Taking my 2006 R50 into the shop Tuesday for some work as a result of being pulled out of the ditch by an over exuberant 4-wheel-drive pickup, and going to take the opportunity to try to locate a rattle that's been driving me crazy since I bought the car. Sounds like back right; sounds like iron bits being knocked together. Happens only when going, say, under 40, and it can be real prominent when going real slowly, like in a parking lot. Think rough surfaces at slow speed. Since buying the car last April or May I've had the strut mounts replaced and installed new Konis. The few tertiary rumages around under there by me and others have discovered nothing obviously loose--even though the noise is such that you'd swear you'd be able to put your hand on it in a minute. My leading candidate is the exhaust system.

So what should I recommend my mechanic look at on Tuesday? What are the likely suspects in order of likelihood?

I hope I haven't posted this in the wrong section, and thanks for any advice.

 

Is it a constant noise that speeds up and slows down with speed or sporadic?

I have had a brake rotor cover that was rubbing on the rotor... drove me insane! I thought it was the rear wheel bearing, but I had my wife hop in the passenger side and she said its definitely coming from the front end.

Took the wheel off and va-la. Bent it back and no more noise (from there)...

I've also had a wheel bearing that was bad and clicked like a nail in the tire...

On a similar note, I still have another rattle somewhere I haven't been able to figure out. So if it turns out yours is something else - post up what it is!

 

It's a vibrational noise, rather than a rotational one. Something is banging when the car is on a rough surface.

 

Check your swaybar end links....

 

Check the adjustment on your rear hatch latch.