B Pillar Tick

[Bob Miller]

It’s funny but as quickly as the sound came back last month for a day or so it then went away. Truck has been quiet lately and I’m hoping it will stay that way (knock on wood). However I have a bad feeling as soon as we start getting warmer days and nights in March and April it will come back again.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that perhaps I’ll get lucky and it’ll never come back. 

 

What sucks is other than that I actually really like the truck. Comfortable and nice exhaust sound from the 5.3L and optioned just the way I like it pretty much.  Funny how one rattle can really just make you forget the other things you like about it. 

[davidsp101]

Anyone have an update on this now that it is getting warmer out?

[Ravenkeeper]

Never had this issue with my '15, but now that I have stumbled across this thread, I'll start hearing it.   

[Bob Miller]

Knock on wood I haven't heard the b pillar tick in a  while - and its been warming up into the low 80s here in Houston. I'm fearful it will return at any time though.  I keep my fingers crossed that maybe it corrected itself somehow.

 

The only rattle that's been really bothering me lately (and it comes and goes depending on where the seat is positioned) is this slight rattle I get in the passenger seat when it's empty.  I'll mess with the seat position until it goes away - and then my wife will get in the truck, adjust the seat and it throws it all off again, and it starts rattling all over the next time I drive it by myself.  LOL.  

[wreckdiver]

Hey guys, first post. I see others are feeling my pain on this issue.

 

I've pulled off both driver side door panels, and the pillar panel and have been driving around trying to trouble shoot this issue for days. Tried holding different seat belt parts tight, stuffing rags in wherever, shimming anything that seems like it moves near another piece of metal etc.

 

To me the sound definitely sounds like it is echoing inside the metal chamber of the pillar. Of course noise is deceiving around metal as it can radiate and sound like it is somewhere else depending on where you sit.

 

I will take a closer look at the wiring harness area referred by a couple folks. Just to be clear, this is the wiring that can be seen about half way up when you open the rear door?

 

For those that read the photo of the maintenance report posted about spraying the form in this area, where exactly is it being sprayed?

 

Thanks for any help. Hopefully I don't resort to the sledgehammer solution soon.

 

Take care,

Rob

[wreckdiver]

Update to my last post. It seems that whenever I lean over to the left towards the pillar in my seat it definitely diminishes. When I lean forward, it comes back with a vengeance. But it doesn't seem to be driver seat related, as odd as that sounds, because I had a coworker crawl in the back seat to listen to it with me.

 

When he sat on the passenger side rear seat, it was loud and obnoxious. When he slid over towards the drivers side, even if I leaned forward in my seat, the noise diminished significantly. So it seems that floor pressure anywhere close to the pillar causes it to change. It's very frustrating since the noise sound to be about head level for me.

 

Maybe the weight on the floor is causing just enough flex in the metal to allow or not allow whatever parts involved to touch each other.

 

Take care,

Rob

[wreckdiver]

Update on my trouble shooting. Some spoke about the side steps. I had already remounted my sidesteps but took another look. I took my hands and shook the hell out of the driver side step and heard a very similar noise. I had a friend shake the step while I sat in the driver's seat with the door closed and heard a similar noise.

 

I'm not saying the side step is causing this noise but it at least replicated the symptoms pretty closely. With that said, my step is body mounted so clearly flexing the body under that pillar area may be the trigger. I'm wondering if that body mount (not the step mount, but the actual body mount) behind the center of the step could be the source of the problem, and the noise simply radiates through the under body and up the pillar's metal channel.

 

Take care,

Rob

[davidsp101]

I’m becoming more convinced that this noise is coming from metal either under the truck or under the metal near the door sills.  Normally the noise radiates through the b pillar, but this morning it was most evident under the driver’s door speaker. 

 

@drtyTshrt @sierra1412 have yall received any updates?

 

Has anyone with running boards been able to permanently fix this? 

Edited April 30, 2019 by davidsp101
Asking for help

[davidsp101]

On 4/25/2019 at 5:11 PM, wreckdiver said:

Update on my trouble shooting. Some spoke about the side steps. I had already remounted my sidesteps but took another look. I took my hands and shook the hell out of the driver side step and heard a very similar noise. I had a friend shake the step while I sat in the driver's seat with the door closed and heard a similar noise.

 

I'm not saying the side step is causing this noise but it at least replicated the symptoms pretty closely. With that said, my step is body mounted so clearly flexing the body under that pillar area may be the trigger. I'm wondering if that body mount (not the step mount, but the actual body mount) behind the center of the step could be the source of the problem, and the noise simply radiates through the under body and up the pillar's metal channel.

 

Take care,

Rob

I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit under my truck with my wife working the door, jumping on the door sill, etc, and @wreckdiver I’m most certain you are correct.  There are areas under the truck where the sheet metal is stamped together at an angle - with the obvious one being right under the b pillar.  That is clearly where the noise is coming from.  Maybe a set screw will hold it into place?  I have an appointment next week but I’m skeptical that they’ll make progress given everyone else’s issues.  I’m bound and determined to solve this.  

[AML]

Any updates on this? Just bought a 2016 Crew and the ticking is going to make me bonkers!

[mojohn]

I am cautiously optimistic that I've found the cure for my passenger side B Pillar ticking. Went through almost every suggestion in this forum. Finally, I removed the lower pillar plastic cover and saw that a couple wires connected to the seat belt mechanism were very close to the cover itself. The wires are at / near floor-level. They were like almost rubbing the cover. See image. I then wire-tied the wires to the metal B Pillar. 

 

I noticed in the middle of the B Pillar is a wire bundle. Just for giggles, I wire-tied that wire bundle to the B Pillar, too. 

 

Been a dozen or so trips since, and the dreaded B Pillar tick has been fixed. So far.

 

Best, 

John,  KF5ZMD

[davidsp101]

Has anyone with running boards successfully fixed this by re-torquing the bolts?

 

I'm considering putting running boards on if it'll fix the problem.  At this point, it might be cheaper than constantly taking off of work to go to the dealer only to hear that they can't replicate it.

Edited May 14, 2019 by davidsp101
Context

[AML]

can we get a picture farther back for point of reference? Also, I'm not finding any how-to instructions to remove the B pillar moldings... i know the 2 bolts on the handle... is it all clips after that?

[mojohn]

Oops, I just had the one photo of the seatbelt electric wires. Sorry.

 

The b-pillar cover is all held in with clips. Remove the bottom door sill covers front and back and it all just unclips. Pretty simple.

 

Remove the front and rear door sill plates by lifting them straight up.....the b pillar cover should then come off by firmly pulling it in the exact opposite direction from the post it is attached to.

 

Hope this is helpful,

John, KF5ZMD

Edited May 14, 2019 by mojohn
Add word cover

[AML]

Thanks!