Alright, so I have this strange rattle. It seems to be coming from right below my feet., maybe more towards the middle of the car...

It only happens at low speeds, like under 10-15mph and through bumps or dips. Again only at very low speeds. During regular driving and hitting bumps of 20+mph nothing, not a sound. Does not matter if I'm in gear or not, if clutch is pressed or not...

Recently the exhaust towards the back of the car came lose one one point and one of the brackets was broken which was fixed and all looks solid. Now I also changed the Flex Pipe because the old one was all frailed. I wonder if the Flex Pipe could be the source of it., any other ideas???

Than you all...

 

could be the flex pipe, but more likely it's the ypipe or catalytic converter heat shields. The bolts that hold them get rusy and break/bend and then they rattle around a bit.

 

But wouldn't it rattle more at all speeds., not just low speeds???

And I think I asked this before and never got a reply., or never saw it... Who's that girl?

 

i have the same problem. i am suspecting sway bar bushings. any ideas?

 

I have the same problem too... I was told its the Heat shield! Never got a chance to take it to a shop and get it taken care of!

I know it happens mostly after a cold start. I almost forget about it later in the day... but I hate the ringing sound cuz its embarassing... you know having a nice clean car and all.. then this weird sound... Gotta get it done soooon!

 

I have an odd sound also. But mine depends on my engine RPM. I hear it around 1800-2100 rpm then its gone. Sounds like something is loose, but it started after my last oil change, which I did myself. So maybe something it rubbing that I didnt realize.

 

is your car manual or auto?

 

i super highly doubt it's the heatshield because when i put my car in neutral or park, and rev the engine to that specific annoying RPM range, there's no sound cominbg out. PLus i have one of the heat shields removed on my car...

 

Frisco.,

Why do you ask if it's manual or auto? Would an Auto or Manual make different noises... I have a Manual., does not matter what gear I am on... At low speeds going through bumps I here the rattle underneath... Sounds like something is loose., but all looks nice and tight.

Arrrghhh...

I don't remember when it started, I think it was after I replaced the Flex Pipe.

 

The rattle you get between the 1300-2000 rpm (most people get in this range), i still do not know what causes it. i thought maybe i get it from my torque convertor, since i am auto, but you are manual and get it too...

 

FOR THOSE WHO GET KNOCKING/RATTLE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AT LOW SPEEDS!!!

This is caused by bad front swaybar links!!! I diagnosed my car today and found out that that's the problem. I rocked the front of the car to duplicate the problem, and the knocking was noticeable. Then, i held the swivel points on the sway bar links while my friend rocked the front of the car, and there was no sound. Swaybar links need to be changed.

 

So you rocked the front of the car and the sound was audible from the outside... I though the Maxima did not have sway bars???? Is this a do it yourself project?

I had a similar problem with my old 01 Pathfinder and the culprit was the RSB links. This was a DIY that I did with a friend.

Woahh- Had not noticed... Just passed the 100 post mark.

 

Maxima HAS the front sway bar , but not the rear one. And the front swaybar links, if worn out, make an aweful lotta noise.

 

Wao., but worn out after 50k miles... Oh well., I will check them and post back, is their a way to visually determine if they are in fact worn and if in fact are bad. Where do I get them? Dealer?

 

reach behind your wheel and grab the end that gets connected to the control arm, there should not be hardly any play there, if they are loose, yours are prolly worn. i have 80K on my car.

 

if it's a rattle try checking the welds on the exhaust... the one in the rear rusted out a little while ago and was loose... so everytime I hit a bump it'd make noise.. but that's probably not it...
if you can shake your car wheels on a lift or the front end on the ground and can reproduce a sound then it's prob what was already said....
if you can't reproduce any sounds try checking your CV joints... if it clicks or clanks on turns then the outer end is bad... if it rattle like someone is knocking on your floorboard the inner one may be bad..

 

I get a weird rattle sound also when i lightly press on the gas at low RPM. I don't even have to be going over a bump for me to hear it. Its not the gas.

 

See., with mine is over bumps and/or dips. No matter if I on gear or off. Accelerating or Not and only at very low speeds.

 

actually i just started getting that same rattle that you are getting along with the other rattle i have. heard it today on a road with a lot of pot holes

 

Actually 5th gen Maxima do have a sway bar on the back. It's inside the rear beam. If you look underneath, there's a bar in there. The aftermarket rear sway bars is basically an added on sway bar... Basically the solid beam, Sentras, G20s, and I30/35 all have this type of rear suspension.

As some extra info. If you have your wheel cranked, and hit the brakes or a bump or just turning, and hear loud creaking sound, it's from the wheel stops on the knuckle bottom on the control arm. There should be a plastic cap for the little bar and I think only Maxima's with Factory 17" wheels had them. Put some grease on the tips and it'll fix it for a little while.

 

FYI... CAR is at dealer for an UNRELATED thing. (Changing Drive Belts) and they pinpointed the freaking rattle to be the Front Sway Bar Links.

The offered to changed at the tune of $200, so I laughed. Because I'm still in powertrain warranty, they agreed to do it for price of parts. Since the car was already there. ($47 dollars for each link). I know they can be found cheaper, but it was already there... So WTH...

Links, they are some NOISY BASTARDS.

 

I told you in post #11 what the rattle was from!!! did you haveto hear it from a dealer to believe me or something?

 

NO NO NO... The car was just at the dealer for another unrelated service. I figured I'd have them look. I was merely reasserting that you were CORRECT.

 

OH, in that case i appologize for my little attack...

 

now I went on Autozone to look for what you guys were talking about.... can someone tell me if a kit like this will work or would it be the bushings?

 

i dunno what that thing is, but i am planning to order

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...ype=78&ptset=A

no later than tommorow...

 

I might be more what Army suggested. Since the dealer price for the things they changed on mine was $47 each. I will get the specific part number when I get home tonight.

 

yeah if you could let me know the part no. it would be greatly helpful... that way I can fix this before I have to make my trip next fri.

I found this site with these parts: sway bar link kit or just the sway bar link

I don't know though... I'd prob rather get it from autozone seeing as they get the part shipped to them or can grab it from a local supply rather quickly.


Also i was looking in my haynes repair book trying to find the sway bar link replacement and all i could find out was it being called a stabilizer bar... if anyone has replaced this before could you please offer a tutorial... I have the tools and equipment at my post auto craft center, I just don't have the know how to replace it. pictures would be a plus too... thx!

 

acutally i found this i know it's not the same... but I imagine the same rules apply....anyone agree? though i am still somewhat confused...

 

Already the part on the receipt says

ROD ASSY - CONNEC
Part1 = 54618-2Y000
Part2 = 54668-2Y000

 

ok so he replaced both sway bar links... left and right...
Hmm I think I am going to go fix that first before opening that CV joint that i got... also I think I am going to replace the bushing also... just because it couldn't hurt.

Next question.... does anyone know if it's hard to replace these? by looking at my Haynes book, they don't seem too bad but it's hard to judge by these pictures....

http://catalog.nissanpartswholesale.com/

 

people, please lift up your front wheels and check to see if it will wobble as you push pull on the wheels. My two Max's (2002 and 2000) both have loose hub nuts. These could be your problem too. Before trying to tighten, look at the back of the nut and see if it is right up to the cotter pin. If it is, I am quite sure that yours is also loose. After tightening, there should be about 3-4 threads visible between the end of the nut and the pin. I torque mine to about 100 ft-lbs.