Rear Rattle Noise

[craigrodrigues88]

I am getting a REALLY annoying rattle from the BACK of my car, I know there are cowl issues with this car but this is coming from the hatch area of the car. I was wondering if anyone else has had any issues with odd noises coming from the rear of the car. I have tried taking everything out of the trunk and driving around with it, but the noise is still there. The noise can't be heard from the outside of the car which is making me think that it isn't a suspension issue. I also had the car on the hoist at work and didn't see anything loose which is helping me come to that conclusion. I am all out of ideas, and am ready to take it to the dealership. I just hate dealing with dealers after the last ordeal I went through! Any help at all would be much appreciated!!!!

[WeatherB]

How does the rattle sounds like? Does it sound like a creaking noise or more of a metallic rattle?

[techiebhoy]

did u replaced the rear brakes by any chance? Does the sound disappear after applying breaks?

[bluemazda3]

might be ur struts are leaking.. mine is rattling badly...

[Cosmic Wonder]

Couple simple things to check...
Privacy cover sitting correctly?
You mentioned that you took everything out of your trunk. Does that include the spare tire, lug wrench, etc.? If not, make sure they are all tightly secured. Also, make sure your jack is still secured properly in the side compartment.
Are your rear seats "locked" in the upright position? My wife's had her seats down in her 3 a few weeks ago and one hadn't latched properly and was rattling and being held up by the seatbelt tension.

[zoso]

I'm getting the same problem in my 3, it's not bad but it's worrying as i don't want it to be a problem with my Suspension (happened to my Civic, and it put me into a Ditch when it broke)


I am planning to double check my hatch and the back seats to make sure nothing is loose, it's driving me crazy

[fywdyl]

My car rattles too, but it's a 2010. I know the problem is the rear spoiler. There is a tiny gap between the spoiler and the rear door, so when you go over bumps or when it's really cold outside, you can hear the rattling.

[Mr Wilson]

Mines making the same noise and I've removed everything as well. The only thing that's left is the hatch itself. It's really bad when you have to angle curbs so I wonder if the body has any flex that the hatch doesn't move with it, or something along those lines. Was going to ask Mazda to check it out during my next service.

[craigrodrigues88]

I checked the hatch today and took out the handle because it was moving around but the noise was still there. It is a hollow sounding noise that sounds like plastic on plastic but now that I have taken EVERYTHING out of the back I am running out of ideas! I guess my last resort is to just take it in to the dealer... I will record the noise after and post it here.

[SSmoked]

You guys dont know what rattles are spend 5min in my car and you'll know what rattling is LOL.

Craig best bet is to continue looking for the problem yourself i HIGHLY doubt the dealer will be any help. plus the dealership mechs ripping apart your car to find the noise = a bad idea.
What you should do is have someone drive your car and you sit in the hatch and find that noise. as stupid as it sounds, its a mission that must be done.

[craigrodrigues88]

I actually got my dad to drive the car while I went in the hatch and I have no idea where its coming from, sound like the passenger side but I have no clue! I went outside while he drove it, and couldn't hear any problems. I hopped in the hatch and jumped around and couldn't hear any problems. This is really starting to piss me off that I can't find the problem. At least if I knew where the problem was I could live with it, but not knowing it SO MUCH WORSE!

[WeatherB]

Isn't the rattle warranty only 1 year so ya, I second not taking it into the dealership.

Perhaps it's time for you to start ripping all the panels in the hatch area off and then going for a drive. That's how I diagnosed and repaired a rattle I had from the glove box area.

[SSmoked]

damn dude i dont know what to say. i had a problem like this cept when i closed the door my door would rattle, pissed me off cause i couldnt find it. took my 5 months to relize it was my door hitting my seat belt because there was slack LOL. you never know bro it could be something soo stupid or right infront of your eyes.

[Fobio]

to OP...I'd get it on the hoist again and chk the passenger side strut...it's known to fail prematurely. Mine rattled for a long time before it leaked definitively, so you might want to carefully inspect it yourself.

You may want to detail it a bit more regarding the type of situation taht causes the rattle...for example, if you park outside and you hear it backing out of the driveway, then it's a common MS3 issue...if hear clunking, it could be the rear sway bar...

once you isolate when it does happen, it'll be easier for your dad to replciate it while you scope it out in the hatch.

[craigrodrigues88]

Turns out the strut is leaking. Car only has 58k on it, should be covered warranty right?

[bluemazda3]

it should be providing u didnt modify ur suspension

[craigrodrigues88]

All stock :)

[Fobio]

the dealer replaced my blown rear shocks with my cobb springs on...amongst all my other stuff.

I tend to agree with some from the US...when you go in to the dealer with a car modded beyond a certain point, you actually gets respect from some of the mech's, assuming you're on good terms with the service manager.

[craigrodrigues88]

Do you think I can get away with asking for them to replace both under warranty?

[Elusivellama]

I had a rattling noise from the hatch area... it wasn't the rear spoiler, it was the privacy cover. There are two felt pads which stick to where the privacy cover rests on the edge of the luggage compartment, and one of the felt pads had fallen off. I saw it about 3 months ago just chilling on my cargo mat. I figured I would keep it just in case I ever found out.... good thing I did lol.

[Fobio]

Do you think I can get away with asking for them to replace both under warranty?

doesn't hurt to try.

[miket]

i haveing that same poblem i have to check it out

[Pivot]

Hate to add my voice to the crowd, but I've had a rattle for ages, and tonight, a buddy and I tried to track mine down, to no avail. My driver side shock was a little loose at the knuckle, which we tightened, but after a test spin, while better, there's something still slam dancing around in my hatch.

Driving me crazy...

[bluemazda3]

it could be your trailing arm bushings.. I had mine checked out at QEW mazda and it had a bit of play which is making it rattle a bit...

[Izzy]

The solution to this is actually very simple. i spent over $1000 in repairs, (struts, brakes etc.) before realizing that the problem is the anti-rattle pin. its that silver pin that attaches to the brakes. it should cost $50. to replace.

[mazda3t]

Having this problem too but I think its my exhaust rumbling from the stiff ass mount I put in their. When I looked under I seen the bushing and bracket to hold it missing so that may be my reason for the rattling.

[Astromax]

I had a bunch of knocking and clunking which sounded like it was coming from the rear hatch area, ended up being links and bushing which the dealer replaced under warranty (72,000 km on my 2011 ms3).

[staax]

I have a rattle in the hatch area. You can hear it while driving and while lifting/closing the hatch.

I've completely gutted the rear hatch pieces but whatever it is, its stuck in the pillar of the hatch.

I've learned to live with it, but just another spot to keep an eye on.

[dreadlock]

Will leaking shocks be fairly obvious? My rear passenger side has started making some awful noises going over bumps this past week. Fobio mentioned this is a common failure in MS3s, and also said it could be a loose the sway bar... I don't have access to a hoist so its pretty hard to get under my car.. If it is the shocks, I'd probably see some liquid on my driveway where I park right? Or do I need to jack it up to see the leak? Thanks..