Hey everyone. There is a slight sound in the front driver’s side that almost sounds like a rattling. It is pretty faint when going at high speeds or bumpy roads and none existent whenever I am going slow. Another sound it sounds like is kind of like what an older car of mine made when the hose went out and the coolant was low. The radiator is getting replaced this week from the dealer we bought it from as the part was under warranty I just couldn’t figure out what it was and am curious. My first initial guess was there was something that wasn’t fastened to the frame and it was rattling because it seemed to get louder when there was wind. Is this possible? I am going to take it to a shop when I get the radiator back and put on, I just wanted to have some ideas for them whenever I took it in.
Left front wheel well’s plastic liner loose? Headlight loose? Plastic bumper surround loose?
Open the hood without the engine running and wiggle everything you think might make that noise. See if the hub cap is loose. Crawl under the car and see if anything is loose down there. You might need to put it up on jack stands to crawl under it. An alternative is to check the underside when it is at the shop and on the lift.
I can do that. You are thinking it mainly sounds like something is just loose? Not mechanical?
So you don’t think it’s mechanical? Probably just something loose?
How old is your car ?
My second muffler has developed a rattle that (I’m told) indicates a loose baffle inside – a weld has come loose. There is no cure for this except replacement. The sound is a dingle, for want of a better term – not bothersome now that i know what it is. I can live with it . . . my Civic is 29 years young and still going strong !
Tire tread patterns can cause this; first off check if there’s an unusual wear pattern on the front left tire. There are parts in the braking system at the wheel that can start to rattle too as the pads wear. If the rattling goes away during braking, that would be a clue. Worn CV joints can make weird sounds. A faulty outer CV usually makes a clicking sound during low speed turns, while a faulty inner can make a sound or a vibration felt in the steering wheel even when going straight.
Gotcha. No noises on smooth roads at low speeds and no noises when turning.
A rattling hood is possible.You need to tighten both hood stays
Here’s a REAL low tech possibility (this happened to me): I had a very similar rattling sound. Spent months searching for the source. (One mechanic diagnosed a loose hood, as one poster here had proposed.) I finally discovered quite by accident that it was my commuter mug rattling in the cup holder!!