Rattle, bang noises

[Ret]

The end of last year My 2012 GT began making the noises as I went over bumps or down a rough road. Snow season began and I had to wait until today to have it looked at by a mechanic. He could not find anything loose or broken under the car. It actually, sounds as if the spare tire is bouncing around. I have checked the tire it seems to be firmly installed in the trunk.

I'm considering putting something around the tire to insure there is no possible movement. The other thing I'm looking at, there is a hard plastic like cover over part of the tire and I'm wondering if that somehow could flop around.

Anyone else gone through this and found a solution?

 

[crjackson]

Sway-bar End-link Bushings, Shock Absorber Bushings - have them checked.

 

[Ret]

Here are some photo's of the areas we looked at. It appears some of the parts are newer than the others.

I've gone to the same mechanic for 24 years and have a lot of confidence in him. I've watched him restore cars and build racecars so I I'm confident he knows cars. He didn't find anything underneath. He's not a Mustang expert and suggested I post on the Mustang sites and see if we get any input.

 

[GriffX]

One year after I changed the rear shocks the bolts loosened up a bit and I got a clunking noise. The way I found this is to re-torque them. Since then I mark such bolts with a paint marker so that I can do a visual inspection.
I would grep a torque wrench and re-torque all nuts/bolts I can find as a starting point.

 

[Ret]

Thanks, Both sound like a good starting point.

 

[Ret]

One person on another site ask, are you sure the sound isn't coming from the interior? This is a convertible. Top works fine but raises the question could there be something in raising equipment coming loose. Actually, this is a really good question. Since it is a convertible, could something have become loose. The top works without any problems, no scraping or any sounds during the raising or lower of the top. But the question has caused me to think of a test of elimination that it's from the tops storage area. I'll take it for a ride with the top down and see if I still hear the noises I described.

Unfortunately, it will be about a week before I can as we're going into five days of rain.

 

[Ret]

OK, I've checked in the convertible boot, nothing obvious there as to the banging sound. You guys that work on Mustangs; is it possible for the jack to come loose under the spare tire. The sound seems to come from the trunk, but the spare is rock solid.

I tried to find a schematic drawing on the computer but didn't find one. My next steps, depending on the responses is to take it to Les Schwab and have them remove the spare. But if you guys tell me if the spare is tight than the jack would be also no sense going to them.

Everything under the car is fine,

 

[rocknrod]

Yep, Just open the truck and lift up the cargo liner (carpet) should be a wood like cover lift it out and there you are - A spare. Sounds like stuff came loose to me also. I know mine did.

 

[GriffX]

www.iihs.net/fsm

I once had a car with a knocking noise and never found it. But, there is a tool called chassis ear, no idea if it is useful.

 

[07 Boss]

I chased a rattle banging noise forever once. I was convinced it was coming from the right rear suspension. Ended up a golf ball and screwdriver had fallen into a void in the trunk on the right side. sometimes I would get a buzzing vibration and sometimes some odd clunks. It was a plethora of sounds made by those objects. Found an one of those elusive 10mm sockets in there too. I couldn't really see into it but I reached my hand in there one day and pulled out a few items.

 

[Ret]

Thanks guys. Rocknrod thanks for the drawing. When I hear the noise, I can just visualize that the jack is bouncing around between the flooring and the tire.

 

[rocknrod]

I chased a rattle banging noise forever once. I was convinced it was coming from the right rear suspension. Ended up a golf ball and screwdriver had fallen into a void in the trunk on the right side. sometimes I would get a buzzing vibration and sometimes some odd clunks. It was a plethora of sounds made by those objects. Found an one of those elusive 10mm sockets in there too. I couldn't really see into it but I reached my hand in there one day and pulled out a few items.

I'd like to know how to find that void.

 

[DieHarder]

I'd like to know how to find that void.

Outermost area both sides of the trunk towards the bumper. The voids extend down forwards towards the rear wheels. May have to move a bit of trunk liner to get your hand in there.

 

[Pentalab]

Takes a mere 30 seconds to remove the trunk liner, and remove the spare + jack etc. Leave the liner and spare tire and jack , and everything else u find in the truck area, OUT of the car, and temp put it to one side. Then take it for a ride. Yes, and check with a flashlight, feel around, for any misc junk that dropped into the voids.

IF u still have issues, then re-torque everything....including the upper UCA. The bolts for the UCA are between the rear seats. Rear seats have to be removed to check. Takes 20 secs to remove the entire one piece rear seat....with 2 x people.

 

[Ret]

Mother nature not working with me on finding the issue. I wanted to take the car for a drive with the top down and see if I heard the noise. Also, will try taking the tire and jack out and see if I still here the noise. But we just entered a 7-10 days of rain so I'm on hold.

 

[Ret]

Culprit found. Problem was solved yesterday at the tire shop. I knew the spare was tight but took the car to the shop to have them take the spare out and see if the jack was loose. As they were doing that the manager said I think it's that triangle piece that holds the jack handle and funnel. Put the rags under it for a temporary fix. (photo attached) no more rattling or heavy thump going over bumps on the way home, I've ordered a piece of Styrofoam to put over for a long-term fix.

View attachment 95625

 

[rocknrod]

Interesting.

 

[07 Boss]

Glad you found it, it can be a frustrating ordeal. My car has seen some action and as she's getting older there are quite a few noises that didn't used to be.

 

[Ret]

This turned out to be a simple fix. Either a previous owner, tire shop, or mechanic had failed to put the black plastic piece on the bolt. I Took it to town yesterday, towels and rags only, at that time. Not a peep out of the trunk. Mustangs that have the tire set up my 2012 has must be sure that plastic piece is in place. In my case the bolt had gone through the lower-level cover (particle board?) and was pushing into the carpet making a hole about the size of a nickel. Last night, in addition to the rags I put a larger plastic (spray can paint lid) on top of the Ford plastic piece. This cap is about twice the size of a silver dollar. The beauty of this cap is its outer edge is about 1&1/2 inches deep and has an inside edge that protected the spray nozzle on the can. Fits on the Ford part nicely. It's a little bigger than the head on the Ford piece and no way it can slip off. This gives sufficient support to the area around the hole in the particle board.

Thanks to all of you who had suggestions and ideas. Hopefully, my write up make sense to those having a similar problem.