My 2003 Mini from day one has a noise (not a rattle) that comes from the rear passenger side and only happens on right turns above 25 mph. It seems like something sliding, in a track like an actuators or ball bearing in a tube. It's about a half second nosie and sounds like when the doors locks but more muted. When the car straightens what ever has slid moves back. It's sounds like a mechanical noise not something loose or bouncing. I thought it might be the seat belt pre-tensionner but that moves front to back not side to side. The sound appears to come from the rear bumper/trunk area or rear seat not underneath the car. If I jerk the car side to side what ever is sliding goes back and forth. This doesn't happen on left turns. I had it at the dealer for two days and the tech test drove it and he said it sounded like golf ***** rolling in a track but couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from or what was loose. They did replace the rear latch but that was to fix another problem. Has anyone heard this noise in thier car?

Brad

raacceerr@aol.com

 

As of this post 31 people have read what I wrote and no one has a single thought of comment. I was hoping this wasn't a one of a kind problem but it appears it is.

Here's a thought and I would appreciate any feed back. The Mini's have a Tilt Alarm Sensor, and other sensor to determine the balance of the car. I do have DSC and I'm wondering if it has a balance sensor with moving parts? I have no idea where all the sensors are located, but what made me think of this is cars used to have a decelarometer <sp> sensor that was a ball bearing in a tube with a magnet to activate the air bag. I'm wondering if this noise is some kind of faulty sensor in the rear?

Brad

 

maybe you have debris within the bodyshell?

I would go over all the underside (suspension, exhaust) components with a torque wrench and make sure nothing will fall off! Take out your rear seats and carpeting, and maybe even your side panels to see if there's anything loose in there.

my $0.02
good luck!

 

Sounds like an assembly tech left a tool inside the car!

>>My 2003 Mini from day one has a noise (not a rattle) that comes from the rear passenger side and only happens on right turns above 25 mph. It seems like something sliding, in a track like an actuators or ball bearing in a tube. It's about a half second nosie and sounds like when the doors locks but more muted. When the car straightens what ever has slid moves back. It's sounds like a mechanical noise not something loose or bouncing. I thought it might be the seat belt pre-tensionner but that moves front to back not side to side. The sound appears to come from the rear bumper/trunk area or rear seat not underneath the car. If I jerk the car side to side what ever is sliding goes back and forth. This doesn't happen on left turns. I had it at the dealer for two days and the tech test drove it and he said it sounded like golf ***** rolling in a track but couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from or what was loose. They did replace the rear latch but that was to fix another problem. Has anyone heard this noise in thier car?
>>
>>Brad
>>
>>raacceerr@aol.com
>>

 

Brad,

Have you had a bud sit in back & try to isolate it? Doesn't sound like anything that I've heard of. Good luck!

Jeff

 

>>Sounds like an assembly tech left a tool inside the car!
>>
Not to belittle the problem, but the notion of a leftover tool is not at all beyond possibility. I once had a Fiat 128 where we discovered about 10 years after the car was built a small soda/juice bottle sealed into a blind spot in the rear fender. We knew it was there from construction since it was glued to the body with original undercoating. The accompanying sandwich had probably disintegrated long before

No rattles from the rear in my 02 MCS.

 

friedduck's suggestion sounds like a good one to me. I can't think of what this could be other than something accidentally (or intentionally) left inside the body panel of the car. I have no idea how extensive a project it would be to have a dealer check this out... Good luck. This is strange! Keep us updated.

 

My Dad bought a VW many years ago and found a lunch bag and soda can in the rear passenger panel of his car. We found it after I sat back there and kept on getting blamed for passing gas. Told my dad it wasn't me. Next day he removed the panel and found the stuff. PEE YOO......

 

I am with friedduck. Place a bottle of Bud in the back and have a friend follow it in and then take a drive to see what the problem might be. It is not uncommon to have items sealed in during production.

 

Hi, I just bought my brand new MCS R56 this September and have exactly the same noise like yours too. Brought it back to the dealer but couldn't locate the problem either. Wonder if you have found out any solution for the problem yet?

 

holy thread resurrection batman!

 

First rule of diagnosis: Do not assume the most complicated/expensive thing first. K.I.S.S. If it sounds like something sliding around, then look for something sliding around.
When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.
Someone in back (with the seats down), using an automotive stethescope could probably nail it down.

 

Maybe someone put marbles in the gas tank. Does the sound vary according to the amount of gas in the tank?


retroom

 

Hey!! I know it is an old thread, but I just got a 2013 JCW and have what I believe is this EXACT same issue and I cannot find any other mention of it on the web. I was wondering if there was ever a resolution or if anyone else has had this on a more recent year mini?

I have what sounds like either a ball in tube as mentioned above or like a kids toy filled with beads, where they shift once you turn the toy over. Or like one of those crazy "rainsticks" from Africa.

I recorded a sound byte to help. sound

 

Wow very odd,this sound can not come from fuel tank. Something under the rear seat.

 

I have something similar on my F60 since new. I have not tried to diagnose it, but I think it is one of the holders for the emergency triangle on the liftgate/hatch. One of the holders (passenger side) is loose, while the driver side is stationary. I'm not sure if this normal or not, but I think when I'm moving/turning the loose holder for the triangle moves and creates the sound...something to maybe look into.

 

Hmm okay yeah I need to figure out how to get under the rear seats...do I do this from the back?