My 2010 MC feels very well built and is usually dead quiet. But, after sitting overnight, I almost always here this popping sound from the back of the car while driving. Kinda let metal hitting or rubbing against something else. Anything that flexes the body or suspension seems to trigger it. I'll keep hearing it for maybe 10-15 minutes, and then it disappears for the rest of the day.

It's done this since I got the car back in December. At first I thought it was something in the rear driver side suspension, but the dealer looked at it twice and found nothing. Now I'm beginning to think it's the hatch.

It seems like if I've driven for a long while - a few hours - that it'll take a while for the sound to return. But on most normal days it starts up in the morning and after about 15 minutes it disappears until the next day.

The only way to get the dealer to here this will be to leave it overnight. And I'd hate to have to do that.

Any ideas?

 

I may be having a similar issue with my new Clubman. I took it in once and the service tech heard the noise, but after going over the suspension, they decided to try replacing the rear swaybar bushings.

At first, I thought that completely solved the problem, as the knocking sound was gone, even over a series of significant bumps.

But the sound is back. The difference being that the car sounds worse when it's cold. As the car warms up, the sounds decrease.

I've driven with the rear seats up and down. Makes no difference. I've left the rear seat belts undone, and done up. Makes no difference. I removed the rear hatch's under-floor tool tray. Makes no difference.

It's either the rear doors or an interior body panel (or something behind the panels) that is knocking. Given that the sounds decrease as the car (or the weather) warms up, I suspect it to be something that has some expansion/contraction as the temps change. I wouldn't expect steel parts, for example, to have that much expansion and contraction, so I'm thinking some plastic piece somewhere. But I don't really know.

I'll take another stab at having the dealership look at it sometime in the next month or two.

--
Darryl

 

If you have the sunroof try venting it before moving to see if that is the problem.

 

I think I have this same problem. I hear this popping/clunking sound coming from what I am pretty sure is the hatch. I don't hear it at all going over smooth roads, but when the roads get bad or I go over a speed bump I can hear it. I really think that it is the hatch because I hear it more when I use the hatch.

 

Could be your pressure in the gas tank building up. Mine makes noises when I turn the car on and when I shut it off. It's normal...

On the hatch you might try adjusting the rubber bumpers and see if that helps...

 

If it's a rhythmic pop that sounds like it is coming from the left rear (the fuel filler side), I would bet it's the fuel tank expanding or contracting, depending on conditions.

 

The sound is definitely coming from the back not just on the left side. It's not rhythmic, but it is sorta constant when I am going over rough roads, pot holes, or speed bumps. I think it might be the hook on the hatch(the one that keeps the hatch closed) vibrating around in the locking mechanism.

 

I was responding to the OP. I think you're on to something with the hatch for your car.

 

I just the rubber bumpers on your Mini's hatch and see if that helps. They might not be up high enough and let the hatch move on the latch...

 

There is a product i have used with a pretty good success rate . i believe it is called "door ease" it is like a hard wax type stick of lubricant, try rubbing it on the contact patch between the stricker and rotary latch. this worked well on the generation ones and the latch/stricker idea hasn't changed much. Hope my 2cents helps.