My girlfriends 100hp squeeks a lot from the rear. It is really bad on these cold damp mornings we have had recently. In the summer it would only really do it if it was washed in the evening or was a damp night/morning. After a few miles it pretty much stops.

Dampers are new and bushes are still ok. Rear bumpstops have been stuck on to eliminate them. Rear arm bushes appear ok, no visible damage or movement.

Any other ideas as it is pretty damn annoying.

Rust on the brakedisks?

gr J

A3jeroen said:

Rust on the brakedisks?

gr J

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Rear brakes are perfectly good, no rust, everything is free.

It sounds like 2 balloons being rubbed together!!!!

If the noise coincides with suspension movement...

Try to eliminate things in order of simplicity, checking for noise between each step.

Take out the parcel shelf.

Check it is not the tailgate. Try placing a couple of sheets of folded kitchen roll around the bottom of the tailgate and shutting it. Test drive. If noise gone, tailgate seal is probably the problem.

If not, try lubricating the ball ends of the tailgate struts.

If noise still there (not sure if WD40 is the right stuff, it is what I used coz it was in my toolbox) try spraying each of the suspension bushes, one at a time, until you find out which one makes the noise. Or eliminates all of them.

Sounds like either suspension bushes or rear bump stops. Try some washing up liquid - vvery strong solution sprayed onto the suspension bushes and see if it quiets down. Annoying but not too costly to fix. Bump stops are a real pain the the **** and seem to need constant replacement. I am just about to fit some alternatives to mine. Cost of £11.50 from ebay for two last week.

irc said:

not sure if WD40 is the right stuff, it is what I used coz it was in my toolbox

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It isn't - WD40 is aggressive to anything containing rubber.

A silicone spray would be much better, safer and less messy.

This, for example.

Washing up liquid is also a bad idea as it contains a lot of salt - just what you don't need on a rear beam that's well known for corrosion issues.

jrkitching I suspected as much, hence the warning. In my case it was just to confirm that when I changed the bushes I would have fixed the problem. As it turned out, they were all knackered anyway. I just wanted to be sure it wasn't the shocks themselves.
Good advice.

I don't actually use "normal" WD40 for very much any more. Probably why there was a tin with some left in my toolbox!

petercresswell said:

Sounds like either suspension bushes or rear bump stops. Try some washing up liquid - vvery strong solution sprayed onto the suspension bushes and see if it quiets down. Annoying but not too costly to fix. Bump stops are a real pain the the **** and seem to need constant replacement. I am just about to fit some alternatives to mine. Cost of £11.50 from ebay for two last week.

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Rear bumpstops have been bonded in place so dint move as that is what I initially suspected.
.which suspension bushes do you mean? The dampers are new and both bushes are obviously new and perfectly fine. The only other bushes would be the rear arm to body bushes which appear fine and would be birch to change anyway!?

I have some silicone spray, so will give that a go. It's a pain as I can only try 1 item per day as it only squeeks first thing for about the the first 10-15 mins of driving it!

The only other rubber things at the rear that I can think of would be the exhaust hangers...maybe once heated up they stop squeaking.

SPORTPACK50 said:

The only other rubber things at the rear that I can think of would be the exhaust hangers...maybe once heated up they stop squeaking.

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good call. i will have a look at those. they look ok, but that doesnt mean they wont squeek

dac69er said:

good call. i will have a look at those. they look ok, but that doesnt mean they wont squeek

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If you've not already ruled out the rear brake disk squeak, then that's worth doing. That is - if it stops squeaking when you brake (or pull the handbrake partially on) then that's the culprit. Mine got fixed.

It's definitely not the brakes. It doesn't sound like squeaky brakes and using them makes no difference to the sound. Just driving the car for 10-15 mins sorts it and it is worst when it is damp outside or has been washed.

Sure it's not your girlfriend ?

martroy said:

Sure it's not your girlfriend ?

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I get a dreadful whining noise from the front nearside of my 100HP but it's only when my wife is in the car!

martroy said:

Sure it's not your girlfriend ?

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That is more of a grumbly sound. Similar to a wheel bearing

Put a jack under the centre of the rear axle and jack it up.

Put an axle stand under each sill jacking point. I don't have fork topped stands so use a piece of 25 x 50 timber under the inner sill to spread the load.

Undo the shock absorber bottom bolts.

Drop the axle down and clean out the spring pans. Grit in there can make a noise.

You could also consider using the spring top rubbers at the top and bottom ends. It will lift the car about 10mm but stops metal to metal contact at the spring pans.

Check the exhaust isn't rubbing somewhere. Check the springs are not rubbing on the spring towers or bump stops.

Jet wash the rear axle and Waxoyl everything under the back end.

With luck you'll have stopped the squeak.

Tailgate sounds possible. Wipe the closure bump stops with a little silicon. These are adjustable to prevent rattling. Check the seat back locks as well??

Is the spare wheel well secured?

Also check the rear bumper is correctly seated. Could be the outer plastic rubbing on the bumper pad or loos connections around the wheel arch liners etc.

My Espace MkIV has had a really annoying rattle front the front suspension. The strut tower sits under the dash so even more annoying.

Track rods - replaced
Swing arms all fine
Outer ball joints - replaced
ARB rubbers all normal
ARB drop links replaced.

The problem was a rubber faced washer that sits on top of the strut spindle. The secondary nut has to be pulled up BEFORE the strut is fixed to the suspension. My washer was bent and although there are no signs of damage the rattle stopped when I straightened it and refitted.

So check everything in detail - the rattle could be just about anything.