Experiencing a new car rattle is incredibly disheartening, especially when you expect quality and quiet performance. Shortly after purchasing my new GT and putting a few hundred kilometers on the odometer, a subtle yet irritating metallic rattle emerged. This noise was only noticeable when driving with the window down, and specifically when traveling over bumps at speeds between 30 to 60 km/h. It sounded like keys jingling or a tambourine shaking from underneath the vehicle. For a brand new car, and especially one I hoped would surpass the build quality of a basic Ford Festiva, this Car Diagnosis Rattle was unacceptable. Thus began my journey to the dealer service department to diagnose and eliminate this frustrating sound.
Initially, during the first dealer visit, the service invoice stated: “2 exhaust heat shields found to be incorrectly installed, overlapping and causing rattle. Vehicle road tested and noise found to be no longer present.” Optimistically, I drove away from the dealership, only to hear the metallic rattle resurface upon encountering the first set of bumps in the road. A sense of dread washed over me, realizing this issue was far from resolved. To gain a clearer understanding, I enlisted the help of a seasoned diesel mechanic friend with decades of automotive experience to assist with the car diagnosis rattle.
His immediate suggestion was a simple yet effective diagnostic technique: lightly hover over the brake pedal while driving over bumps to see if the noise persisted. After about an hour of road testing under various conditions, we conclusively determined that the rattle completely disappeared whenever the brakes were even slightly applied. This pointed directly to a brake-related issue, with rattling brake pads being the most probable cause. Furthermore, we managed to pinpoint the source of the noise to the rear brake area, most likely originating from the driver’s side.
Armed with this amateur car diagnosis rattle, I returned for a second visit to the dealership, specifically advising them that the issue was related to the rear driver’s side brake. Regrettably, my input seemed to be disregarded. Instead of focusing on the brakes, the service team embarked on a seemingly random disassembly of the car. They proceeded to remove the underbody trays and began bending exhaust heat shields again – actions reminiscent of their first misdiagnosis. Running out of time before the end of the workday, they concluded their efforts and requested that I bring the car back for a third visit, so they could begin removing the wheel arch guards.
By the time of the third dealership visit, my frustration had reached its peak, especially after learning of their misguided actions the previous day. Upon dropping off the car, I insisted on speaking directly with the workshop foreman. I reiterated the brake hypothesis and shared the results of our amateur testing, emphasizing that applying the brakes eliminated the car diagnosis rattle. My diesel mechanic friend had also suggested a common trick: applying a small dab of silicon behind the brake pads to “fill” any potential void and prevent rattling. I relayed this information to the foreman. Finally, acknowledging the logic, the foreman agreed to focus on the brakes. They disassembled the rear brakes and, instead of silicon, applied an “anti-rattle spray” to the back of the rear brake pads.
Picking up the car for the third time, with a mix of hope and skepticism after this drawn-out car diagnosis rattle saga and the partial dismantling of my relatively new and expensive car, I was finally met with success. Voila! The metallic rattle was GONE. My diesel mechanic friend’s initial diagnosis was correct – the culprit was indeed the rear brake pads. One might wonder what Brembo, the manufacturer of these brakes often fitted to high-performance vehicles like Ferraris, would say about this seemingly simple issue causing such a persistent car diagnosis rattle.
Hopefully, this detailed account of my experience with a car diagnosis rattle will prove beneficial to others encountering similar issues. It could potentially save you multiple trips to the dealer and prevent unnecessary disassembly of your new vehicle. If you have experienced a comparable metallic rattle and brake pad related fix, please share your experiences in the comments below. If there is significant feedback, I intend to forward this information to Kia Australia to bring attention to this potential issue.
