08 MCS knock/rattle from front driver side suspension area

dw8928 · #1 08-09-2008, 01:09 AM

I have a knock/rattle from what sounds like the suspension on the drivers side. Seems most noticeable when I drive over smller bumps on straight aways. Once I even heard it clicking when the wheel was turned to the left. It isnt all the time but usually quite noticeable after I've let the car sit for a while. I can barely discern it after I've been driving a while. But I hear the slight sound in te background I think. Any ideas what this is?

Minidrivr · #2 08-09-2008, 06:01 AM

There has been some reports of this before. It could be a number of things. One person found it to be the brake pads moving slightly in the caliper to cause a rattle. Another found it to be the bank angle sensor (I think that's what it was called). Another found it to be incorrect bushings in the front sway bar.

Try a google site search of front end rattle. I don't remember what the outcome of each thing was. If it's the sway bar bushing, the dealer has a fix for it.

FugitiveAI · #3 08-21-2008, 06:04 PM

i have a rattle like this too.

i read here about someone that had this sound and MINI replaced the entire front end suspension and brake systems trying to solve the problem with no success. Then they realized the problem went away when the clutch was depressed. The problem ended up being a loose flywheel. Try riding over the bumps you know will cause it with the clutch pressed in and listen for it. For me it happens sometimes on rough roads but I always get it going over brick surface at low speed in the front of my apt. complex.

I don't hear it consistently enough to feel like I stand a chance getting warranty work done so I'm just living with it now. It's not something I hear regularly like the idle rattle... lol... I just keep telling myself not to worry about these things, the car is running fine. I am afraid I will ruin my image of the MINI brand by being rejected coverage because these things are supposedly 'normal sounds'

Bully Mini · #4 09-09-2008, 07:20 PM

I have the same rattle - two times to the dealership and they still could not locate it. Dealership said it was the seatbelt - hmm the seatbelts are not located underneath the hood.

svjj · #5 09-11-2008, 02:56 PM

I have the same rattle. Mine seems to be worse in the first 5 min. of driving then it seems to disipate. I was waiting for my first service to try and have it repaired. Mine seems to be coming from the left front suspension. Oh and I have an automatic trasmission.

JJ

///manuel · #6 10-23-2008, 09:08 PM

Any update on that?

DanBMiniS · #7 10-28-2008, 12:59 PM

I have the same rattle. It happens in cold weather (40-60F) during the first ten minutes of driving. Happens over small bumps when the suspension unloads, meaning downward travel. It is very strange.

Mr Ray · #8 10-28-2008, 02:57 PM

I have a metal on metal knock, as if the car is bottoming out when I drive on this sand road.(1st Pic) The spacing on the bumps seems to make a differance as when I drive on the other sand road it dosent happen and it dosent happen on the road with the partial paving (2nd pic) The car handles fine on normal paved roads. Any Ideas on what this could be? I will have the dealer look at the front end when I bring it in for the installation of missing parts.
I have drivin on roads much worse then thease and have not heard the noise.

Benibiker · #9 10-28-2008, 09:41 PM

Mr. Ray, do you have a manual transmission?

Mr Ray · #10 10-28-2008, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benibiker

Mr. Ray, do you have a manual transmission?

Automatic

BTW my knock is extreamly loud and sounds more on the passenger side. Tempature was in the high 70's F

///manuel · #11 10-29-2008, 06:26 AM

My car is an automatic. It happens when weather is colder and sounds like a quick dry repetitive cracking rattle from around the left wheel area. Usually in the first few minutes of driving and over small bumps when the wheel moves up and down rapidly driving as constant speed.

I quickly checked the front suspensions but couldn't see anything obvious. I plan on bringing it in shortly.

Skye2 · #12 10-30-2008, 09:08 AM

I have the same freaking rattle. It is not specific to one side. I can be going over a perfectly smooth road and it will happen. It almost sounds like a flex sound like parts are "stressed" Extremely annoying. After 10 days of ownership, do I regret buying the car? Every second, every minute, every hour of every day. Not just because of this but there are so many other issues.

