Low pitch squeak over bumps

[MakaveliX]

Last week I noticed a low pitch squeak going over bumps ( mainly smaller ones ) sounded like something in the boot was moving around but it's not that as I took everything out of the boot and it continues.

If I bounce up and down on every corner of the car I hear no noises from the outside whatsoever so I'd assume nothing wrong with the shock absorber or coil springs

Seems worse when going slowly over bumps

I will try lubricating some of the exhaust mounts later with silicone lubricant but want to know what the cause could be ?

Car is a 2017 Mazda 3

Thanks

Edited by MakaveliX on Wednesday 14th December 07:14

Edited by MakaveliX on Wednesday 14th December 13:48

[MakaveliX]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Suspension drop link or anti rollbar Bush has failed/is failing.

Will probably develop into a clunk over bumps.

Shouldn't be too much of a drama to get fixed. And decent garage.

OK thanks.

Never had the tracking done on the car and was intending on getting it done soon. Is that something they'd look at as part of the tracking ?


Few months back I did clip a kerb when a car got too close to my offside which may have something to do with it ?

[MakaveliX]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Get it done before you get the tracking done. It could be contributing to the tracking being out, so if you get the tracking done without fixing it, you've wasted your cash.

Literally any back street garage that does MOT will be able to sort you out. I say does MOT because they tend not to be cowboys.

I'm fairly sure the tracking is fine, wheel sits at 12oclock, returns back to position fine and the car doesn't steer to one side.

I'll take your advice then. I'll be getting the pads changed in January so I'll get the mechanic to look at the drop links and sway bar bushing then.

[MakaveliX]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Yeah, it's not desperately urgent, I don't expect. If there's no uneven tyre wear and it isn't pulling, what makes you think tracking needs doing?

Just as a regular check to make sure all is in order. Clipped the kerb over a month ago, noise started last Thursday so again may not be related.

[MakaveliX]

Surely if there was anything amiss with the suspension components, then by rocking the car on each corner you'd hear an audible noise from the outside on whichever is causing it ?

Just got under the car and the drop links seem fine, no obvious play in them and the bushings look fine.

Edited by MakaveliX on Wednesday 14th December 11:52

[MakaveliX]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Yes, because the car is stationary and they are bearing a static weight. It's when you go over a bump that the loads change and you get a noise.

An MOT garage will put it on their wobble plates or will crowbar different loads into the bushes to check.

Ok fair enough. It is most noticeable with the windows up. If I put the windows down I don't hear anything.

I know nobody can diagnose anything over the Internet but thanks for the information.

I'll get it looked at in the new year when I get me brakes done

[MakaveliX]

I like to keep the parts on my car OEM ( Mazda official ) As I don't want the indy to put cheap aftermarket parts on it which could affect the handling negatively

Is it likely that when I get my pads changed, the independent garage can diagnose anything not right with the suspension components, and I then take it to Mazda to have whichever part is faulty replaced by them ?

Obviously if its just a bushing then I'd be happy for the indy to replace that.

Edited by MakaveliX on Wednesday 14th December 18:23

[MakaveliX]

QJumper said:

Or you could do what I do, which is buy the OEM parts myself and get my local garage to fit them.

Good point. One garage around here does offer that service, but they let me down in the past by causing issues on me car. My go-to garage is excellent but not sure I can provide the parts for them to fit.

In regards to OEM parts, is the best place ebay ?

Suppose I will have to wait until they look at it, then I can make a decision afterwards based on what needs doing

I have checked the drop links and they seem fine. Springs look fine too. Only a brief look underneath the car as I have no axle stands

[MakaveliX]

Mechanic said bushings all look fine, no play in any of the suspension components. Even took It for a drive and said nothing to worry about. Also lubricated some of the bushings

He did say the noise I described to him could be from the inside of a anti roll bar bushing but wasn't willing to dismantle stuff as everything looked ok

Thankfully the noise has subsided a bit so I'm happy with that, providing the car is safe to drive and there's no play in anything that's fine by me

Edited by MakaveliX on Thursday 22 December 05:27

[MakaveliX]

Yeah trying to ignore it but still does me head in.

The only thing which makes a difference is the temperature, the colder it is the more I notice it.

Everything looks fine regarding the suspension at the rear but the noise persists which is frustrating.

