2nd Gen R56 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Strange Rattle

I joined this forum to answer your question. I have spent three months looking for a rattle that gets worse and worse. Found1, rear sear belts knocking against rear side panels. 2. one gas tanl was very loose and the other was not tight. 3. exhaust raddles. 4 rear hatch problems (actually filled most of it with foam. 5. places sound deadening material under carpets and in side panels. and two days ago-----found it--the bushings on the rear sway bar are worn out--being right against the frame it was terrible. Open a door and rock the car up and down and watch the bushings for the sway bar. mine have nearly 1/8 inch play==good luck

 

When it’s cold, rattles and knocks become more apparent in my car too. If you have a 2003 model and the hatch door ring has not been updated to the thicker version, that’s rattle/knock #1. The hatch door seal looses its resiliency and allows the door to shift, #2. If the door struts cease to hold the hatch open, it’s time to replace them (buy OEM, don’t skimp on this item), with a shrunken cylinder charge these can rattle/knock, #3. The rear seat back latches knock when cold, and they require an extra forceful pull to latch completely, #4. Also check the bolt between the seats to be sure it has not backed out allowing the center seat pivots to be loose #5. The outside metal hangers on the exhaust seem to touch more often in cold weather when the exhaust shifts, for this one, swing the cans left & right, listen and watch where contact is made, cut a section of nylon tubing lengthwise, fold around the contact point and tape, #6. Get out the torque wrench and check every bolt in the rear.

I saw your signature on another forum and now know it is a 2006 MCSa; disregard rattle/knock target #1. I’ll leave it in for other readers for whom it may be relevant.

 

My 03 MC has a few rattles, I turn the music up louder if they bug me:lol:

Mark

 

I just make a couple of wrong turns and let the wife take care of the rest.

To the O.P.: finding rattles is always a PITA as sounds tend to travel. The convertibles have a thing where seat belt buckles will bang against side panels at speed from the air flopping them around unless you have them adjusted to a specific height. That setting always changes as soon as someone uses the seat belts. And even though I've had my car for over 5 years now, it always takes me a few days to find the source of the "new" rattle.