward to allow you to pull the lamp down (from the rear) and down. Do not attempt to remove the plastic cover of the lamp, at least not in the car. The entire assembly should be removed first.

In removing the dome lamp I discovered a 'quality control' issue with the glue used to hold the clips to the lamp. Glue was poorly applied, applied in excess in the wrong location, and not effective at sticking the clips to the dome lamp clip mounting points (see photo ''Excess Glue"). On removal of the lamp, it was discovered both clips needed to be re-glued. One actually fell into the headline (arg!) as I removed the lamp. All existing glue was removed from clips and lamp, new glue applied to the back of each clip and each clip was placed back into the dome lamp. After the glue is dry, the lamp can be placed back into the car. Note the orientation of the lamp (it appears as an arrow shape point toward the front of the car).

As for the glue, there's lots to choose but I bet anyone reading this has access to the same $12 cheap, made in China, glue gun I used. Suggest you USE THAT. For whatever reason, hot glue is really good for small plastic parts.

I have a feeling during assembly the dome lamp may have been removed and in the process lost a clip in the headliner. The assembly workers never pulled out the clip but just used another dome lamp. Of course that 'spare' clip drove me insane rattling around in the car. I have a hunch had this been a Lexus or Acura, the president of the dome lamp assembly company would have been woken up, brought to the factory while everyone waited, and, in front of everyone, got a kick in the b*lls.

To remove the clips from the headliner is not a technical but patience challenge. With light to medium force tap the headliner to find where the clip is. With increasing force, knock the headliner so the clip moves toward where the dome lamp inserts into the headliner (see photo for the exit hole - photo Retrieve here). I make it sound like it's going to be easy getting the little clip to pop into a position where you can grab it with needle nose pliers but it isn't. It's pretty much a game of trial and error which will take a minute or two if you don't care how long it takes or an hour if you do. Keep banging the headliner with varying amounts of force and frequency. I found frequency was the key over force. Removing the plastic bracket would have saved a lot of time but it appears glued to the headliner so taking it out is an 'expensive' challenge.

[rlesko]

Just wanted to say thanks for the tip, my dome light was slightly different than yours but i did super glue the clip and it did help eliminate some rattle.