Body - Left Rocker Panel Creaking or Popping Noise

Classification:
BT99-012

Reference:
NTB99-066

Date:
September 16, 1999

1999 MAXIMA LEFT ROCKER PANEL CREAK NOISE

APPLIED VEHICLES:
1999 Maxima (A32)

APPLIED VINS:
JN1CA21A9XT106701, JN1CA21A8XT705735
JN1CA21D7XT219O38, JN1CA21D2XT814976
JN1CA21D*XM411064, JN1CA21A*XM301454

APPLIED DATES:
December 1, 1998

SERVICE INFORMATION





Use the information in this bulletin to repair a vehicle built prior to the applied VINs and date if the vehicle demonstrates a creak or pop noise coming from the left side of the car, particularly when the car is coming to a stop, accelerating from a stop, making a turn, going over a bump or driveway, or experiencing conditions causing the body to flex. Such a creak or popping noise may be caused by internal rocker panel brace making intermittent contact with the inside wall of the rocker panel (Figure 1).

SERVICE PROCEDURE

Diagnoses

1. Drive the vehicle under the same conditions that the customer says produces the noise. Any road surface or driving condition that makes the body flex should produce the creak or pop noise from the left rocker panel in the incident vehicle (see Figure 1).

2. In some cases the noise can be duplicated by simply pushing down on the rocker panel while the car is stopped and door open.

3. Incident diagnoses.

A. If the noise cannot be duplicated, using either step 1 or step 2 above, or it is determined that it does not originate in the left rocker panel close to the "A" pillar, this bulletin does not apply.

B. If the noise can be duplicated, using either step 1 or step 2 above, and is determined to come from the left rocker panel, use the procedures in this bulletin to repair the incident.

Repair

Use the following procedure to repair this incident:





1. Remove plastic door sill and carpet clips from rocker panel top area (see Figure 2). Use care since the parts will be reused.





2. Carefully remove the round black mask seal on the cabin side of the rocker panel to expose the round access hole (see Figure 3). Use care since the seal will be reused.





3. To see the location of the inner brace, shine a flashlight through the hole (b) on top of the rocker panel (see Figure 4) and look through hole (a).

4. Insert a screwdriver through hole (a) until it rests against the inner brace (see Figure 4).

5. Pry the inner brace forward, increasing clearance between it and the inside of the rocker panel.

6. Test drive to confirm noise is gone.

7. Spray an anti-corrosion paint through hole (a) to cover any scratches in the original anti-corrosion coating.

CAUTION:
Do not get overspray on the interior trim.

8. Reassemble floor trim.

PARTS INFORMATION

There are no parts required.

CLAIMS INFORMATION





Submit a Primary Operation (P0) line using the claims coding as shown.