VE Door Seal Creak

[lmoengnr]

Any ideas?

You haven't had the windscreen replaced?

 

[WreckWren]

You haven't had the windscreen replaced?

I have not in the time I've owned the car.
EDIT: looking through some forum posts I'm surprised to see the windscreen can creak in some of these cars.
Still, according to posts in here, it seems it's common at the top of the windscreen.
This sound seems like it's lower down than that, though I will have a play with the screen tonight and see what I can find.
Thanks for the tip.

Update: had a chance to mess with it a bit; found a teensy tiny noise if I press very hard from inside at the center of the driver's side edge of the screen. After reading the thread linked above, I did as they did and applied a penetrating lubricant to the seam with the seal removed. Will update after the drive home later.

 

[WreckWren]

Nope - not the windshield. Exactly the same with or without lubrication.
This bloody thing is driving me mad!

 

[WreckWren]

Still no improvement, can't seem to localise it any further but it's definitely in the a pillar on drivers side.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Re-reading this, I’m still going with worn door hinge pin or worn check strap pin.

When the door is closed any flex goes to two areas. The latch and the door hinge pins. You are confident the striker is good. So a worn hinge pin would be the next weak point.

Also the mirror is worth checking.

You’ve had the door trim off to inspect the door inside? Inspect the door actuator assembly. Ensure it’s torqued to spec.

 

[WreckWren]

Re-reading this, I’m still going with worn door hinge pin or worn check strap pin.

When the door is closed any flex goes to two areas. The latch and the door hinge pins. You are confident the striker is good. So a worn hinge pin would be the next weak point.

Also the mirror is worth checking.

You’ve had the door trim off to inspect the door inside? Inspect the door actuator assembly. Ensure it’s torqued to spec.

I've greased the hinge pins, though obviously as they're a bolt-in part worst case I could replace one. There is a click on opening the door, but I'd be surprised if that's the source of the noise with the door latched closed. Are you sure this could be the cause? If it is I'll track down a good replacement and go through the procedure to fit it.

I've had the trim off for a drive and the noise sounded the same, indicating the issue is localised to the A-pillar. I've replaced the main door seal and the upper outer seal to no avail. I've also replaced all the clips on the door jam trim.
I've taken the mirror off entirely and gone for a drive, sadly same result.

 

[Fu Manchu]

The other thing before going further is absolutely eliminate any possible front right suspension issues. The noise of a worn bush or damaged strut top will refer through the body and appear as a sound somewhere else.

Our front right strut top was buggered and that was a sound similar to your description. Lower control arm bush, sway bar bush all could be interpreted as coming from the A-pillar area.

 

[WreckWren]

The other thing before going further is absolutely eliminate any possible front right suspension issues. The noise of a worn bush or damaged strut top will refer through the body and appear as a sound somewhere else.

Our front right strut top was buggered and that was a sound similar to your description. Lower control arm bush, sway bar bush all could be interpreted as coming from the A-pillar area.

I've just replaced the front struts and top bushings with KYB & superpro. No improvement.
I think you may be on the money with the hinges.
Can the hinge pins be replaced without replacing the hinge as a whole? If so might be best to just do it anyway for maintenance purposes.

 

[Fu Manchu]

On VE the whole hinge needs to be replaced. That will require some planning, some nifty spray can skills. Some guidance.

There is the factory manual you can download for the instructions for the job there once the side bar is enabled for navigation of the document.

 

[lmoengnr]

I've just replaced the front struts and top bushings with KYB & superpro. No improvement.
I think you may be on the money with the hinges.
Can the hinge pins be replaced without replacing the hinge as a whole? If so might be best to just do it anyway for maintenance purposes.

Which SuperPro strut tops were fitted?
Polylast or urethane?