- 02/02/2017
- 0 Min Read
- By: Alex Fiehl
Eliminating an Annoying Trim Noise near the Radio
In the winter I’d get this endless, annoying noise from the dash whenever I drove the 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc. It didn’t come back as much when the spring season warmed it up but it would still return at times. I figured out that it was coming from the trim right about the heating controls below the radio. If I placed my finger against it then it would disappear. The plastic pieces seemed to be rubbing each other and it drove me nuts.
Turns out this DIY is pretty easy to do!
Rather than constantly having to place my finger on it I went ahead and insulated the two surfaces with some layers of black electrical tape. Turns out this DIY is pretty easy to do!
Tools you’ll need:
- flathead screwdriver
- electrical tape
- scissors
- about 5-10min of free time
Ready to banish some annoying trim noise?
Step 1: Carefully pry out the sides of the heater controls using a flathead screwdriver:
Step 2: The heater controls should come straight out. There’s no need to completely remove it, just expose the top trim:
Step 3: Cut about 3 layers of black electrical tape using a pair of scissors and line it up close to the edge:
Step 4: Push the heater controls back into the dash. Notice that you can’t distinguish anything different besides the fact that the annoying trim is no more!
I can finally drive in peace with one less annoying noise to deal with.
