2005 megane 225 rattle noise over bumps
Discussion
This is driving me mad! This noise i have heard from hundreds of cars in my life as they drive by over bumps, probably the most common rattly noise you hear on cars driving by you!
I get it from the front drivers wheel area only, it sounds like a heavy chain rattling on top of a piece of tin, it will just rattle for a second or two after a bump,every time.
Car has new drop links, ball joints, track rod ends, steering rack, wheel bearings etc.
Its not tinny enough to be exhaust shields, i know that sound and none of them are loose!Exhaust seems secure, struts, springs are fine, looking for the more 'obscure' sources/suggestions?
I actually thought i nailed it today, intercooler was off one of its mounts, aircon condenser was also off its mounts?
Rattling them by hand it sounded exactly like my noise! But no alas.
I get it from the front drivers wheel area only, it sounds like a heavy chain rattling on top of a piece of tin, it will just rattle for a second or two after a bump,every time.
Car has new drop links, ball joints, track rod ends, steering rack, wheel bearings etc.
Its not tinny enough to be exhaust shields, i know that sound and none of them are loose!Exhaust seems secure, struts, springs are fine, looking for the more 'obscure' sources/suggestions?
I actually thought i nailed it today, intercooler was off one of its mounts, aircon condenser was also off its mounts?
Rattling them by hand it sounded exactly like my noise! But no alas.
Have you checked the anti-twist links (they look like droplinks - go from the hub to the wishbone).
I had something similar and it was the shock top nut. Torqued to spec, but that wasn't enough. With the car on stands and a jack under the arm allowed me to simulate suspension movement and find it.
I had something similar and it was the shock top nut. Torqued to spec, but that wasn't enough. With the car on stands and a jack under the arm allowed me to simulate suspension movement and find it.
Jakg said:
Have you checked the anti-twist links (they look like droplinks - go from the hub to the wishbone).
I had something similar and it was the shock top nut. Torqued to spec, but that wasn't enough. With the car on stands and a jack under the arm allowed me to simulate suspension movement and find it.
I've replaced those, the short little drop links. I've heard a lot of people mention strut top mounts,i've never driven a car with dodgy strut top mounts so have no idea of sound, i just can't see them making this particular noise, but i maybe wro, cars can transmit sounds around the chassis. I had something similar and it was the shock top nut. Torqued to spec, but that wasn't enough. With the car on stands and a jack under the arm allowed me to simulate suspension movement and find it.
This just sounds like something loose and rattling, i was convinced the things i found would crack it, just seemed so right! I'll check out what you said though, thanks.
As of today now four new drop links on, anti roll bar bushes ok, strut tops not loose, springs fine, no brake backing discs on front to check.
Thought i discovered something else, undertray has been missing since i bought it but noticed one retaining bolt was still there for the tray with a bit if undertray plastic still on it, this was rattling about! , and being in a hollow subframe part was exactly like the noise would have been like, but drove up the road after removing this bolt and it's still doing it??
I've grabbed and shook everything i can see underneath the car, it's such an obvious, loose, rattling noise, like a bracket or something.
I'm going to renew exhaust mounts just to rule that out, although you can move exhaust all ways and no loose bracket noise.
If i hit a speed bump no noise, but when i land after the bump that's when you get the rattle for a second?
Thought i discovered something else, undertray has been missing since i bought it but noticed one retaining bolt was still there for the tray with a bit if undertray plastic still on it, this was rattling about! , and being in a hollow subframe part was exactly like the noise would have been like, but drove up the road after removing this bolt and it's still doing it??
I've grabbed and shook everything i can see underneath the car, it's such an obvious, loose, rattling noise, like a bracket or something.
I'm going to renew exhaust mounts just to rule that out, although you can move exhaust all ways and no loose bracket noise.
If i hit a speed bump no noise, but when i land after the bump that's when you get the rattle for a second?
Edited by robbocop33 on Saturday 19th May 17:53
robbocop33 said:
As of today now four new drop links on, anti roll bar bushes ok, strut tops not loose, springs fine, no brake backing discs on front to check.
