Noise that sounds like light grit/rain hitting windshield?

Coercion Shaman · 12-05-2019, 08:21 AM

I have a new noise as of yesterday. My wife and I both noticed it on the way to work, and she rarely notices anything. It sounds like grit (or maybe light rain at high speed) hitting the windshield and seems to be coming from the front dash or windshield. It is noticeable. There were no cars in front of me on the highway, though, nor was it raining. It lasted the entire 20 minute drive to work when moving only. I don't see any damage to the windshield or weather stripping around it.

Temperature was in the low 30's yesterday. I didn't hear it when we left in the afternoon with temps in the 60's. Again this morning in the mid 30's and hear it. It does not go away after the car warms in the interior or the engine warms either morning. I turned off the environmental controls in the event that something was in the ducts or motors with no change. I turned off the radio with no change. I removed everything from the glove box and center console as well but that affected nothing.

Any thoughts? Point me to a thread I didn't find? I only saw something on the 5 series about a speaker grill in the dash where folks described a possibly similar sound. Nothing I found related to the 4 series.

Thanks.

njdangelo · 12-05-2019, 09:50 PM

Did you check for ice or leaves in the cowel? I've had similar noises in past cars that turned out to be leaves/branches or ice

jh_f30 · 12-06-2019, 01:19 AM

Do you have HUD? I have an intermittent rattle coming from the dash area, primarily around the HUD screen, but it seems to be more behind the instrument cluster than around the HUD housing itself. Most prominent when cold and when cruising highway speeds (75-80ish). Not sure if it's the same noise, but I guess my rattle could LOOSELY be described as you have. I have yet to find a fix.

Coercion Shaman · 12-06-2019, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jh_f30

Do you have HUD? I have an intermittent rattle coming from the dash area, primarily around the HUD screen, but it seems to be more behind the instrument cluster than around the HUD housing itself. Most prominent when cold and when cruising highway speeds (75-80ish). Not sure if it's the same noise, but I guess my rattle could LOOSELY be described as you have. I have yet to find a fix.

I do have a HUD on this car. Interesting.

No sound again on the way home yesterday while in the 60's. This morning, around 40 degrees.... sound again. And it is coming from the driver side dash or the windshield itself, I think. And it is happening as I take off in the morning and on smaller roads and the interstate, so I'm not actually speed dependent.

Certainly worth considering.

Coercion Shaman · 12-06-2019, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njdangelo

Did you check for ice or leaves in the cowel? I've had similar noises in past cars that turned out to be leaves/branches or ice

Good thought. Had that one, too. I just cleaned it out a couple of days ago when I washed the car. Checked and it is still clear.

Coercion Shaman · 12-09-2019, 07:21 AM

So I didn't find anything under the hood and blew everything out with the blower. I still have the noise on very cold mornings. Anything warmer on any given mornings driving the same roads yields no noise. I think it is temperature related, but I can't figure out what it is.

I haven't been able to isolate it to the HUD.

If anyone thinks of something else to look at, let me know. If I find it, I will post back.

zaidhaque · 09-05-2021, 12:06 AM

OP, did you ever find out where the noise came from? I do have an f30 but im hearing this exact same noise on my dads 2008 Sienna. No HUD there lol. Came across this thread while googling “rain noise on windshield” lol

:

12-05-2019, 08:21 AM	#1
Coercion Shaman Private First Class 48 Rep 140 Posts Drives: 2019 Audi A5 Prestige S/B Join Date: May 2018 Location: Georgia iTrader: (0)	Noise that sounds like light grit/rain hitting windshield? I have a new noise as of yesterday. My wife and I both noticed it on the way to work, and she rarely notices anything. It sounds like grit (or maybe light rain at high speed) hitting the windshield and seems to be coming from the front dash or windshield. It is noticeable. There were no cars in front of me on the highway, though, nor was it raining. It lasted the entire 20 minute drive to work when moving only. I don't see any damage to the windshield or weather stripping around it. Temperature was in the low 30's yesterday. I didn't hear it when we left in the afternoon with temps in the 60's. Again this morning in the mid 30's and hear it. It does not go away after the car warms in the interior or the engine warms either morning. I turned off the environmental controls in the event that something was in the ducts or motors with no change. I turned off the radio with no change. I removed everything from the glove box and center console as well but that affected nothing. Any thoughts? Point me to a thread I didn't find? I only saw something on the 5 series about a speaker grill in the dash where folks described a possibly similar sound. Nothing I found related to the 4 series. Thanks. __________________ Also own: 2012 Z4 35is M Sport Adaptive (Atacama Yellow)
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12-05-2019, 09:50 PM	#2
njdangelo Captain 436 Rep 844 Posts Drives: 2019 x5 50i Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: CT iTrader: (1)	Did you check for ice or leaves in the cowel? I've had similar noises in past cars that turned out to be leaves/branches or ice __________________ 2019 x5 50i - current 2016 340i THP stage 2 - gone but not forgotten.
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12-06-2019, 01:19 AM	#3
jh_f30 Lieutenant Colonel 1306 Rep 1,827 Posts Drives: 2013 335i Sportline Auto RWD Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (2)	Do you have HUD? I have an intermittent rattle coming from the dash area, primarily around the HUD screen, but it seems to be more behind the instrument cluster than around the HUD housing itself. Most prominent when cold and when cruising highway speeds (75-80ish). Not sure if it's the same noise, but I guess my rattle could LOOSELY be described as you have. I have yet to find a fix. __________________ 2013 F30 335i RWD ZF Melbourne Red ~Remus Sport Axleback~VRSF Chargepipe~VRSF Catless Downpipe~GPlus FMIC~HR Sport Springs~Active Autowerke OBD Flash Tune Stage 2~
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12-09-2019, 07:21 AM	#6
Coercion Shaman Private First Class 48 Rep 140 Posts Drives: 2019 Audi A5 Prestige S/B Join Date: May 2018 Location: Georgia iTrader: (0)	So I didn't find anything under the hood and blew everything out with the blower. I still have the noise on very cold mornings. Anything warmer on any given mornings driving the same roads yields no noise. I think it is temperature related, but I can't figure out what it is. I haven't been able to isolate it to the HUD. If anyone thinks of something else to look at, let me know. If I find it, I will post back. __________________ Also own: 2012 Z4 35is M Sport Adaptive (Atacama Yellow)
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09-05-2021, 12:06 AM	#7
zaidhaque New Member 2 Rep 7 Posts Drives: 328i Mineral Gray Sport Line Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Qatar iTrader: (0)	OP, did you ever find out where the noise came from? I do have an f30 but im hearing this exact same noise on my dads 2008 Sienna. No HUD there lol. Came across this thread while googling “rain noise on windshield” lol :
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