I need help on where to look for a rattle coming from the rear of my 2005 300c. The rattle happens at low speed over bumps with and without the brakes being applied. I'm just looking for some places to start looking for what could be the problem.
I'm having a similar issue. In my case, it's a muted dull thudding clunking rattling sound - not loud or particularly harsh. It happens at all speeds, brakes on or off. Sounds like an exhaust pipe or muffler banging against something, but I checked the exhaust and found it to be tight and well clearanced from all surrounding parts, so that's not it.
The dealer took a cursory look the other day, and thought maybe the bumper cover was loose and causing the sound. Indeed, the bumper cover is loose as it is not positively secured to anything at the bottom and is free to flex and rattle, so I tested the theory by stuffing a towel between the cover and the bumper itself to prevent movement, but the noise persisted. Also thought it might have been the spare tire or the cover on the trunk floor. The tire and everything in the trunk well is tight and secure, and I removed the cover, but again, the noise persisted.
I am going back to the dealer on Tuesday so they can take their time hunting for the source of the noise, but if any of you have had an experience with this and can point me in the right direction, I would appreciate your input.
My car is stock - SRT Design with factory 20" wheels, factory suspension, etc. No work has been done on the car at all- no suspension work, no body work, nothing.
Could it be the swaybar bushings or end links? I haven't had the problem with the front bushings/links that so many of you have had, so I don't know what that sounds like and thus can't make a comparison. But the rear swaybar setup, I think, is similar to the front.
Well, I have the same as dhoolwerf, and did the same stuffed towel routine... I am convinced it is the shock absorbing assy under the bumper cover as I can push in on the bumper and it makes a loose noise under there, really bad rattle on the right side when I do it... I had to wait for my wife to come home from some family stuff, and hope to take another ride in my trunk with all the carpet and (spare) tire removed again. Mine is in that area, and I will ride with the trunk lid open in a parking lot and hold various parts of the bumper to test my theory. I plan on taking the rear bumper off after that and working some magic if I am sure that is the area after my next test ride...
but other noises have come from end links... shock mounts loose... lower bushings on coil-overs failing and the shock bouncing against the lower arm... maybe a failed or loose sway bar bushing along the cradle... any of the many bushings on the suspension failing.. the rear deck and speakers... and the trunk-lid bouncing....
But if you can ride in the trunk and it sounds like it is in the rear of the car well behind the axle centerline, then I would suspect the bumper assy at some point
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My name is Steve, but you can call me Cueball.
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Hey Cueball,
Thanks for your input. Let me know what you find out, and I'll do the same. The dealer said they would put chassis ears underneath to try to locate the sound, so I am hopeful that they'll be able to pinpoint and correct it.
The dealer used chassis ears and narrowed the noise down to a faulty shock absorber- Nivomat self-levelling shock. Part on order, should be fixed next week.
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