Thought i discovered something else, undertray has been missing since i bought it but noticed one retaining bolt was still there for the tray with a bit if undertray plastic still on it, this was rattling about! , and being in a hollow subframe part was exactly like the noise would have been like, but drove up the road after removing this bolt and it's still doing it??
I've grabbed and shook everything i can see underneath the car, it's such an obvious, loose, rattling noise, like a bracket or something.
I'm going to renew exhaust mounts just to rule that out, although you can move exhaust all ways and no loose bracket noise.
If i hit a speed bump no noise, but when i land after the bump that's when you get the rattle for a second?
I hope you get it sorted. Let me know if you figure out what the noise is. I had a really annoying squeaky noise only when coming down from speed bumps. It was so annoying I was changing everything. It got to a point where my friend told me to strap a GoPro under the car and replicate the noise. I kept playing the noise back and changing where I put the GoPro to find the loudest spot where I put it which narrowed it down to my front anti roll bar bushes. Bushes became dry. They were only 6months old so I just ignored the fact they were the culprit. Using a recording device of some sort may help?Thought i discovered something else, undertray has been missing since i bought it but noticed one retaining bolt was still there for the tray with a bit if undertray plastic still on it, this was rattling about! , and being in a hollow subframe part was exactly like the noise would have been like, but drove up the road after removing this bolt and it's still doing it??
I've grabbed and shook everything i can see underneath the car, it's such an obvious, loose, rattling noise, like a bracket or something.
I'm going to renew exhaust mounts just to rule that out, although you can move exhaust all ways and no loose bracket noise.
If i hit a speed bump no noise, but when i land after the bump that's when you get the rattle for a second?
Edited by robbocop33 on Saturday 19th May 17:53
Well, chasing my tail here. Guy on a Renault forum posted a clip of the noise his Megane was making, it was identical to mine!
He even took his car to Renault and they couldn't trace it!
I've checked and replaced everything, to more accurately describe the noise it's like two pieces of 3mm metal plate rattling against each other for a second or so after a bump.
You swear by how loud it is you would jack up the car and go oh, there it is!
Intersting thing i read earlier, and being unfamiliar with it it just 'looks' weird, is there are two arms that come from the bottom of the radiator mount that go towards the main under engine subframe, but they stop just before the main subframe and don't bolt to them at all?. It just doesn't look right, yet i've heard technically there should be a 10mm gap between these as part of an impact/crumple zone thingy??
My gaps seem a bit smaller, don't know if this can cause rattling but im going to look into it more tomorrow evening.
He even took his car to Renault and they couldn't trace it!
I've checked and replaced everything, to more accurately describe the noise it's like two pieces of 3mm metal plate rattling against each other for a second or so after a bump.
You swear by how loud it is you would jack up the car and go oh, there it is!
Intersting thing i read earlier, and being unfamiliar with it it just 'looks' weird, is there are two arms that come from the bottom of the radiator mount that go towards the main under engine subframe, but they stop just before the main subframe and don't bolt to them at all?. It just doesn't look right, yet i've heard technically there should be a 10mm gap between these as part of an impact/crumple zone thingy??
My gaps seem a bit smaller, don't know if this can cause rattling but im going to look into it more tomorrow evening.
podwin said:
I had this on a Megane, it was the heat shield above the exhaust.
You don't really see it because it is sandwiched between the floor and the exhaust, so gets overlooked.
And it is just two pieces of metal clanging together.
Heat shields are all fine, first thing i checked! :-) I've heard heat shields before rattling and the sound i'm getting is a denser metal rattling sound. Heat shields have a very distinctive sound which i'm familiar with. You don't really see it because it is sandwiched between the floor and the exhaust, so gets overlooked.
And it is just two pieces of metal clanging together.
I'd be looking at the strut top mounts - no real way to check this manually as you can't simulate the compression of the spring and loading of the mount. You could take the strut off and look for and scuffing/rubbing where the spring seat is but even then there can be no signs.
Also, worthwhile checking the springs again - breaks can sometimes be difficult to see without removing the whole strut. If all else has been checked properly and it only happens on bumps you need to be looking in the spring/strut area.
Also, worthwhile checking the springs again - breaks can sometimes be difficult to see without removing the whole strut. If all else has been checked properly and it only happens on bumps you need to be looking in the spring/strut area.
