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It sounds like a tennis ball in my trunk at highway speeds

Tiny
MM JUSTUS
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 FORD FOCUS
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 100,100 MILES
It literally sounds like a tennis ball bouncing around in my trunk, when I get over 60 mph.

I took it in to a mechanic who went over the whole car with a fine-toothed comb for hours and could not find *anything* that was wrong. Believe me, if you can think of anything he should have checked, he checked it. He ran off a *laundry list* of things that he checked (he checked the suspension and a whole bunch of other things, most of which I'm sorry to say went right over my head -- I should know more about cars other than you put gas in one end and oil in the other, turn the key and go, but I don't).
All I really wanted was for him to *find* something, so it could be *fixed.* Not to tell me everything's okay, because obviously *something isn't.* He even told me that he'd be perfectly comfortable driving this car cross-country. But *I'm* not. And this is a very bad thing for me.
Considering the age and mileage on the car I probably should be thinking about replacing it, anyway, but I was really hoping to get another couple of years out of it, and except for the tennis ball it's in terrific shape. What do I do next?
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Sunday, April 20th, 2014 AT 4:45 PM

15 Replies

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Do you feel that the noise is in the back or the front?
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Sunday, April 20th, 2014 AT 5:28 PM
Tiny
MM JUSTUS
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  • 8 POSTS
As I said, it sounds like it's coming from the trunk (that's in the rear in a Ford Focus).
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Sunday, April 20th, 2014 AT 7:35 PM
Tiny
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I read it as truck sorry. So have you emptied every thing out of the boot (trunk) and checked that the rear top shocker mounts are ok?
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Monday, April 21st, 2014 AT 12:38 AM
Tiny
MM JUSTUS
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
No, there's nothing in the trunk, and the spare tire isn't loose, and there's nothing obvious that's causing it. Like I said, the mechanic went over the car with a fine-toothed comb and couldn't find anything.

What I really need to know now is how to find someone who *can* find and fix the problem. Can you tell me how to do that? Please? Just searching for local mechanics is not solving the problem.
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Monday, April 21st, 2014 AT 9:00 AM
Tiny
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T may be the valving in the rear shockers, they can cause a knock if faulty, it really should not be that hard to locate a noise in the rear end, I would go get a second opinion, you mechanic may be over looking something here.
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Monday, April 21st, 2014 AT 2:25 PM
Tiny
MM JUSTUS
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
That's what I'm doing. I should have phrased my question differently to start with, but I was really frustrated. It's not like anyone's going to be able to diagnose something like this online after all, esp. When I know so very little about cars to begin with. But it does feel rather like the chicken and the egg -- you have to know enough about cars to know how to ask the right questions, and you have to ask the right questions to learn enough about cars.

You have to know more than I do to find someone local who can actually do something, and I don't begin to know how to learn enough to do that.

I hope I've found someone who can figure this out, but I feel like I'm reaching out blindfolded.
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Monday, April 21st, 2014 AT 4:29 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
. DIFFERENT GUY

I DO IT ALL TO MY VEHICLES WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF "MACHINE WORK ON AN ENGINE", "AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS" AND "WHEEL ALIGNMENTS"

A LOT OF THE TIME. AN "ALIGNMENT GUY" MIGHT BE THE ONE TO LOOK AT YOUR SITUATION, INSTEAD OF A MECHANIC

I LIKE THE BIGGER FELLERS THAT DO "DUMP TRUCKS" AND OTHER LARGER RIGS, AS WELL AS REGULAR OLE CARS

THESE KINDA GUYS ARE GENERALLY REALLY EXPERIENCED AND HAVE A VAST KNOWLEDGE OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

MY GUYS USUALLY GIVE A FREE DIAGNOSIS AND A CLOSE ESTIMATE BEFORE I LEAVE M STUFF WITH THEM. THE SAME GOES FOR OTHER JEEP GUYS THAT I HAVE STEERED TO THEM

. WHEREAS THE LITTLE CAR ALIGNMENT PLACES MAY HAVE A HIGHER TURNOVER RATE WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES AND MAY LACK EXPERIENCE (NOT NECESSARILY AT ALL PLACES)

OTHER THAN THAT. TAKE A RIDE IN THE TRUNK AND SEE IF YOU CAN PIN DOWN THE AREAS THE NOISE IS GENERATING FROM!

THE MEDIC
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Monday, April 21st, 2014 AT 7:18 PM
Tiny
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Thanks. Here's hoping this guy can figure it out.
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Monday, April 21st, 2014 AT 7:35 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
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RETURN WITH GOOD NEWS!

KEEP US POSTED

THE MEDIC
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Monday, April 21st, 2014 AT 7:42 PM
Tiny
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Any results yet?
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Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014 AT 2:14 AM
Tiny
MM JUSTUS
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  • 8 POSTS
No, not yet. They've still got the car, and I've still got the loaner. I'm hoping to hear something today.
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Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014 AT 9:24 AM
Tiny
MM JUSTUS
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Just wanted to let everyone know. What it turned out to be was a loose panel in the rear bumper assembly.

It does *not* thump anymore, and I am so happy I could spit.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!
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Thursday, April 24th, 2014 AT 2:36 PM
Tiny
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God to hear that you found it, nothing worse than a noise that drives you crazy and you can't find it, thank you fro using 2CP.
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Friday, April 25th, 2014 AT 4:45 PM
Tiny
MM JUSTUS
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  • 8 POSTS
I'll be back next time I have a question, believe me. Which I hope isn't any time soon, nothing personal, but I'm sure you know what I mean.
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Friday, April 25th, 2014 AT 5:55 PM
Tiny
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No worries, happy to help anytime.
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Friday, April 25th, 2014 AT 5:59 PM

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