Jim Grant's Tech Tips
'97 Nissan Maxima SE, Rear End Rattle
Q:
I'm
looking for a rattle in the rear of my '97 Nissan Maxima SE, with 140K
. It seems to be coming from the rear. I've changed shocks, verified that
the muffler wasn't the cause, checked in the trunk and the like. It is
most obvious when driving on small bumps or a gravel road. I am suspecting
a bushing in the multilink beam suspension. How can I check this out ?
- Denis G.
A:
I'd be more inclined
to check the sway bar links and bushings. Your vehicle is in the right
age and mileage bracket to be suffering from stiffening of the bushings
and link joints. Yeah, it happens to cars too, not just people. I have
not had a lot of problems with the multilink suspension, but the sway
bar bushings have been a common problem. They create more of a thump type
rattle. It really doesn't sound like a loose nut or washer metal type
rattle. To eliminate the sway bar components just unbolt the links and
secure the bar safely for a test drive. If the rattle is gone, replace
the links and bushings on both sides.
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