I have a noise coming from the rear of the car. It’s subtle and you can’t hear it over the radio. However, today on my commute, I drove with the radio off and noticed this noise. I recently installed Hotchkis sway bars as a reference, but I cannot confirm that the noise arrived after their install (could have been there for a week) as I didn’t really get a baseline noise level before the Hotchkis install.

The noise lasts a half second or less, and is linked to the momentum change of the car. When stopped, as I begin to accelerate, I hear it right as the car starts moving, and you feel the backward push of momentum. It stops for the rest of my forward motion and returns as I stop…again, when you feel the forward push of the momentum.

If I was moving slowly, and repeatedly pressed the brakes I’d hear it on each press without hearing a corresponding noise in the other direction. It’s mainly linked to a momentum change, so if I am slowing down gently, I don’t hear it at all…only right as I come to a complete stop. But if I brake with a little more effort, I can hear it while going 30mph…as long as the braking causes a forward surge in the momentum.

Where would you start looking to diagnose this noise?

One more thing, it wasn't particularly cold today...about 50 degrees.

 

You lubricated the swaybar bushings, right?

If im reading your post correctly, its not brake related, as it happens after you release the brakes and move forward?

 

I lubricated well, but perhaps I could have added more. Should lube ooze out of the bushing sides when I torque down the brackets?

The noise is mostly dependent on a momentum change either forward or back. The forward surge you get when braking and the backward surge you get when accelerating seem to cause it. I notice it more at lower speeds, just as I am about to stop or right when I start to go.

During my lunch break, I'll get some more drive time, and perhaps more info. I may remove everything from the trunk to rule that out, but I'm pretty confident that it's not from the trunk.

 

Mine creak now and again but usually only when its really cold outside.

 

What creaks, your sways?

 

Yea sorry, The bushing get cold and creak, when the body leans.

 

My car is not leaning when it makes noise. It is making noise when I am traveling straight, and only with a momentum change. I'll try to listen carefully to see if a left or right moment shift causes any noise, but I don't recall that from this morning, just straight line accelerating and stopping. It was 50 degrees this morning, which isn't really that cold IMHO.

I really hope this is from the new sway bars and not something else.

 

My rear bushings occasionally squeak and require additional lubricant.

Considering this started right after the swaybars, I'm inclined to say its related.

 

I would agree, however I don't have a proper control baseline. I don't normally drive with the radio off, but I happened to this morning. The sound could have been there all along.

The last time I drove with the radio off, I was focused on cowl noise, and don't recall hearing this noise, but my attention was under the windshield and being 18 degrees, the cowl was noisy.

So I'll assume it's the sways for now.

 

I found the noise

I sorta knew better than to assume before taking some troubleshooting steps, but I went and made a thread about nothing

Earlier, I mentioned that I'd need to empty my trunk and see if the sound was still there...well, the sound was coming from my trunk. I had a coworker stand outside the car and listen. He couldn't hear anything.

So he got in the back seat and heard it, but said it was from the trunk.

I started pulling things out until I got to my toolbox. That's when I knew what it was I typically store this thing in a compartmentalized box with my tire repair kit and a piece of foam to keep it still. I never put it back after I checked my lug nut torque.




The FIRST thing I should have done was empty the trunk...I know better. Anyway...let this serve as a reminder to anyone who stumbles on this thread...if there's a sound from the back, empty the trunk first...I'd even go as far as to remove the spare tire.