bmwe21.net forums

Ok, it seems that finally, it's when you start thinking of a problem that you can arrive to a solution...After this discussion started, I noticed that (as I wrote already) the sound(=noise) problem that bothers me is mainly coming from the dash and not form the suspension. (So the whole topic was wrong, sorry!!)
I managed to distinguish the noises, and understood that the sound of the suspension itself is not bad at all...
However, till I have to find a solution with my dash:
Once I pressed downwards with my hand (while I was applying some dash care product, but with more force than needed, obviously) on a part at the back of the dash (near the front window), and heard a noise like "crack", but no visible cracks appeared on the dash surface, so I thought "no problem" initially. But since then, my dash has kept producing awful noises at bumps and/or humps, as well as on bumpy roads...
This is a noise as if something has got out of place in there (see the description of the problem above)
Can anyone give me a solution to the problem? Someone perhaps that knows what is the exact situation back there, where the dash is mounted on the body?
Could this be a broken bracket or what?
Is it required to take the whole dash out in order to find and fix the problem??And how easy is it to do this?

getting the dash out ain't really the problem. its getting it off without breaking anything! u may as well do it n take your time, use furry tape on edges to soften the joints. you may as well get the cracks fixed and have the top recovered?

if you take the glove box off, you can see round the back of the dash..

Thanks for your advice, no cracks problems with my dash (car always garaged, the dash looks as new!!!)

If I take the glove box off, will I be able to reach the back to the centre of the dash? Because I believe that what's gone out of place (or broken) is in the centre (which means the left of the glove box area, let's say somewhere behind the center console, at least this is the part of the dash the noise I hear comes from...Oh, and...I think it's coming from just underneath the top of the centre of the dash...so I am not sure it will be easy to reach this area and see what hapens...I am going to give it a try though, this noise is very annoying)

By the way, I thought of editing the title of this thread as the subject actually changed (the problem is other than what I thought initially)

Hmmmm isn't there a dash removal topic somewhere, did you search? Perhaps something has come off and is now literally screaming to be fixed, could be one of the dash mounts (I'm quite sure someone posted a pic here showing all fixing points), perhaps a part of the heater or the vent tubes is out of place. To find it I think I'd start removing the centre console and glovebox and take it from there as then you can almost reach anywhere, and still be able to drive the car haha...

Thanks guys for replies and help, really!!
I'll give it a try (when I 'll find the time to do this is another issue, though...)

disconnect battery while your fishing around the back of dash. also helps if you have a mirror, a small hand / arm. when you take center console / glove box out then there is loads of room to see.

personally I think you have dislodged the screen vent duct.

As a person that has stripped two E21s down to bare shells, I’m always mightily impressed to the extent BMW went to when they designed the heating and ventilation. It’s very easy for one of the various ducts around the back of the dash to get dislodged. Remember that all those years of driving will have loosened the mounting screws for the dash, so it’s a good idea to (carefully) take off the glove box, trim panel under the driver’s side and centre console. Remember that the wiring for the console including the radio is on a separate harness so unplug from the rest of the dash wiring. You will have no problem getting to any of the screws round the back of the dash. And make sure you disconnect the battery before you start.

Now I am getting some good deal of courage to do this by myself...Judging be your replies (for which I thank you) it seems a not so difficult job to do..On the other hand, I am afraid I might do things worse in case I open the dash by myself...
I don't know, I may ask (and pay ) some specialist (=>my mechanic!!) to do this for me...

I think you should give it a try. It's one of the real joys with my e21 (and the e12) that I've managed to work on everyting myself. The e21 in particular can be fiddly and frustrating, but it's all logical and I'm yet to find a problem that can't be solved with a little help from the manual and some posts on the right forum

Post some picture up once you track down your noise.

Cheers

Well, if I manage to, you'll get my news...(And renewed thanks etc.!!)