Rattling when braking over a pothole

[m85476585]

I have an 07 LX, and it has a kind of rattling noise I'd like to figure out. I do a lot of city driving, and the roads are terrible here. There is one place where there is a pothole or sort of gap in the pavement just before a stop sign, right where I am normally braking. It isn't very deep, and it doesn't look like it could damage the car (unlike some of the other potholes around here). I'd guess I usually hit it at around 10-15mph, and there is no way to avoid it because it is about half the width of the road, on the right side. If I hit the pothole while braking moderately, something continues to rattle for a few seconds afterward. It doesn't sound like the ABS (which is more of a grinding that can be felt in the brake pedal). It sounds more like some piece of metal repeatedly hitting another piece of metal. It is somewhat loud, and on the right side in the front, after the front wheel hits the pothole. If I take my foot off the brake just before hitting the pothole and start braking again immediately after, there is no noise, and if I am braking lightly as I go over it, the noise is not as loud or prolonged. It happens in other places too, but this particular pothole is on a 1-way street near where I park, so there is no way I can take another street.

Any ideas what this noise could be? Is it normal?

[a1j7g]

how many miles? Did you just put new pads or rotors on?

[jaxson]

I dont know what it may be but I was thinking your abs when i first saw you thread. Cuz my abs caught me off gourd when I first brought my Si. It kicks on alot easier than my previous cars. The car just thinks your losing traction that milli second your wheel lose contact with the ground when you hit a pothole or bump. I dont know what else it can be...if you dont hear it when u go over the same potholes when not applying the brakes, than its def your abs.

[silvR18]

same thing happens to me, even though the roads around where i live arent bad the same thing has happened to me a few times. i hear the rattle like two pieces of metal are hitting each other and the peddle goes a little soft. i looked this up on this forum and a few threads said it was related to the ABS system. just try and avoid the potholes the best you can, thats all i can say

[m85476585]

It makes sense that it would be ABS-related since the wheel momentarily loses traction when it goes over the pothole, but the noise is a lot slower than the usual grinding sound the ABS makes during hard stops. Maybe I'll try stepping on the brakes harder next time I go over it.

The car has 17k miles on it and I haven't done anything to the brakes. They work just fine, and I don't otherwise hear the ABS kick in during normal driving. The noise isn't new, but now that I go over this pothole all the time I notice it more.

[aac0036]

I made a thread about this and everyone told me it was ABS.. I know for a fact it isn't, as I can get this sound once in a while without braking too. I drive around all the holes in the road anyways.

Is is sort of a clatter sound like a quick "BVV" ? I might know what you mean I just can't describe it other than the fact that it's a quick rattle. If you say BVV aloud mine makes a similar sound once every long while when hitting a quick dip or raised part of pavement and not on the brakes as well..

[S2K_MoZo]

Sorry for bumping an old thread but I've been having this issue for a while as well. I have owned a lot of Hondas and I've never had this issue in any of my cars. It just drive me nuts when I hit the brakes over a pothole. As soon as the wheel gets in the air and gets grip back...something rattles and I can feel it on the paddle and underneath the front of the car but I can't seem to find anything.

Anyone had any luck? If I can't find it I am taking it to the dealer since the car has <17K miles and I bought it brand new. It's an 09 Civic Si and I am just trying to avoid the dealership nightmare

[sqroot3]

Just saw this thread after mozo's bump--the same thing happens in my 09 fa5. it has happened for as long as i've had the car (new in aug 09--i remember noticing it during my first two weeks of ownership).

like aac's car, it happens in my car regardless of whether i'm pressing down on the brakes or not. in fact, the first few times i noticed it was when i had the clutch fully depressed going over bumps/humps; since i usually brake hard before my front wheels hit any bump and then let go of the brakes completely right before my front wheels hit, the brakes couldn't have been squeezing when the sound occurred.

maybe it IS the abs, but it almost sounds (and feels) like a cable rattling against a surface. could it, by any chance, be the clutch cable? how is the clutch cable secured? sorry about the ignorance :O

[jlav211]

Bumping this because I am having what sounds like the same problem. Anyone find a solution?

[xteabaggz]

I have the same problem and my 10 civic is two months old... Im sure it couldnt be anything dangerous or anything right?:/

[Ryan D]

For you guys that have the noise when braking the problem may be that one of your abs lines is touching up against something and rattling when the abs kicks in. When I bought my 09 I would hear a rattle when the abs kicked in and also when the abs first turns on after the car is first started when you reach about 17-18 mph. The dealer adjusted an abs line and I have not heard any noise since. It was nothing dangerous. Just a rattle.

[Minkler]

I would recommend just having the life on your brake pads checked out, ive seen cars come into my work with worn out brakes at 11k. Wild stuff but we all drive are cars differently then someone else. Oh and one question i have, is the pot hole or whetever it is fairly close to your house? The reason i ask is some people like to just hop in there cars and go, if it has rained maybe the night before sometimes it leaves a light layer of rust on the rotors that can make a somewhat "grinding" noise then eventually goes away as the brakes are applied more. Just something to think about....

[S2K_MoZo]

It's not just the noise, it's kind of a rattle/shutter noise and the brake pedal vibrates too. You can feel it on the brake pedal that it's vibrating with the rattle!! I have owned many Hondas and the other car I have is S2000 but never noticed or heard anything like this.
Whenever you hit brakes over a pothole, the front wheel(s) get in air for a millisecond and the next thing you know as soon as tire touches ground is pedal goes a little down and shutters/vibrates and you hear that noise...I thought it's ABS but why would the paddle shutter and I would hear noise as if something is hitting the chasis?
I still haven't gotten around to taking it to dealer since Honda has the worst dealers IMHO. I need to find another car to daily before I can take Si in.

[Ryan D]

Originally Posted by S2K_MoZo

It's not just the noise, it's kind of a rattle/shutter noise and the brake pedal vibrates too. You can feel it on the brake pedal that it's vibrating with the rattle!! I have owned many Hondas and the other car I have is S2000 but never noticed or heard anything like this.
Whenever you hit brakes over a pothole, the front wheel(s) get in air for a millisecond and the next thing you know as soon as tire touches ground is pedal goes a little down and shutters/vibrates and you hear that noise...I thought it's ABS but why would the paddle shutter and I would hear noise as if something is hitting the chasis?
I still haven't gotten around to taking it to dealer since Honda has the worst dealers IMHO. I need to find another car to daily before I can take Si in.

It is abs. The peddle shutters because the abs pumps the brakes. I believe its normal for our cars. I have had this happen to me and so have a couple of my friends. I have also owned many hondas and none of them did this. I guess its just different technology.

[mile]

I have the exact same issue as was described by the OP in my 09 Civic MT. It doesn't sound like ABS to me either. It sounds like pieces of metal hitting against each other underneath the car just like the OP said. Has it been determined what this is? It certainly doesn't sound normal. Thanks for any help.

[MardiGras]

It's the ABS modulator kicking in. Normal.

[leveldowen]

It is the abs kicking on. If it sounds like metal on metal, check that your pads aren't completely worn out.

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