Gerradi said:
I have a similar sound on a megane, but it also makes a noise when you turn the wheel when stationary...I'm taking the strut off this week end & will let you know. I have already replaced the lower arm & Drop link.
Turning the wheel when stationary and getting noises in your case can be a few things,look up the wheel well area towards the top of the strut while someone turns the steering from side to side, if the spring/strut starts turning, then jams, then jerks again to moving that could be strut top bearing in your case. I actual found'another' loose bracket bolt just inside the wheel arch liner, i heard it rattling when i battered the subframe with my fist(so close to doing this with my head!), tightened it, went up the road and still this loud rattle.
https://instaud.io/2e3i
Don't know if this will work, although i was only doing about 15mph wind noise is bad, block that out your mind and around the 9,10 second you will hear the noise clearest, but you'll hear the noise again often later too.
Don't know if this will work, although i was only doing about 15mph wind noise is bad, block that out your mind and around the 9,10 second you will hear the noise clearest, but you'll hear the noise again often later too.
Antirollbar bushings and brackets can loosen up as they wear. Have you checked that the bracket is tight? Also I had a scraping noise on my antiroll bar bushes that looked fine and pretty much new but the noise went away when I replaced them. They looked perfectly normal until I took them off and all the rubber was scratched inside of the rubber which created a scratching noise.
Have you checked the strut top mount is tight? No leaks in the shock absorbers or any play with in the bolts holding the shock absorber in place?
Have you checked the strut top mount is tight? No leaks in the shock absorbers or any play with in the bolts holding the shock absorber in place?
Jakg said:
A common Megane 225 issue is that the rack bolts can come loose. Perhaps this is something you should check?
You won't like how much I think you need to remove to fix it, though - I think the tightening torque is something like 180nm.
I actually just fitted a new rack a couple of weeks ago! :-) i had heard about the problem you mention though. I checked the antiroll bar bushes while i was in there. You won't like how much I think you need to remove to fix it, though - I think the tightening torque is something like 180nm.
So many people have mentioned strut top mounts to me, all nuts are tight at the top, strut bearing turns smoothly and there doesn't seem to be any side to side play, however up and down play causing a rattle is kind of hard for me to test.
I've ordered a new strut top just to rule that out. Thanks for replies so far!
So, another week has passed and i've been to another 3 garages(that's 5 in total) and none of them have found a thing wrong, been under it several times myself taking 'hours' looking, i was even that desperate last night i took it into Kwik-Fit to get them to drive it and check it over!!
Every single suspension component has been throuroughly checked several times now and nothing found.
I have now personally found 8 things i was 90 percent sure were the cause of it, including a loose part of heatshield(knew it wasn't that anyway) i've replaced all exhaust mounts, regardless of condition, found a brake pipe that was rattling around at rear against subframe, found intercooler, radiator were off their mounts etc!
Loose bolts, screws here and there. Anyway, Kwik-Fit did put one thing into my mind, it's at the rear, contrary to what i thought!
I've checked caliper mounts and pad clips, upper, lower rear shock mounts and springs, all brackets no matter what type, it just goes on and on, i get back in the car after all this and this bloody rattle is still there, people turn around on the street hearing it! , wtf? It's just such a bloody loud loose, metallic rattle!
If i torched the bloody thing and got a local scrappy to crush into one of these neat little squares, would that do it??
Every single suspension component has been throuroughly checked several times now and nothing found.
I have now personally found 8 things i was 90 percent sure were the cause of it, including a loose part of heatshield(knew it wasn't that anyway) i've replaced all exhaust mounts, regardless of condition, found a brake pipe that was rattling around at rear against subframe, found intercooler, radiator were off their mounts etc!
Loose bolts, screws here and there. Anyway, Kwik-Fit did put one thing into my mind, it's at the rear, contrary to what i thought!
I've checked caliper mounts and pad clips, upper, lower rear shock mounts and springs, all brackets no matter what type, it just goes on and on, i get back in the car after all this and this bloody rattle is still there, people turn around on the street hearing it! , wtf? It's just such a bloody loud loose, metallic rattle!
If i torched the bloody thing and got a local scrappy to crush into one of these neat little squares, would that do it??
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