2001 Honda CRV rattling noise

PSYCHO61

MEMBER
2001 HONDA CRV
2.0L
4 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
150,000 MILES

On uneven, rough, or bumpy road my car has a rattling noise. Sounds like it's at my rear tires and seems a bit worse on the right side and the rattle sounds bone dry to me. It also appears to worsen with extreme cold weather, however, anytime it's wet I don't hear the noise at all. The sound reminds me of how worn out shocks used to sound on an old ford mustang a friend of mine had back in the 70's that was hiked up in the back with the super wide tires. Does that make any since at all to you? LOL Anyway, it doesn't effect how it drives or anything, not yet anyway. Does something need to be greased maybe? Or something worn out that needs replacing? Not sure if it matters but i've never used the OD. Any insight is really appreciated.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

Why don't you use overdrive? That is very hard on the transmission and engine.

From the way you described it, a likely suspect would be an anti-sway bar link. That is not a safety issue but it will let the vehicle lean more than normal when cornering.

On all cars today worn control arm bushings seem to be a common failure item. That is not exactly a safety problem as in the wheel falling off the car, but it will allow the alignment to shift around, and that can lead to handling issues. Water will sneak in there and act as a lubricant for a little while, so the noise might stop.

The best approach is to have the steering and suspension systems inspected at a tire and alignment shop. They're experts at finding the causes of noises, handling problems, and tire wear issues.