Benibiker · #13 10-31-2008, 12:13 AM

I have an 08 S automatic with 2,000 miles and no rattle from the front suspension area...... Yet

. How many miles do you all have?

rburna · #14 10-31-2008, 12:34 AM

i have an 07 auto S, and they found the problem to be a loose motor or tranny mount which was replaced and the sound is now gone. it took them a really long time to locate the source of the noise, my car was in for 3 days.

when i reported the problem a couple months prior, i went on a road test with a mechanic n he thought it was an axle problem, but it wasnt. you may want to have them check the mounts when its up on the lift.

*edit/add*
oh, and when i originally noticed the problem, it wasnt a rattling noise, it started out as a metal on metal tap that only occurred when i accelerated from a stop, and even then it was really intermittant. it jus progressively got worse (i guess the mount was getting looser)

Skye2 · #15 10-31-2008, 08:34 AM

I hope Mini can fix it on my car cause it's a rattle trap now and I want it to be realativley problem free for the next owner. I need a spreadsheet to keep track of all the issues for gosh sakes. I am putting it up for sale as soon as I get my plates. It is the worst car I have ever owned in my entire life and I have had it 13 days!!

Mini failed miserably and I have to suffer for it! That is a crappy way to do business. Thank-you Mini for giving me a pos! Mini has comfirmed my worst fears, selling me a problematic car (...and they don't care) It's like a slap in the face.

Minidrivr · #16 10-31-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skye2

I hope Mini can fix it on my car cause it's a rattle trap now and I want it to be realativley problem free for the next owner. I need a spreadsheet to keep track of all the issues for gosh sakes. I am putting it up for sale as soon as I get my plates. It is the worst car I have ever owned in my entire life and I have had it 13 days!!

Mini failed miserably and I have to suffer for it! That is a crappy way to do business. Thank-you Mini for giving me a pos! Mini has comfirmed my worst fears, selling me a problematic car (...and they don't care) It's like a slap in the face.

What's your list of troubles? It would be interesting to see. I had a handful of things with my car but the dealer fixed each one.

Skye2 · #17 10-31-2008, 02:09 PM

I will certainly give them the chance to fix the car properly which, on a "new" car, shouldn't have been wrong in the first place. Total buzkill. The issues outweigh the positive aspects of a new car. The only positive aspect of this car is, well I suppose it gets me from point "A" to point "B" so far anyway. (some issues are in my gallery)

Minidrivr · #18 10-31-2008, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skye2

I will certainly give them the chance to fix the car properly which, on a "new" car, shouldn't have been wrong in the first place. Total buzkill. The issues outweigh the positive aspects of a new car. The only positive aspect of this car is, well I suppose it gets me from point "A" to point "B" so far anyway. (some issues are in my gallery)

The gallery pics look like things the dealer can fix. The front part of the bumper that is scuffed they will replace for sure. I had a gouge in that same piece but on the rear bumper. It was replaced with no hassle (took a few months to get the part). I understand the frustration with getting a brand new car and having problems like those. If you have the patience, I'm sure they will be taken care of.

Skye2 · #19 10-31-2008, 03:11 PM

I hope you are right Minidrivr. This experience has been very unpleasant and frustrating. I will chalk it up to lessons learned. Mini has soured me on their cars. Now I know why I see the Mini on used car lots. It's because the owners are tired of dealing with all the issues the car has.

MotorMouth · #20 10-31-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skye2

I hope you are right Minidrivr. This experience has been very unpleasant and frustrating. I will chalk it up to lessons learned. Mini has soured me on their cars. Now I know why I see the Mini on used car lots. It's because the owners are tired of dealing with all the issues the car has.

all those issues are cosmetic. I wouldn't be happy with them at delivery but the whole experienced is soured and it's the worst car you've ever had?

Skye2 · #21 10-31-2008, 11:01 PM

"all those issues are cosmetic. I wouldn't be happy with them at delivery but the whole experienced is soured and it's the worst car you've ever had?

