Loud rattle / "clunking" in trunk area... HELP!

[Red S Eye]

Hey-O! ....first post here and maybe someone can help!

About 3000 miles on my 2006 Si. It's very cold here (near the Minnesota border) and in the last couple weeks the car has developed a very strange rattle which has gone from a minor irrantance to something that has me yelling "What the **** is that"??? at the top of my lungs.

I thought it might be the seat backs, but the sound only is louder with the seats down...

I removed the little foam tray atop the spare thinking the jack, wrench or socket was to blame... Nada.

I have visually inspected everywhere in the trunk area and can find nothing that points to the rattle / clunk.

The only thing I could find... was a small L shaped plastic fastener loose in the trunk. This probably is meant to hold something down. It's 30 below outside and too cold to try and figure this out. HELP!

The rattle / clunk is quite loud and makes itself heard when driving over even the smallest of bumps and imperfections in the road. And with it being winter, the roads are very rough.

The car handles perfectly and there is no indication that this is anything as serious as a broken suspension component or something of that nature.

My dealer is a long way off and a call said no one else was reporting anything like this.

I did a lot of research and found the following from other new Civic owners: (These are all quotes of the net)

I have had my Civic for two weeks, its going into the dealers tomorrow for a knock/rattle from the n/s rear. The dealer denied any known problems from this area. On reading previous comments about this problem it looks like a common fault.

As I understand it, the knocking from the rear suspension is down to a problem with the suppliers of the rear shocks, Sachs. There were some faulty ones manufactured and a limited number of cars may experience this rattling noise. I am also lead to believe it is easily resolved if you contact your supplying dealer. These are isolated cases which is why your individual dealers may have had no experience of it before.

Re: rattle in rear. I heard this on the car I tested although it was from within the cabin. I traced it to the U shaped bars that support the rear seat squabs rattling in their sockets on the cabin floor. To prove it, I took the car for a spin with the rear seat squabs locked in the upright position. The rattle stopped. I found the cure was to wrap gaffer tape around the U bars at the point at which they connect to the floor sockets - sad I know, but I’ve got one on order and wanted to be sure

can't believe this... '06 LX coupe AT, 2 months old, 3200 miles. within the first two weeks had to bring it back to the dealer for a clunking in the rear of the car. dealer had the car the whole day, couldn't figure it out. eventually it went away on its own (?)...

Our 2006 Honda Civic Si is nearing 6,000 miles now. It has recently developed one intermittent rattle emanating somewhere from the rear-seat area. Kind of a “clunking” sound. Driving me crazy, but the car is going in for Service soon and they promise to look at it.

Anyone having similar issues? I am going to make a non-scheduled stop at the dealer to see if they can figure it out.


Thanks in advance!

Red S Eye


Post #: 1

[Vince]

Im interested in what you come up with.

[Mattzilla]

I thought I heard something from the rear passenger side of my car when it was cold, but driving the rest of the day I didn't hear a thing, so I figured it was my mind playing tricks on me.

[Vince]

I was hearing something from the back on my car and discovered that when I had been showing off my car, I had pulled the seat release but neglected to put the seat back in position so the seat back was flopping around. I would hear that go "WTF is that noise in my new car!!!!" LOL

[Mattzilla]

^lol!

[kero]

It's cold here in NY and my front and rear suspension make noise when going over humps until the suspension warms up.

Might be a similar issue.

Also, some cars needed rear shocks replaced as they were leaking. You might also have a leaky or leaking rear shocks.

[Road Race]

Similar story in another Cold weather Si. Something else to look at is the belly pan under the spare tire well, The one on my 07 Si sedan is a bit loose and "rattly" Some foam seemed to help

[Si_Chick]

I think I may be having the same problem. I hear it going over bumps, but it's most prominent going over speed bumps.
Let me know if you find anything else out... it's pretty cold here too so I haven't got around to investigating myself... I'm thinking the next time I head to the dealer I'll have them check it out.

[Kidekat]

If not interior related, then I woudl start look at exterior parts. Likeother mentioned shiock mounts, suspension parts, or even exhaust components hitting agaisnt something.

[Vince]

this noise...you here it over bumps when the back en drops down? Sounds like something isn't secured and the suspension dropping makes what ever it is, bounce up and then back down?
I've noticed something like that since I got my car, the cold weather has kept me from getting on that.
One note, the exhaust has set in some pretty soft bushings and has alot of movement in it, that's my #1 thought on my problem.

[Faskev]

I have an '07 LX Coupe and I live in Canada where it gets really cold. I am also experiencing this clunking noise from the rear passenger's side when even going over the slightest bumps. This clunking is intermittent but I can't seem to figure out what is making the noise.