Help! Rear End Clunking Noise - With Video!!

[emergencyx]

Hey everyone, hows it going??

Ive been driving an 05 Mazda 3 for the last year and a half and it has been great, but it just started to make a horrible clunking noise! It is coming from the rear end and as far as i can tell its mostly coming from the drivers side.
I hear the clunking when going over rough roads, speed bumps, man holes, pretty much everything! It's terribly loud and embarrassing. The odd thing is that the clunking noise stops completely when i put my foot on the brake?!

Here is a video of the noise.. it was recorded from the trunk of my car which is why you can't see much.

http://youtu.be/Tf-FoGD4UdU

What do you guys think? I have been researching and have come across many possibilities but i am just not sure. I took it to a family friend who is a mechanic and he put it up on a lift but couldn't see anything physically wrong with it. he checked my break pads, rotors and calipers among other things, and all seemed normal.. eventually he said he didn't know how to help me (!?!?) so here i am, asking the internet. you guys have helped me before so please, any comments or advice are welcome! thank you.

[cwp_sedan]

I'm not sure if it is specifically a wheel/brake problem but it could be your rear sway bar/end-link.

It's weird that you say it stops when you hit the brakes. So absolutely nothing rattles when you hit the brakes even while going over bumps?

[emergencyx]

I'm not sure if it is specifically a wheel/brake problem but it could be your rear sway bar/end-link.

It's weird that you say it stops when you hit the brakes. So absolutely nothing rattles when you hit the brakes even while going over bumps?

Hey thanks for your response, i was thinking it could be the end links but didn't know if it had any correlation to the braking.. but ya, no noticeable noise when i hold the break, even going over a speed bump.

[m3rk]

Did you get the pads replaced recently? I had clunking noise because someone installed them backwards... The noise stopped when I pressed on the brakes but definitely made noise over any kind of bump.

[emergencyx]

Did you get the pads replaced recently? I had clunking noise because someone installed them backwards... The noise stopped when I pressed on the brakes but definitely made noise over any kind of bump.

sorry i should have given a bit more background info!
No i haven't had them replaced recently, the last time was when i purchased the car about a year and a half ago. I really haven't had any work done on the car, just oil changes and switched from summer to winter tires!

[silverstarmazda]

are the wheels wobbling? could it be the the scissor jack? spare tire? sounds internal... the scissor jack is on the driver side too. i would go over everything inside the trunk and make sure everything is tight

[cwp_sedan]

are the wheels wobbling? could it be the the scissor jack? spare tire? sounds internal...

+1. I would start by taking everything out of the trunk (jack, etc) and see if it goes away.


Bad bushings on a rear sway as well as a bad endlink can also sound like this.

Rear sway bushings are like $20 from the dealer or something like that plus labour for install if you need it. A new endlink is under $100 also (part price).


I would get someone to ride back there and see if it's coming from under the car or the side. Then slowly narrow it down by checking everything.


The brakes are the only thing that could be affected by you pressing them and the noise stopping so that would also be another place to focus. It's hard to diagnose from the computer even though the video was good.

[emergencyx]

+1. I would start by taking everything out of the trunk (jack, etc) and see if it goes away.


Bad bushings on a rear sway as well as a bad endlink can also sound like this.

Rear sway bushings are like $20 from the dealer or something like that plus labour for install if you need it. A new endlink is under $100 also (part price).


I would get someone to ride back there and see if it's coming from under the car or the side. Then slowly narrow it down by checking everything.


The brakes are the only thing that could be affected by you pressing them and the noise stopping so that would also be another place to focus. It's hard to diagnose from the computer even though the video was good.

Heyy so i tried what you guys said and took everything out of the trunk but the noise is definitely still there! i wanted to check out the endlinks to see if there was anything wrong with them and the one on the left looks broken!! i hope this is it. i took a picture for you guys.. im also hoping these are actually my endlinks becuase i am not that great with cars haha.


check it out, endlink on passenger side:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/swankbitches/2013-03-27154749_zpsb9b177cb.jpg

end link on drivers side:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/swankbitches/2013-03-27154717_zps4f1d7d0f.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a274/swankbitches/2013-03-27154703_zpsb2ed7f60.jpg

is that thing busted or what??? please tell me this is my problem! Thanks in advance :)

[Hyperion]

Sure is an '05.
Did you wiggle the end links to make sure they rotate properly? They don't look cracked, just rusted.

[emergencyx]

Sure is an '05.
Did you wiggle the end links to make sure they rotate properly? They don't look cracked, just rusted.

sure is an 05 because its so rusty?? haha, i live in calgary and they just loove salting the roads..

I did try and move them around but didn't really feel anything.. I heard there is tension on the sway bar when it's on the ground so i might need to lift it to feel any movement?? could be totally wrong on that one though

[Manpreet]

Trailing arm bushing? Just a guess

[emergencyx]

bump

[cwp_sedan]

They look rusted to hell but they don't look broken. Pray it isn't the endlinks because you may have to cut them off lol. You won't be able to tell if it's the endlinks by just wiggling them though.

It could also be the bushings where the bar attaches to the frame.

It's really hard to tell. I would check all bushings back there. Being an 05 I'm sure there are a couple of things in need of replacement.

[mazdabetty]

I'm thinking your rear bushings as well... I had a weird sound like that, tried to find the video I took of it but I guess I deleted it....

Just take it to a Mazda dealership and get someone who knows our cars well to look at it (no offense to your friend :) )

[emergencyx]

thanks for the suggestions everyone

[emergencyx]

Hey everyone! This last month i have been away traveling and left my car at home with the horrid clunking noise. Now that im back i had it looked at by another mechanic and he has determined the sound is coming from a missing anti-rattle clip on the left rear wheel..

