I'm hearing a rattle under acceleration.
 

Hey guys I need your help diagnosing this problem. Every time under moderate acceleration I hear a rattle (sounds also like a tag flapping in the wind) and I feel a little vibration through the pedal. But it’s only heard at a certain area when I press down the gas pedal. I’ve always heard it but Its never really bothered me until now. Any ideas where I should look first?

Thanks

i had the same rattle as long as i can remember... no clue just crank up the radio

I have the same thing happen on my 2000 maxima too. I thought it was a loose exhaust/headshield but everything seems tight. It usually happens at 1500-2000rpm. The sound is gone after 2500rpm.

yeah that sounds about right...anyone know what it is?

Have had it here too during warm months.

check your coils...could be bad.
check what type of gas your using. try to 93 gasoline at good gas stations.
check your timing advance.
as u can see this happened to me too.

Could be the y-pipe. You have stock or aftermarket y-pipe? Judging by the people responding with the same noise most of you have stock y-pipes. Usually its the aftermarket y-pipes that tend to cause a "rattle, bees in a can" type noise. It only happens during certain acceleration or RPM's. Does your noise resemble a rattle, bees in a can type? If so...check the flex section of the y-pipe, probably damaged or restriction exhaust flow.

im still stock...im going to change my plugs and check my coils today.

It's not your coils.

I've got brand new coils and plugs and the noise is still there. (Didn't get them for this problem but just saying)

i have the rattle too... it's not mod related either, i had it when i was stock too

Yep.... my car has the similar issue... I dun hear a rattle though so to speak, but the car gives an increased vibration from the engine right at about 1800rpm. I can feel it in the pedals and steering wheel. I suspect that for the car's structure, that would be the "resonant" frequency. Anyone to back me up on this? :)

My car started this last week on the first roadtest after I changed from B&G to Progress springs.(slightly lower front) Rechecked install-ok. Thought it may be due to different angle on cv joints or something. Anyone had their car to dealer for this? Anyone on stock suspension have it?

Hmm
 

It's interesting how everyone's having similar problem. I too realized that when I start from rest. The sound is actually very quiet so I couldnt judge if its still there at higher speed. But I dont think I've heard it before. It just started recently.

i have the same problem i took it the exhaust shop and we found out the the rattle was from the front catalyst converter the little filter on the inside of it is loose

Your motor mounts are worn out. Try some ES Urethane mounts to get rid of the engine shake and subsequent rattling of the y-pipe under the chassis.

My rattle was fixed under warranty. Found out that the front and rear screens of my precats had deterioated, and shot all that debris down the exhaust pipe. This was the cause of my rattle, and my loss of power. Dealership ordered new precats and o2 sensors for me. No more rattle, but I would have just gotten headers if i had the money.

Same rattle here. Exactly as mentioned..happens during low rpm...especially loud when going up hill.

hmmm interesting..

did you have a CEL/SES??

i guess i now know--or so i hope--what this crap is...

Very interesting! I did not have this rattle noise before i visited a dealer for flex pipe replacement. When i drove off - it started! I went back but to prove to them that they are the cause if it was absolutely impossible. Good car horrible service at the dealer! In my case it is definitely related to the flex pipe and the O2 sensor in it...... ( event thought both are OEM and brand new….)

Yes I had a CEL that was on sometimes and off sometimes. That went on for about 10 months, and has not been on since I've had this replaced. It confirms that it was related to this.

The screen is like the one on your maf. It's possible that it was damaged when it was installed, or could be related but in other ways. I would take it back till they made it right. Service is horrible just about everywhere, just keep nagging them or go somewhere else.

hmm.. i have always suspected the precats as the culprit, but i've never popped a CEL/SES. is it possible that the screens in my precats are all messed up w/o affected the O2 sensor?? i'm assuming your CEL/SES was due to improper O2 sensor reading?

maybe i should just get headers lol

I have the EXACT same problem...

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=468237

this is the thread i started 2 days ago describing my symptoms. I am starting to think it might be my VIAS. It might be broken and when the engine is under load (creates some vaccum) the are going into the maniforld rattles the VIAS's butterfly valves. Plus i have a CAI so the sound of everything that happens behind my throttle body is very much audible. I am gonna take my VIAS apart tommorow and see wtf is up with it. I would have done it this week, but i need a car to drive to work, so weekend it is. Let me know what u guys think. thanks.

I've had this problem for a while too.
It first occured when my car bottom because of a large pothole and high speed. It really does not bother me but yes +1 on a 2000 maxima.

well, it is not an issue of being bothered or not, it is a fact that a car malfunctions, because when it drove off the dealership, there was no gay rattleing sound... anything broken needs attention!!!

I also noticed my car makes a clatter under moderate load.

My car sounds like my timing is too far advanced. But would that makes sense on the Maximas? Doesn't the computer control the timing?

i don't think it's the VIAS... i've always sensed the noise coming from lower in the engine bay. second, i can hear/feel my VIAS kick in every time i get on the freeway :chuckle:

Hey check the gas you are using. Try a different gas station or go up to a better octane. I had the same pinging type noise and it could be the gas if it is the same pinging type noise I had. Good luck

i had the same rattle as well...i know everyone says its not mod related...but i had to take my berk intake off to bring my car to the dealer for trans problems and as soon as i took it off the noise stopped...it originally had the same symptoms and everything including feeling it in the pedal...anyway thants how i fixed mine

rattling and pinging are two different things... i'm almost positive that gas has NOTHING to do w/ this rattle. this is like the thousandth time someone has blamed 'bad gas' or 'winter gas' for this...

for the last time, this is not a pinging/knocking issue

me three
 

Im bumping to get in on this.

I had the stealership check out my heat shield and they found nothing loose about it(no surprise here).
And when I took him for a spin around the block, I put the car in 1st and rolled up a hill to let him hear the rattle as my engine revved up.
Unfortunately, he was probably deaf and I couldnt open the windows b/c it was frickin freezing. So, he concludes that he heard nothing and had no idea what the problem could have been(thanks for nothing).
I will probably go away from stealership and see what another shop might say, but any other ideas you .org people have would be very helpful.

(ATM, I have a larger problem to deal with regarding my avon tires and floor board vibrations at >65mph that prevent me from speeding)

Well, i took apart my VIAS about 30 mn ago, and guess what, they are broken... no surprise... but i am about to go "JB WELD" it up right now and leave it till tommorow morning. i will update you on this matter. thanks.

Your o2 might not be damaged. I guess mine was because they said it was dead. Whatever they mean by that..... It made it not read correctly as you said I presume.

Headers should have come on the car stock if you ask me.

well, fixed my VIAS today, but the gay rattling noice is STILL THERE!!! anyone else can suggest something to me? thanks.

I also get this rattle at about 1500RPM. My car is still under warranty so I will have the dealership look at it when I have a chance.

could you do it sometime soon because i just need someone to diagnose wtf that rattle is, i am pretty sure i'll be able to fix it myself. thanks

The earliest I could get them to look at it is this Saturday, so if no one has a solution by then I will keep you informed.

fantastic:woot2:

If this helps anymore, before I took it in for my rattle and found out what it actually was, I thought it was my timing chain tensioner that went out.

i doubt it is the tensioner