Noisy Rear Suspension

[stevey]

I am getting a knocking sound from the left rear wheel when I go over a sharp bump, you get the normal suspension sound ( which is quite loud anyway) accompanied by a knock like someone thumping a cardboard box, it only does it over some potholes & manhole covers etc.

It doesn't make any differance what weight is in the car, I have taken everything out of the boot & the floor out but can't find anything loose.

Anyone else had a similar problem.

 

[jaapv]

I would consult my dealer.

 

[stevey]

Hi

Yes I have, they seem to think its a normal sound just by driving round there building but they need someone to drive it around for a day because it only does it occasionaly & you need to go over a bump with just the nearside to hear it properly you never hear it on the offside.

Its booked in for its first service next week I told them about it again but I am not confident of the outcome, they don't seam very interested.

I took there demo car out for a test drive to see if it made the same sound but it didn't.

I do think the suspension is quite harsh & noisy anyway, I found that dropping the tyre pressures to 30psi improves things but I have put them back to 38PSI where they should be.

 

[Regulo]

Just a quick thought: Someone on here has re-fixed the rear load area side panel, which Mitsu never completed. I think it's in the "What I did to my PHEV today" thread. Might be that if it's just on the nearside. Sorry, no time to do a search for it now, but I'm sure you'll find it.

 

[maby]

I think we may be developing something similar, but it is quite intermittent and I've never fully convinced myself that it is not some item of luggage that is making it.

After 8000 miles, the car is beginning to develop a few irritating noises. At speeds above perhaps 50mph, the centre dashboard panel has a tendency to rub against its neighbour producing a sort of twitter and something round the sun roof is beginning to do the same occasionally. When the noise from the dash panel gets sufficiently irritating, I will probably lubricate the joint with a little silicone grease introduced on the end of a thin feeler gauge. Hopefully the sun roof will not get too noisy - I really can't see where that is coming from and I guess it would take more serious dismantling to get at it.

Having driven Landrovers for years - including some moderately serious off-road use, I'm not too paranoid about rattling in my car - you could collect a Defender from the factory, drive it a couple of miles on rough ground and it sounded like a tin of nuts and bolts in a tumble dryer!

 

[rtw]

Just a quick thought: Someone on here has re-fixed the rear load area side panel, which Mitsu never completed. I think it's in the "What I did to my PHEV today" thread. Might be that if it's just on the nearside. Sorry, no time to do a search for it now, but I'm sure you'll find it.

Here it be! http://www.myoutlanderphev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1123

 

[stevey]

Brilliant thanks for the link

 

[Regulo]

Thanks for hunting it down, rtw! Stevey, let us know how you get on - nothing worse than a noise you can't find! I usually find that if it's coming from the back, when someone sits there, it either disappears, or they can't hear it, even when I still can.

 

[user 816]

Brilliant thanks for the link

does sound exactly like the boot trim issue. I am curious how many people have done something about it or just put up with it.

 

[stevey]

There it was, just the same :lol: , a strap with no screw, so I fixed it by drilling & a self tapping screw.

Thanks for all the help & suggestions everyone.

Cheers Steve

 

[maby]

don't forget to apply a bit of underseal over it - don't want to set it off rusting...

 

[stevey]

Yes I gave it a squirt of primer, it was really nice to go out for a knock free ride yesterday.

I am now totally happy with the car, its averaging 27miles on electric power only which is pretty good I think, thats without the AC on.

I found that when travelling on the motorway its best to put it in charge mode because in normal mode once you have used all of your battery charge up the car will recharge the battery until it has a mile or so range in it then use it straight away even if you are doing 70mph or more.

In Charge mode it just keeps saving it so you can use it in slow traffic much more efficiently later.

 

[maby]

27 miles on EV is pretty good - I reckon I'm doing well to make 23 - but I have got past the stage of driving for fuel efficiency and am now enjoying it as a large car that actually has a decent amount of acceleration! I keep the charge level well up till I'm getting close to home and it really can shift quite well - yesterday I was stopped at the bottom of a fairly steep hill on traffic lights with a bit of a boy-racer next to me in some tarted up saloon - I gave him something to think about!

 

[stevey]

Yes they do go well, I had a Range Rover Sport right up my arse yesterday down some country roads so knowing how well these things corner for a big car I kept at 60 on the short straights & cornered hard, every corner it dropped back a long way then bought back up.

 

[user 816]

Yes I gave it a squirt of primer, it was really nice to go out for a knock free ride yesterday.

I am now totally happy with the car, its averaging 27miles on electric power only which is pretty good I think, thats without the AC on.

I found that when travelling on the motorway its best to put it in charge mode because in normal mode once you have used all of your battery charge up the car will recharge the battery until it has a mile or so range in it then use it straight away even if you are doing 70mph or more.

In Charge mode it just keeps saving it so you can use it in slow traffic much more efficiently later.

Sounds good.

On the motorway I do similar but using 'save' instead of 'charge'. In charge the engine will work harder than you need as it is trying to power the car and build up more charge so its bad for your fuel consumption.

In save it doesn't try to increase the charge just maintain it so will run briefly the engine just long enough to replace the last bit of battery use and stop for a while (unless your going fast enough it has to use the engine to drive you too but it will still try to run in EV when it can)

 

[ufo]

Well, I pulled out the tray and found the same missing screw/hole on the left. Didn't want to drill the body, so fixed it down with a very strong adhesive yesterday. Checked today, it's bound very strongly. Didn't even put the tray back on and drove to work without it and some of the noise is gone but some still there must be the suspension. This noise was not there at the beginning, wonder if it is going to increase. PHEV being such a silent vehicle, this sort of noise is definitely spoiling the ride quality in terms of noise suppression