The day it started was when I went over a bump a bit too fast and when it was very cold... but surely that would have damaged the front suspension more than the rear due to the much heavier weight load at the front

Doubt its anything to do with the anti rollbar otherwise I'd hear it round tight bends and uneven roads.

It's usually only when going over flat, even, speed bumps at low speed. Higher speed = no noise

Edited by MakaveliX on Monday 16th January 15:47

[MakaveliX]

trevalvole said:

When I had a Mazda2, there was a noise from the rear of the car - it was the folding rear seat back that wasn't secured properly. Folding it and then firmly moving it back into place fixed it. Have you checked things like that?

Yeah checked everything. On the Mazda forum there's another member with the same noise who is trying to get to the bottom of it.

Sometimes sounds like someone thumping the rear of the car once over slow speed humps.

I personally think it is the shock absorber itself as the coil spring, drop link, anti-rollbar etc all look perfectly fine.

Bounce test on the corner of the car, it doesn't bounce excessively and there is no obvious signs of damage to anything.

Seems more noticeable the colder the weather. When warm it is not as bad

Edited by MakaveliX on Thursday 19th January 19:10

[MakaveliX]

Possibly a control arm at the rear ? Sometimes sounds like a popping noise

[MakaveliX]

Thoroughly checked everything all looks fine, lubricated all suspension bushes...

I think it may be the shock absorber itself however there is no evidence of anything wrong with it. Car doesn't keep bouncing when pressing down on the corner of the car and I only hear noise when going over bumps. It sounds like something in the boot is moving around.
Really odd.

Not willing to spend money on replacing parts unless I can pin point the cause of it.

[MakaveliX]

Only thing left then is rear top mount. Before getting it replaced is there any way to check if its going bad ? Don't want to be throwing money away replacing something which isn't worn.

I'm willing to inspect it from the outside but not remove the mount/shock absorber

[MakaveliX]

I had narrowed it down to it being the top mount at the rear.
On inspection it looks as if on one side of the car the top mount has been changed because passenger side has long bolts ( presumably OEM going by YouTube videos ) and the other ( driver ) has shorter ones.

Question is, is it possible to actually change these bolts ?? as I can't see any info on that. Photo is off YouTube but identical to one side of my car.


Thanks

[MakaveliX]

trevalvole said:

I doubt it would make any difference changing the bolts themselves (unless they are the wrong width, or the head isn't big enough) - more likely it is some issue with the rubber in the top mount, or the lack of washers etc.

Thanks for the reply.
Yeah I gathered its most likely the rubber causing the noise.

What I'm really confused is why one of the previous owners had the bolts changed on the driver side, as the passenger side are OEM longer bolts. Usually if a top mount is bad then the mount itself is changed not the bolts.
Driver side is smaller and looks shiny and new, passenger side looks older and rustler and is long.

Upon some research them bolts are in an obscure place and are welded into place. On the Mazda 3 anyway, I know some cars are easily accessible in the boot

Edited by MakaveliX on Thursday 9th February 10:44

[MakaveliX]

Off the internet, here is a photo of where the top mount bolts are, they are welded on. I want to know why one of the previous owners had them changed ? maybe a collision of some sort ? It is not the kind of thing which would ever be replaced from what I've read

Circled in red is where they are. It cannot have been done by Mazda as the OEM bolts are much longer.

[MakaveliX]

Still a minor clunk in the back especially when cold.
Had me top mounts replaced today with decent aftermarket ones, still making noises

[MakaveliX]

Wonder if it could be the upper control arm bushings ? Whatever it is must be close to the boot as it literally sounds like something in the boot moving around.

Can't be anything serious as the temperature seems to affect it, on warmer days there is sometimes no noises at all.

Thing is, I don't want to go replacing all my suspension components to chase an annoying noise that may not even be coming from the suspension itself.

Edited by MakaveliX on Monday 6th March 19:10

[MakaveliX]

Still cannot locate this annoying noise.
The only days I don't hear it is when it's been warm for a couple of days.

It's a one off noise over speed bumps at low speeds which sounds like the word "pum" in a high pitch. Coming from the rear of the car around the boot area.

Can't see movement in anything and I've tried lubricating every suspension bushing at the rear of the car. Mechanic had a look too a while back and found nothing.