Back seat creaking sounds (with passengers)

Cupton · August 17, 2020

Noticed lately that whenever there is a passenger riding in the back seat of my 2018 SLT Crew Cab the back seat sounds like a creaky old wooden ship. Only when there are passengers. Otherwise its as quiet as a mouse. I did try to remove everything under the seat to see if maybe the weight of the passengers was causing some rubbing on the underside of the seat but that didn't seem to make a difference. Next step would be to remove the back seat and see if the plastic covers are broken on the brackets that connect the rear seat back to the cab wall. Everything I have read on that issue though described it as a rattle sound even when there are no passengers in the vehicle. Still thought I would have a look back there just in case. The noise I am hearing is a distinct creaking sounds.

Anybody else experience their fairly new Sierra back seat sounding like an old wooden ship or a 30 year old mattress?

VanguardK2 · August 17, 2020

I had the same issue when I have weight in the seats. Push down on it quick to replicate it. I believe its the joints on the hinge it sits on. Mine does it when I force my seat down with my underwear storage bin is PACKED and in flattening it down. I'd recommend getting white liquid grease and giving it a healthy coat. Should fix the issue

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mikemcclain8 · August 17, 2020

I have this in my 2015 suburban and thought it was my kids carseat causing it. Now, I'll have to play around and see if I can replicate it without the seat.

Cupton · August 17, 2020

59 minutes ago, VanguardK2 said:

I had the same issue when I have weight in the seats. Push down on it quick to replicate it. I believe its the joints on the hinge it sits on. Mine does it when I force my seat down with my underwear storage bin is PACKED and in flattening it down. I'd recommend getting white liquid grease and giving it a healthy coat. Should fix the issue

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Thanks for the tip on the grease! I will take a look at that solution and see if that fixes it.

VanguardK2 · August 17, 2020

Right on let me know how it goes. Tbh i still haven't fixed mine yet cause it never creaks unless I'm digging in the back and fold the seat down but I also work in a shop where I can grab white grease and have at it, just never have gotten around to it

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Bob Miller · August 18, 2020

So I started a topic the other day about a noise I'm getting from what sounds like the front seat (but heck, it could be from the rear too I can' t figure it out). And it mainly happens when its empty. I've taken some of the front seat apart and sprayed lithium grease everywhere, I just don't know (I've had the dealer replace the seat frame and they also replaced the door latch thinking that could be it).. nothing has worked

I took this video the other day, sounds like this (almost like an old time typewriter on bumps):

Edited August 18, 2020 by Bob Miller

CNC Repairman · August 18, 2020

I had / have the same problem with the rear seats. Took my 2018 crew cab to the dealership for this issue. They took off the rear passenger seat cushion and wrapped the frame with flocking tape. Month later the squeak was back and the truck is out of warranty. Guess I will have to take it apart and fix it myself.

VanguardK2 · August 19, 2020

So I started a topic the other day about a noise I'm getting from what sounds like the front seat (but heck, it could be from the rear too I can' t figure it out). And it mainly happens when its empty. I've taken some of the front seat apart and sprayed lithium grease everywhere, I just don't know (I've had the dealer replace the seat frame and they also replaced the door latch thinking that could be it).. nothing has worked

I took this video the other day, sounds like this (almost like an old time typewriter on bumps):

Wrap a hand towel around your seat belt buckles that are not in use and take it for a drive. Ive noticed that if the passengers get out, the buckles themselves don't reset perfectly cause the space between pillar and seat is so tight they sit sideways and not flush with the pillar and rattle. Drives me apes*it. Found out on an empty road with a few bumps and just looked all around the cab to pinpoint it. Maybe your issue?

Hope that made sense...

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Bob Miller · August 21, 2020

On 8/18/2020 at 8:15 PM, VanguardK2 said:

Wrap a hand towel around your seat belt buckles that are not in use and take it for a drive. Ive noticed that if the passengers get out, the buckles themselves don't reset perfectly cause the space between pillar and seat is so tight they sit sideways and not flush with the pillar and rattle. Drives me apes*it. Found out on an empty road with a few bumps and just looked all around the cab to pinpoint it. Maybe your issue?

Hope that made sense...

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Thanks for the tip on that one. That does actually happen from time to time too, but this is definitely something different.

The other day I took unzipped the seat cover on the back of the front passenger seat and gave the hinges and some of the bolts and tracks a coat of lithium grease. I've driven the truck about 30 miles or so since then and its been quiet.

I think the real test will be the next time I go somewhere with my wife sitting in the seat and then drive around again when the seat is empty. see if it starts rattling again.

VanguardK2 · August 21, 2020

Interesting. And I'm glad you found it. Yeah it took me forever to figure it was something so simple as that. I have never had to unzip the seats, here's hoping I won't ever have to

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