Mystery noise...

[CAMOGIRL]

I have this rattle in my car, sounds like from the front end, it only happens on a brick road, so it's like it's from vibration, not from any big bumps. I know this is going to sound similar if you have read the post a few slots down from this one, but my rattle is not quiet, it's obnoxious and echoes off the houses. It does happen under similar circumstances, but it seems that the other post is limited to only 2G Vibes. I looked around underneath, but since i only know what the underneath of a ten year old Vibe looks like, I haven't got a clue what could be out of place, I zipped up the plastic thing, with no hope that it would help since the rattle is very obviously metallic. I made a video today, for reference, the sound appears at 0:47 and continues intermittently. The louder sound when i turn at the end is not related, just a wet dirty street lol. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...layerANY help here identifying this noise is greatly appreciated!

[KITT222]

It sounds like something metal. My dad thinks it may be a broken exhaust hangar. He says to get under the car and move around the exhaust to see if anything is loose.

[Salsa Guy]

Can you tell where it may be coming from? Front, Rear, under???

[CAMOGIRL]

It definitely sounds like it's coming from the front, it sounds like maybe on drivers side, I don't ear it well if I put ds window up an ps window down...

[star_deceiver]

Have you checked: Exhaust manifold heat shield? All the plastic wheel well connections? Disc brake splash shields?

[ou.grizzly]

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »Have you checked: Exhaust manifold heat shield? This.... Heat shield

[CAMOGIRL]

Got a photo or graphic description for me?

[wallyuwl]

If you look behind the engine (between the engine and firewall) in the middle of the vehicle you'll see the exhaust manifold heat shield. It is a trapezoidal piece of sheet metal. In the middle of it you'll see the pre catalytic converter oxygen sensor protruding outward with a wire running from it to the right (drivers side). The heat shield is separate from this and has a hole in it so the oxygen sensor can screw into the exhaust manifold. There are four bolts that secure the exhaust manifold. Make sure those are tight. You might need to spray a little BP Blaster or similar on it and let it sit a bit to be able to loosen/tighten the bolts. If I remember correctly they are metric, 12mm.

[CAMOGIRL]

Quote, originally posted by wallyuwl »If you look behind the engine (between the engine and firewall) in the middle of the vehicle you'll see the exhaust manifold heat shield. It is a trapezoidal piece of sheet metal. In the middle of it you'll see the pre catalytic converter oxygen sensor protruding outward with a wire running from it to the right (drivers side). The heat shield is separate from this and has a hole in it so the oxygen sensor can screw into the exhaust manifold. There are four bolts that secure the exhaust manifold. Make sure those are tight. You might need to spray a little BP Blaster or similar on it and let it sit a bit to be able to loosen/tighten the bolts. If I remember correctly they are metric, 12mm. good info, thanks! I'll poke around that this morning!As for exhaust, I pulled on the tailpipe and got a nice black paw, lol, and I was under it the other day wiggling it around and smacking on the cat to see if that was the rattle since I'm currently trying to track down the p0420 as well. Both of the rubber hangers down there are secure, and it didnt want to wiggle very much either way, and only made a nice hollow banging on metal sound.. I suppose that means its not the cat.

[Zimm]

are those hubcaps? i find i get all manner of rattle noises from my hubcaps when the plastic lug nut covers work their way loose, which seems to happen about every 6 months.

[06pvibe]

Just shooting plastic ducks here, but I suppose it could also be an upper strut bearing on its last legs?

[CAMOGIRL]

Quote, originally posted by Zimm »are those hubcaps? i find i get all manner of rattle noises from my hubcaps when the plastic lug nut covers work their way loose, which seems to happen about every 6 months.Nope, I have the stock alloys. I WISH it was that easy to track down.Quote, originally posted by 06pvibe »Just shooting plastic ducks here, but I suppose it could also be an upper strut bearing on its last legs? I was going to get on here and ask about struts.. I'm not sure if they've ever been replaced, This sound is definitely directional, I went up the street on one side with both windows down, and heard it well, so I put DS window up and barely heard it, then put down DS window and put up PS window and heard it very loud. I tried it on the same stretch of street going both directions to make sure it wasnt a change in the echo off specific houses, and got the same result... it's directionally located around the drivers side front quadrant of the car. Is the strut bearing a part of the strut itself? or something the strut attaches TO?BTW, found a strut test how to, going to go see what comes of it.EDIT: Heat shield firmly in place, it was contacting the firewall barely, so I bent it off of there a little bit, but not touching anything else, and same results in sound.

