rattle

[lugbolt]

Driving me crazy. I cannot for the life of me find this rattle.

22 ecoboost A10 premium.

At idle in gear only, rattle sounds like under the car. More of a low pitch rattle, as if something were hitting the floorboard. Yet, I get under it and can't see or hear anything rattling. ONLY at low idle (around 750rpm) and only in gear. If I touch the throttle to increase RPM just a shade, say 50 RPM, the rattle goes away. When cooled off I can wiggle the exhaust tailpipes but can't hear any rattling from underneath. Granted I'm trying to do this alone at home in the dirt but you get the idea.

Any ideas or shared experiences?

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[MiamiGT350]

I have seen a few users post about a sticker on the driveshaft being loose and slapping the tunnel. Maybe this is what you are hearing?

 

[KingKona]

 

[Linkster1666]

Sticker on the drive line slapping the tunnel usually. Take it back to the dealer, make them check the oil, the transmission fluid, and remove the sticker. Get visual verification of each.

 

[Daryl333]

Have you checked all the heatshields?

 

[Ben James]

I’ve got a similar issue which is a rattle/clunking which sounds like metal on plastic thudding coming seemingly from the rear wheel wells (but can’t hear it from outside), whenever I go over small potholes. Sounds almost like a panel under the car is a bit loose but I’ve checked all of the suspension components and subframe and they are all tight.

so far I’ve checked:

- Side skirts for missing/loose Xmas tree clips
- Driveline for loose/off centre bushes
- brake lines and attachment points for contact on wheel well surface
- trunk area internally for weld point creaks and components are all tight/wrapped in soundproofing.
- exhaust system hangers are tight and bushes have very little play
- wheel well liners are clean and there’s nothing beneath that looks loose or is making contact.
- drove around with all of the interior panels and door cards removed including c-pillar, b-pillar (was soundproofing at the same time) with no change to the sound.

sometimes when I floor it the sound seems to stop but I’m not sure whether it’s just that the exhaust is so loud I can’t hear it

I can’t feel any bump through the chassi at the same time as the sound and the car rides tight and smooth so I’m skeptical whether it’s a torn toe or camber joint, although I have lowered the car about 1.5’ all round on coilovers so it could of put a bit of extra strain on the system.

it’s driving me crazy! The sound normally appears when I’m cruising over small bumps and is loudest when the suspension takes the bump with not much weight transfer into the cabin (if you can make out what I mean). It really sounds like a part of the unsprung mass is to blame but I can’t seem to find anything out of place. I’ve even upgraded the sway bar links to see if that was the cause.

Hope someone finds out what it is soon before I go into a mental asylum

 

[ice445]

Lift car and start hitting things with a rubber Mallett, lol. Also check the trans dust cover very carefully. It's a plate between the bell housing and the engine and its thin steel.

 

[Ben James]

Lift car and start hitting things with a rubber Mallett, lol. Also check the trans dust cover very carefully. It's a plate between the bell housing and the engine and its thin steel.

yep I’ve found that on the past and I’ve deadened it with Dynamat, as well as all of the exhaust heat shrouds at the same time as the headers and exhaust went on. The sound wasn’t apparent until after I did a major car audio install which put about 80 pounds extra in the rear… maybe I’ve just pushed the suspension too far…

 

[Ben James]

Ok I’m officially going insane, got the ass up again looking for that elusive rattling!!!

geez I hope I find something…. Something easy and cheap…

 

[17gt_charlotte]

Possibly rattle coming from the emergency brake? I’ve heard it can come loose over time and obviously it would then rattle.

 

[lugbolt]

a drive shaft sticker would rattle while in motion only. Mine does it sitting still, in gear with zero movement.

I'd have it on the lift right now if the lift was freed up....you outta see my shop. FULL (customer's stuff).

does not make any difference if the park brake is on or off. I leave it engaged (lever up) and in gear, while I'm trying to isolate it under the car. Can't hear it under the hood, under the sides, or under the trunk area. In fact I can't hear it at all outside the car. Kinda drives me nuts that I can't find a small (yet annoying) clunking/rattling.....

I'll probably run it by the dealer and have them look at it as I just don't have space or time to mess with it at the house.

 

[lugbolt]

update and a fix. Called dealer and they were backed up. It was time for an oil change anyway so I pulled it up on my lift and did that. While under it I started looking at stuff. Exhaust had a rattle. Behind the transmission the exhaust system has a rubber hanger. The rubber hanger's holes are a little larger than the two pins that it sits on (one pin on the exhaust, one is the actual hanger that is bolted to the body). Because of the larger hole size, there was some "slop" between the pins and the rubber isolator. I removed the rubber, wrapped a little bit of silicone tape around each of the pins and then slid the rubber back on. Rattle solved.

It wasn't a huge issue, just annoying. Simple fix too. I'm sure Ford would have replaced the hanger assembly. And they still may want to, that's up to them. But for now it's quiet as a church mouse again. Some might say turn up the radio. I don't listen to it very often, but yes a few times that was the best alternative. But I could still "feel" it through the seat. Annoying.

 

[bpstang]

What?

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