Help: rolling ball sound on passenger side door
 

I have a sound which can be described as if a ball rolling inside my passenger side door. This only occur when I stopped quickly and when I accelerate quickly. There is nothing inside my side pocket. I wonder if there is something loose inside the door. My window works just fine and my car is 2001 Boxster S. I also would like to add is that the sound could be under the door but difficult to identify because I usually drive alone.

Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help in advance.

Regards,
Dai

There's no carpet under the seat. I once found a really nice snap-on screw driver under my driver's seat that was making noise when I'd make hard turns. I suppose it's something like a surgeon leaving a tool inside a patient, with less dire consequences.

You might look under the passenger's seat. Coins also can find their way out of the ash tray and under the center console, where they can find some metal to rattle around against. I think, in the end, you're going to have to take some things apart and look for loose bits.

This sound is definitely not under the seat and it is not something small. The sound is like a thumping sound. If you were to take a pool ball and roll it inside the door, this is what it sound like.

Like I said, you've got some disassembly to do.

You might want to have someone in the passenger seat when you do this to identify if this is in fact the door or something else.

Taking apart the door is pretty easy and there are plenty of websites that give detailed information on how to do it. You need a few different types of screwdrivers, but once you get that it takes around 20-40 minutes depending on how quickly you work.

There isn't much in there though, just a few wires, the window motor and the bass speaker at the end. Then again, there is plenty of space in there for something to get loose and move around.

Thanks Landlord, I will do just that. Once I am certain that it is inside my door, then I will take it apart.

Yeah deffinetly have a passenger direct you in the right direction, you don't want to be lead to more frustration by taking apart the wrong stuff, here's another simple yet easy thing to forget (I probably would in the situation) did you check both trunks to make sure nothing is loose in there and under the carpets? Hey worth a shot, and requires no disassembly

I had same problem. Never did find what or where it was coming from but one day on a hard turn it sounded like it left the car...( I know, sounds weird). I assumed it was some kind of debris that got hung up in the undercarrige, maybe on top of one of the plastic undertrays.

After first few times hearing the sound, I searched the door pocket as well as under the pass side seat where I did find a 1/4 full water bottle and a small screwdriver which I think were left from previous owner. You can imagine my disappointment and fustration a week later I heard the sound again.

At one point I did jack the car up and crawl under for a look-see but never got to the point of dissassembling the undertrays...

turbo23dog, you are the only one that have described the closest to the noise I'm experiencing. There are time it sounds like it is underneath the car and definitely the passenger side. I did checked both trunks and nothing that is loose. I looked in the Bentley service manual to see the diagram inside the door and I don't see anything that could possibly makes the sounds I'm hearing. When the snow and ice are gone from the road I might do like you said by taking a hard turn and see if it will loose whatever is making the noise. :-)

Now, was it hard left or hard right?

Sorry, can't remember if it was one way or the other on turns. I do remember that hard acceleration or hard braking definitely caused it.

Thanks turbo23dog. At least now I know I'm not alone.

Experiencing same issue
 

Dai,

I'm experiencing the same sound. Did you ever find out what was causing the rolling ball sound?

Thanks,
Greg