I own a 2006 Pontiac Vibe which began making a rattling noise a few weeks ago every morning when I start the engine. It only happens in the morning when I leave for work. When I start the engine to go home at the end of the work day, it does not rattle. It sounds like loose ball bearings under the hood, and it only rattles when I’m turning the wheel and/or applying brakes as I back out of my driveway. After a few miles the rattling disappears, so it seems to be related to the engine temperature. After reading another blog thread on this web site, I thought that the rattling noise could be caused by (1) a loose heat shield, (2) the Bendix gear inside the starter, or (3) the VVTI Cam controller. I’ve driven the car onto blocks and crawled under it, but couldn’t find any obvious loose heat shield or panels. The fact that the noise is more pronounced when I’m turning the wheel or applying the brakes makes me skeptical about noise source #2 and #3. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Otherwise, I’ll just have to take my car to a mechanic and hope that he can solve my problem at a reasonable price.
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