"

It most certainly is! I had a 12.5 year old Celica that had ZERO issues and this brand new car has soo freaking many it is really unacceptable in my book for a "new" car. Even if it were a used car it would still be unacceptable. I have been stressed out so much over this that it is affecting my health. I need to unload this &%!box ASAP, depreciation and all. No car I have ever ownd in my lifetime has been as bad as this one, ever! And I've had cars made in the 60's 70's 80's and 90's. Even my '76 Volare didn't rattle. I am actually afraid to drive the clubman now cause i think something might fall off underneath. Thank gosh i will be bringing it to the dealer next week.

Minidrivr · #22 11-01-2008, 10:02 AM

Skye2, if you're that stressed over the issues, you need to relax and realize nothing is perfect. I have a 16 year old Nissan that has had no issues in 225K miles. Does that affect my Mini? Not in the least. Did you notice all these issues when you took delivery? You could have pointed them out and had them fixed before you took the car. Then you would have gotten your new car with no problems. I had issues with mine at delivery. But I chose to take the car and let them fix them later. I knew at that point I had to "deal" with the fact my brand new car had problems I didn't like while I waited for the fixes to be done. If you noticed those things and still took the car, then you just need to relax and let them try to fix them. It's not going to happen over night. Stressing of worthless things like cars isn't worth it. If you check the history of the BMW Mini's you'll read lots of things about them having rattles. New plant, new car, new design etc. It was one of the downsides mentioned in most reviews of the 1st gen cars.

If you're that unhappy with it, get rid of it.

Benibiker · #23 11-01-2008, 12:09 PM

Sky2, I can relate with your stress, I had a brand new 89 Nissan 240SX that had issues only to be made worse by the service dept. To make matters worse they would tell me an oil leak they caused was normal

. I told them I could have paid $500 for a used car with no oil leak, this was unacceptable. They left all sorts of parts loose, they throttle cable unconnected, the air cleaner was missing, and the timing was way off. My tape player stopped working and was replaced. It stopped working almost the same day and guess what, there was old tape tangled up inside the player. They had installed a used player in my car! I was furious! I called Nissan Customer Service and let it all out and guess what, that same day the dealer called me and told me to bring the car in ASAP. I was met by the dealer's General Manager and Service Dept Manager and they told me they would personally ensure by car was fixed. Three days later I picked it up and it was perfect, they had even washed and waxed the car for me. I never had a single problem with that car again. So the moral of the story is I know what you're feeling but you need to make some noise with the dealer, the service dept, and Mini USA. It's good to let of some steam here on NAM but you need to make LOTS OF NOISE with THEM and watch how your car WILL get fixed or replaced.

Skye2 · #24 11-01-2008, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benibiker

Sky2, I can relate with your stress, I had a brand new 89 Nissan 240SX that had issues only to be made worse by the service dept. To make matters worse they would tell me an oil leak they caused was normal

. I told them I could have paid $500 for a used car with no oil leak, this was unacceptable. They left all sorts of parts loose, they throttle cable unconnected, the air cleaner was missing, and the timing was way off. My tape player stopped working and was replaced. It stopped working almost the same day and guess what, there was old tape tangled up inside the player. They had installed a used player in my car! I was furious! I called Nissan Customer Service and let it all out and guess what, that same day the dealer called me and told me to bring the car in ASAP. I was met by the dealer's General Manager and Service Dept Manager and they told me they would personally ensure by car was fixed. Three days later I picked it up and it was perfect, they had even washed and waxed the car for me. I never had a single problem with that car again. So the moral of the story is I know what you're feeling but you need to make some noise with the dealer, the service dept, and Mini USA. It's good to let of some steam here on NAM but you need to make LOTS OF NOISE with THEM and watch how your car WILL get fixed or replaced.

Benibiker, I truly hope you are correct. most are cosmetic. I even found tiny crease on the interior on the door. It better be fixed to "perfect" on all issues or they are gonna be seeing me every week til it is fixed perfectly. I also intend to slap a for sale sign on it as soon as I get my licence places on it.

NeuroticRobot · #25 12-06-2008, 03:05 AM

Noticed a rattle today coming from the front driver wheel well. Not sure what it is so I kind of jumped up and own on the driver side door sill to see if it was just the driver side and it sure was! The passenger side made no nose when jumping up and own on the door sill. My 7 day old CLubman will be going back to the dealer on a flatbed tow truck tomorrow