Due to me being an idiot and continuing to drive the car with the noise, he says that it has caused wear to the rotor and caliper.. and is now suggesting i replaced all the rotors, calipers and pads on both sides for about 1000$!? I had this work done about a year ago when i purchased the car so i feel it is really unneccesary. I realize i may have worn the calipers and rotors to an extent, but does it really warrent replacing everything?? or can i just replace the anti rattle clip??

Need advice please, thanks!

[warrior76]

I have an '07 and have the same noise you mentioned, that stops when you press the breaks. I was told its the rear trailing arm bushings which I ordered. I can't wait to get it installed because you're right, it is embarrassing.

[mikey32235]

ca bushings, change stab links

[r4mi5awi]

That mechanic is milking you, $1000? Go somewhere else that values your patronage.

[sudz]

If you're handy, You can replace the brakes/rotors yourself. I think total cost for me to do it 2 years ago was 280 in parts and a bottle of brake cleaner at part source.

Sometimes it takes some punishment to remove the rotors from the hubs though - They kinda rust on. if you have any penetrating oil and a mallet it helps. (don't get any oil on the new brakes!)

I find it hard to believe that it wore out your rotors though... Smells fishy.

[sarujo]

OP should make a bee line to see Jimmy at Street Performance - assuming he/she is in the Toronto area :)

[Migeta22]

I had a similiar problem a few weeks ago. I would hear clunking even on the tinest bumps and vibrations. turns out the nut on top on my rear passenger shocks were loose. I had to take the whole shock out and tightened it with a wrench and vise grip. This was driving me nuts and now its completely gone. the way I found out was I removed the covers in the trunk, stared and held on to the top nut and shook the car lol. try it out.

[mikey32235]

one of the nators can assist you DIY

[Newlook]

Hey everyone! This last month i have been away traveling and left my car at home with the horrid clunking noise. Now that im back i had it looked at by another mechanic and he has determined the sound is coming from a missing anti-rattle clip on the left rear wheel..

Have you gotten it fixed? You can visually see if the anti-rattle clip is there on your caliper (it's the wire retainer). My pad plays in the caliper as well and I think we're having the same issue.

[Rob23]

Have you gotten it fixed? You can visually see if the anti-rattle clip is there on your caliper (it's the wire retainer). My pad plays in the caliper as well and I think we're having the same issue.

there should be an anti-seize paste on the back of the calliper, check and see if its on the back of the calliper. The clip is crap.

[sky_active]

I had my rear arm trailing bushings replaced when I bought my used 06 hatchb. It was found at the Mazda dealership after the inspection was done. Anyway, the sound that I noticed from the rear was more like metal to metal friction, not like yours, maybe it was just the beginning symptom of a bad bushing. just wonder did you check the rear shock mounts? A friend of mine had the broken mounts which sounds like in ur case.

If i was you, I would take it to a reliable autoshop to get checked as the sound is really big and you dont wanna put ur life in any risk :rolleyes

[riyarobin]

Either a bad ball joint or a bad shock bushing…

[Hyperion]

Easy on the zombie bumps

[Como]

I too am for the rear shock mount.
It's a tinny sound. Not really a clunk where there would be bushings or something.
I had mine apart recently. Actually had a similar sound. The nut on the top of the shock worked it's way loose a little bit although I had just replaced my shocks in the fall. Tightened it back up with a dab of blue loctite.
This may be a broken mount?
Unless this person recently changed shocks too?

[kickz]

lol if the noise is not there if the brakes are applied the rear caliper are installed incorrectly or your using the wrong brake pads. on the mazda there are 2 different types of clips, 1 clip on to the piston of the caliper the other is a spring on top of the brake pad

[lioha]

Looks like my Mazda 3 2008 started having the rattle noise all of a sudden yesterday in the rear ( I am suspecting rear passenger side). I had nothing before and then started driving and heard this noise. It first sounded like something is shaking in the trunk so I even stopped and looked inside. What is interesting the noise disappears after a few minutes of driving. Looks like whatever it is warms up and the noise stops. I will try to see if applying the brakes stops the noise as I am sure I will have it leaving work later today. Having it stop after a few minutes driving makes it hard to diagnose at a garage. I will write more on my test with brakes.

The brakes are the only things that actually warm up in that area while driving.

[Todd]

Hey everyone, hows it going??

Ive been driving an 05 Mazda 3 for the last year and a half and it has been great, but it just started to make a horrible clunking noise! It is coming from the rear end and as far as i can tell its mostly coming from the drivers side.
I hear the clunking when going over rough roads, speed bumps, man holes, pretty much everything! It's terribly loud and embarrassing. The odd thing is that the clunking noise stops completely when i put my foot on the brake?!

Here is a video of the noise.. it was recorded from the trunk of my car which is why you can't see much.

http://youtu.be/Tf-FoGD4UdU

What do you guys think? I have been researching and have come across many possibilities but i am just not sure. I took it to a family friend who is a mechanic and he put it up on a lift but couldn't see anything physically wrong with it. he checked my break pads, rotors and calipers among other things, and all seemed normal.. eventually he said he didn't know how to help me (!?!?) so here i am, asking the internet. you guys have helped me before so please, any comments or advice are welcome! thank you.

I can help you with this, its your anti rattle clip that is missing. I causes the brake pads to rattle.

[maxlau0303]

did u check the coil spring at the back they go bk easy on this generation