Rattle on driver front under dash/top corner of the hood?

KIMMY CROWELL

MEMBER
2009 SATURN AURA
2.4L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
242,000 MILES

At several different occasions it will rattle and sound like a bad U joint or strut, this sound increases when hitting bumps at slow speeds, when the vehicle prepares to downshift when slowing speeds it will rattle, when turning slow speed corners either direction it will rattle, not every shift up but at times it will rattle between gears when moving through higher gears to speed up.

5 Replies

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
42,909 POSTS

This sounds like a CV axle or possibly a sway bar link issue, can you please shoot a quick video with your phone so I can hear the noise? That way I can tell for sure what's going on. You can upload it here with your response.

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Friday, November 17th, 2023 AT 2:37 PM

KIMMY CROWELL

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Here is the video.

Video (Click to make bigger)

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Tuesday, November 28th, 2023 AT 5:23 PM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
42,909 POSTS

Thank you, the video helps. it sounds like you may have a tire coming apart internally. I would raise the front of the car and spin the front wheels to see if any irregularities are present or take it to a shop to have them check it. I would not drive the car anymore until we get this figured out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-car-tires-work

Spin the tires to see, you should be able to notice a problem if the tires are causing the sound/vibration.

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Thursday, November 30th, 2023 AT 9:30 AM

KIMMY CROWELL

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I don't think it's a balance issue because it does it at all speeds, I was just on the highway when I took the video. It does it doing 15 on gravel too.

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Friday, December 1st, 2023 AT 5:41 AM

KEN L

MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
42,909 POSTS

Okay, we need to put the car in the air and do an inspection. While in the air I would put the car in drive to watch of the drivetrain. It does sound like the CV axles are bad though, have they been replaced? Here are the instructions to let you know how to do the job or see what needs to be done when they are bad. Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.

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