Rattling Noise When Accelerating: Why Is My Car Making A Rattling Noise?

Noises are indicative of your car’s problems. While squeaking noises refer to old brake discs and pinging sounds mean a bad O2 sensor, rattling noise when accelerating might indicate a wide range of issues. Today’s post will help you answer “Why is my car making a rattling sound?” and suggest a few solutions.    

Rattling Noise When Accelerating: Is It Bad?  

Undoubtedly, there are internal problems with your car making rattling noise when accelerating, which is never good. However, the severity of the situation depends on the root cause. 

In the section below, Driverevolve will discuss 9 potential causes of rattling sound when accelerating.  

Why Is My Car Making A Rattling Noise?

Loose Exhaust Hangers and Clamps

The hangers and clamps on your exhaust mechanism become brittle over time, primarily due to oxidation. When this happens, these essential parts can become loose or deteriorate to collapse.

The consequence is excessive vibration. This generates loud sounds that frequently fluctuate in frequency with acceleration.

Usually, component substitution is required to resolve such situations. Broken hangers and rusty old or eroded exhaust clips should be changed with equivalent components if necessary.

Failed Catalytic Converter

The most prevalent emissions-related contaminants are broken down by catalytic converters in modern cars, converting them into less dangerous compounds.

However, excessive heat or impacts can cause these components to collapse, causing parts of their inbuilt configuration to pull free and rattle around. This sound often resembles pebbles being shaken within a tin can.

If your catalytic converter screws up, you must replace it. Before replacing the unit, scout everything inside a catalytic converter for the problem’s source.

Damaged Heat Shield

The exhaust mechanism of your car usually comes with numerous heat shields that safeguard other parts from the impacts of high temperatures. While heat shields are generally free of problems but vulnerable to rust and oxidation.

In such situations, a heat shield may detach from its welded joints and oscillate against neighboring exhaust parts.

If a heat shield starts to break free from its joints, it might be tack-bonded back into its position or changed and reinserted. When oxidation has undermined the structure of a heat shield, it is usually mandatory to replace it.

Poor Fitting Brake Components

When braking a car, the brake parts are subjected to enormous resistance. And if different pieces come loose, they may move around in this case.

Brake chattering is typical when one or more disc brakes come without their anti-rattle clamps.

If you doubt that your braking system is making a strange sound of any kind, you should check it immediately. If you aren’t confident in detecting the problem on your own, seek expert assistance.

Loose or Damaged Steering/Suspension Components

A car’s steering and suspension parts help to provide excellent control and a comfortable experience. However, such parts can and do deteriorate over time, resulting in a slew of wear-related problems.

Bushings can wear out, shocks and mountings might lose effectiveness, and connections can exhibit free play inside their terminal jacks. Furthermore, any kind of prior deterioration can lead to similar problems.

A detailed check-up is necessary to identify the collapse of specific steering and suspension parts. In most situations, you must exert pressure on all parts to precisely verify for free-play.

Engine Accessory Issues

When their car’s engine makes a strange sound, many people assume the worst, but the problem is frequently much less severe than one may think. Such sounds often have more to do with engine attachable parts than internal engine problems.

Any drive belt-driven part’s bearings are at risk of collapse, resulting in various sounds, such as rattling. Loose hold-down racks can also cause engine rattles.

Whenever you suspect the rattling sound from your car’s engine, it’s critical to pinpoint the source.

Although this can be difficult at times, there are many actions you can try to optimize your check. Start by ensuring that all engine-attached hold-down fixtures are securely fastened.

If you suspect your belt-driven device is the culprit, simply detach the belt, start your car, and lightly accelerate the engine. This will enable you to determine whether or not the sound remains.

However, because a car’s drive belt involves the operation of crucial engine machinery like the water pumps and alternator, you should only perform this test for a short while.

Internal Engine Issues

Inbuilt engine problems, while uncommon in comparison to other causes of strange sounds, might yield a rattling noise.

The top 3 causes of internal engine rattling noise are piston smacks, rod knocks, and lifter troubles, all of which deliver a distinguishable sound.

• Piston smacks sound like a garbled, metallic rattle that shifts frequency with car acceleration.
• Rod knocks make a distinct metal-on-metal clang that decreases in frequency at slower velocities.
• Lifter sounds are most frequently defined as a “clock sound,” which corresponds to vehicle speed.

The above problems are usually costly to repair and frequently necessitate thorough internal engine fixes or an engine reworking.

If you notice this noise and suspect it is from your car’s engine compartment, stop by the road immediately and turn off your ignition.

Loose Trim Or Compartments

A loose element of inner trim or a poor-fitting glove chamber’s door is often the source of a rattling sound. As a driver speeds up their car, the loosened parts start vibrating at an increasing speed, generating a loud noise.

Finding the source of a rattling noise is usually straightforward; just apply pressure to different elements within the car’s interior and watch out for the annoying rattling to be muffled.

Loose Change Or Other Small Items

The movements of loose change and poor-fitting screws (or small objects) inside your car’s cup holder or ashtray is also the prevalent trigger of internal rattles. Such things are frequently neglected inside a car’s cabin, only to be recalled while driving and hearing strange sounds.

You can eliminate such sounds by discarding the suspected change or other wobbly pieces that are shaking around.

Wrapping Up 

The causes of rattling noise when accelerating are various with varying intensity. While some problems aren’t a big deal, others might affect the operation of a whole machine and cost thousands of dollars to repair. Thus, if you notice any rattles in your car, contact the service for a detailed diagnosis and its solution.

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