I am trying to chase down some serious rattling in the rear of my car, which is a distinct metal on metal sound. I have removed the rear deck, rear seats, and all trim. It is still there, and has gotten louder, as if it was muffled before. With help of a friend I traced it to somewhere around the driver side rear wheel well. I believe at this point its coming from outside the car. I jacked it up and started beating on things w/ a rubber mallet, and no rattles whatsoever. Everything seems solid as a rock. The only thing that produces any sort of rattle whatsoever is a black plastic box w/ hoses coming out of it right behind the left rear tire. When i hit that w/ the mallet (not too hard, since I dont know what it is) it produces a rattle very similar to what I'm hearing. whether it is loud enough to be my problem, I don't know. I looked thru the service manual but didn't see anything looking like it. Anyone know what it is, and if theirs rattles too? I can post a pic if necessary, but if you peek under your car opposite side of where the muffler is, you'll see it.

 

Evaporator for the fuel system.

Can you tell us more about what is going on when you hear the sound?

 

I had gone and taken it for another drive and yeah, I'm sure there's no way that its that causing the rattle. Basically, its one of those sometimes its there, sometimes its not rattles that is driving me nuts. I notice it most when I go over rumble strips (which I go over 2x a day on my way to work), going over railroad tracks, or deteriorating asphalt road potholes. When I go over the rumble strips it pretty much sounds like the outside of a car that has subs in it and all you hear is rattle of metal on metal. When I go over the railroad tracks or potholes its more of a sharp thump. Meaning it does not seem to vibrate after the impact from the road, it starts and stops very quickly. I dunno man, its driving me nuts tho.

01 GLE btw, if anyone's curious. I had changed the struts out last summer, and I checked the tightness of the nuts to make sure they hadn't come loose or anything and everything's good there.

 

Careful when you're hitting the canister, it's not very strong and you could damage the vent valve inside.

 

I hope you checked the jack

 

just did and it is sitting securely. I edited my above post too to make it a bit more clear. I said "driver side passenger wheel well." changed it to driver side rear wheel well...its definitely coming from the driver side

 

I have the same problem but i figured its my exhaust hangers are worn and it causes my exhaust to clank around a little when i go over bumpy terrain, I.E. train tracks. grab the back of your muffler and shake it around to see if that is whats causing it.

 

had similar sound...turned out to be the rear seatbelt coil inside the plastic covers(under the rear deck)-little fatmat in there and all over the rear deck shut it right up

 

Rear strut mount?

 

spare tire?