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.
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
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.
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.
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??
PositronicRay said:
Would it be worth trying to find a garage with these? And try to provoke the rattle while stationary.
Did you mean to add pic there? :-) I know what you're talking about though, jiggle plates on overhead ramps, been to 2 garages with these, including Kwik fit last night. The fact there isn't a rattle on these ramps, and when they pulled, hit, rattled everything by hand too should maybe be a major clue to someone?
By that i mean car has to be going up and down, not being shaken? I don't know, i'm at the end of my tether with this.
I'll try the suggestion about pressing the brake tonight and report back, thanks again!
E-bmw said:
Drive over a particular stretch of road that it is bad on & try it again with your left foot gently on the brakes.
What happens?
Had a bit of a brain fart there, why the 'left' foot? Lol, but obviously keeping up the speed enough and braking checking to see if anything in calipers is loose! :-) What happens?
It did stop/cut down the noise. Was never sure though if i was hitting rough enough bit roads while i was braking? I think i was though and i'm sure it might have stopped the rattling.
So it will be maybe retaining clips/loose pads then?
E-bmw said:
Drive over a particular stretch of road that it is bad on & try it again with your left foot gently on the brakes.
What happens?
Ok, been in about it, it's the rear caliper slide guide pins are worn, in it's relaxed position pads rattle around, straighten floating part of caliper, no rattle! What happens?
Thanks E-Bmw! and others for their time replying!
Well, it's fixed, well against every grain in my body,i bodged it! Now the irony of this that my fix cost 'nothing' isn't lost on me.
So, pads that were on my car at the rear confused me to start with, one had an anti rattle spring at the rear end of it, the other didn't (i changed sprung pad to outboard position to rule that out, but couldn't get caliper back on) ?
My first thought was, well if they 'both' had an anti rattle spring i wouldn't have had this sodding problem, but they are strangely the correct pads!
So the new caliper guide pins done nowt, my thought then, and i think its my problem is wear on the pad carrier! Can only be that.
So my bodge was to sneakily wrap a quite thick piece of insulated electrical wire around the carrier where the pad was rattling off it, at the top and bottom, complete silence!! Oh joy! Not a permanent, dangerous bodge but it's working and it's not fouling anything!
Incidentally this model of car had a phase 1 and phase 2 version, mine has Renault ATE calipers on, phase two has TRW calipers, which have two different style sprung pads, and more conventional looking caliper sliders.
So, i now have a lovely quite car and it should have cost me sod all to fix! :-)
So, pads that were on my car at the rear confused me to start with, one had an anti rattle spring at the rear end of it, the other didn't (i changed sprung pad to outboard position to rule that out, but couldn't get caliper back on) ?
My first thought was, well if they 'both' had an anti rattle spring i wouldn't have had this sodding problem, but they are strangely the correct pads!
So the new caliper guide pins done nowt, my thought then, and i think its my problem is wear on the pad carrier! Can only be that.
So my bodge was to sneakily wrap a quite thick piece of insulated electrical wire around the carrier where the pad was rattling off it, at the top and bottom, complete silence!! Oh joy! Not a permanent, dangerous bodge but it's working and it's not fouling anything!
Incidentally this model of car had a phase 1 and phase 2 version, mine has Renault ATE calipers on, phase two has TRW calipers, which have two different style sprung pads, and more conventional looking caliper sliders.
So, i now have a lovely quite car and it should have cost me sod all to fix! :-)
Edited by robbocop33 on Thursday 7th June 14:32
Edited by robbocop33 on Thursday 7th June 14:34
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