My car started making a strange rattling noise last week when I go over bumps. The noise comes from the front passenger side. Tonight I pulled the wheel off and could not find anything wrong with the suspension. I then looked under the hood and found play in the motor mount on the left side of the engine. I can push on the top of the big aluminum bracket in the picture and it moves. Can someone else try pushing this on their car and tell me if there is any play?

Any ideas on what might be causing my rattle are greatly appreciated.

 

Your motor mount is busted. See all the nasty oil? The mount is oil filled, and nearly all of them bust and leak oil. It makes an annoying rattling sound once the oil leaks out. If you're still under warranty, no problem...dealers have seen it dozens of times. If you wind up doing it yourself, it still is no big deal to fix.

Rawhyde

PS My motor mount was replaced last month when I took it in for oil service.

 

Thanks, I'll take it in.

 

Thanks too.
I've had the same problem for about a week and its been driving me nuts

 

Very common. There is an updated mount to fix this problem.