[06pvibe]

The strut bearing is what allows the strut assembly to turn when steering the car.It is part of the strut assembly, when all together, but can be replaced seperately of the dampener (shock, if you will.) That is usually called the strut insert, though there are many different configurations of that design. Some fit into a seperate tube that usually houses the spring land, while others (inserts) take on a double duty, such as include the spring land. Such is the case with my Mazda3.What we know as MacPhearson struts are actually the whole assembly and their all-in-one design, and how they work to support and steer the car.Does that answer your question?But I am not getting a good idea of what kind sound you are hearing, just where its generally located? So this is just one possibility.

[CAMOGIRL]

You weren't able to hear it in the video?

[jkm311]

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »Disc brake splash shields?This was my guess. The pitch is high in the vid, and sounds like it could only come from a thin metal, at that. It has to be something with just enough "give" against another metal object, which would explain why she doesn't hear it on smoother roads. The vibration and jostling isn't there, just on the repeated gaps in the brick, and it doesn't make the sound over big bumps. Only on surfaces that would vibrate everything repeatedly, for a long while. Interesting that it doesn't start right away in the first :40.I've only noticed the splash shields when tending to my tires, brakes and switching my winters on and off. I always wondered if those could come loose, so maybe you're blazing a trail for all of us, Alicia. Hope you figure out what it is soon.

[star_deceiver]

Here is the rear disc brake shield on my Vibe. The ones on the front are similar and surround the back of the rotor. If they're rusted out or loose they can vibrate and make the weird noise you're hearing. You should be easily able to grab one by reaching through the rim or from behind, pull/twist/shake and try to move it. It should be firmly in place and not budge or vibrate at all.

Attached files

[06pvibe]

Ooops! Missed the video entirely.It does sound like a heat shiled of some sort. thin metal as SD stated.Perhaps the heat shield above the catalytic converter? Or the brake dust shield also previously suggested, but thin metal rattling on something a bit more substantial.

[CAMOGIRL]

Its definitely thin metal on metal, I took the extension from my floor jack and let it thump on, then come to rest against the edge of the heat sheild, and KINDA reproduced the noise. I'm looking for something similar for sure! I'm off to check behind the tire now, thanks for the search image, it greatly helps when you have no idea what all those doohickeys and thingamajigs are called lol.

[CAMOGIRL]

OK ALL of the splash guards are on securely and does not appear that there is anything between them to rattle against. there was a rock in the "dish" that the springs come down into, I removed that, but no change when I went to the store, as I expected. The only other thing I can guess is that it has something to do with the fact that the car was sideswiped on that corner. There is still some evidence, some misalignment of pieces. EDIT: FOUND THE NOISE!! You guys were right about the splash guard, but it is firmly in place. I was poking around it and feeling to see if there was anything stuck, and at the bottom where it ducks under the caliper a bit, it would touch the caliper at the slightest thing... so I squeezed it away a bit, careful to keep distance between the guard and the rotor. I drove down the brick road and heard it once, on a large jostle, went home and then had to go back just to make sure. It didn't do it at all! Im not saying its totally fixed, but I know whats doing it. I need to probably take off the wheel and investigate, and they will be off soon enough for painting. THANKS for the detective work friends!!

[06pvibe]

Awesome!!

[jkm311]

Glad that's what it was! Just seemed to be something that thin, judging from the high pitch. And I'm hoping that was simply a result of the damage that the car had, and it was just bent a bit in the wrong direction. The next time you're getting your brakes done or tires rotated, ask someone to check in there to see if everything is aligned correctly. Hate to think something more major is out of wack, but I think your steering/ride would be rough and easier to diagnose.

[star_deceiver]

Glad you found it!

[CAMOGIRL]

Quote, originally posted by jkm311 »The next time you're getting your brakes done or tires rotated, ask someone to check in there to see if everything is aligned correctly. Hate to think something more major is out of wack, but I think your steering/ride would be rough and easier to diagnose. Totally. D'you think it could be a result of needing to change the pads? The brakes squeak when I let off and just as I step on, didn't think that was the squeak indicator, but maybe it is??

[jkm311]

Honestly, it could be anything. From just needing new rotors/pads, to your caliper (and subsequently, your caliper's bolts) not aligned/tightened correctly, due to the shield vibrating against it to rapidly. Those brake assemblies are designed to withstand torture, so the shield might not be contributing to the squeak as much as the previous damage you spoke of on that side. If you're due for brakes, it could be just that simple. I just wanted to suggest a mechanic take a second look at all the other critical parts for alignment issues. In fact, if you haven't done so, schedule an alignment, too. You know, just to get everything buttoned up.