Let Play a Game: "What's wrong with my car?"
 

Okay, so I have been having a few issues with my car, all of which I cannot explain. Can you guys/gals help?

1) I am hearing a noise from the rear end of my car (03 Z with 59k miles on it and zero mods). I hear a loud popping/clunking noise when driving down a normal road, at any speed 20mph or higher. It happens rarely (once every week or so, sometimes more), and it sounds like I ran over a big rock or stick, like something is hitting hard against the underbody protection of the car (near rear). At first I thought I was just running over things, but then I noticed it happening on clear, well-paved roads (even went back and checked and there was nothing I could have run over). Again, it seams to be coming from the rear, but I have little real technical knowledge of what this could be. Is this a suspension issue, or could it be something in my engine (something similar to backfiring)? Could it be something else? The dealer was unable to find anything wrong about 30k miles ago, so I am hesitent bringing it back to get it checked. Plus, I can't reproduce it, and it seems to happen about every time I forget about the issue.

2) My car engine won't start about once a week. It sounds like the battery is trying, but it just won't start. The car has been doing this one since about 15k miles. It sounds to me like a flooded engine, but it usually only happens when I am getting in after not driving it for at least a few hours, and it doesn't seem to matter what the weather is like out. If I sit back for 10 seconds and try again, it usually starts up immediately. Is there something wrong with my battery/starter? Am I just flooding my engine? Why has this been happening for 45k miles on my car, but it has never been reproducable at a dealer, and I haven't had to replace a battery or anything?

3) My horn shorted on me while I was driving (after rain), and I had to drive for twenty miles in rush hour traffic with my horn blasting at everyone. I pulled to the side and turned off the engine, thought about pulling the battery cables and leaving it, but got back in and drove home. Needless to say, I didn't make any friends that day. Right before I got home, the horn stopped doing it. It now works fine (through some other rain/snow weather). The horn sounds like new, and nothing has been replaced. Is this short likely to happen again (it has been 10k miles since)? Is something broken, that I need to get fixed, or did it "fix itself?" I can always take this one to the dealer to get things replaced, and this one is easier to diagnose. However, if I can't get it to do it ever again, why take it in? I'd also like to not have to pull the fuse on the horn and lose it's capability (I live in Boston, where I need to be able to express my road discomfort to large cars that can't see me when they suddenly change lanes without notice).

1. Are you certain it's coming from the rear? Does it happen during shifting and/or acceleration? It could be something as silly as your spare tire not being properly secured and clunking around back there.

2. Just to make certain, are you saying the engine *does* turn over?

3. LOL

I am about 90% sure it is coming from the rear. However, since it is impossible for me to reproduce it, and I am never thinking about it when it happens, I could be wrong. It just sounds like it is back there to me. I'll check the spare to see, and I can only hope it is something like that...

It turns over fine, and at normal speed, and will continue to do so until I stop trying. It sounds like a flooded engine trying to start (at least to me it does), but there should be no reason it is flooded. I would think something like too much/too little fuel to the engine, or not a clean spark plug connection, but it makes little sense to me why it would only happen about once a week, and would usually start after waiting for a little (but would never start if I kept trying, which I have).

Yeah, I figured I would just throw that one in there. You can't imagine how pissed off Boston drivers can get when you repeatedly honk at them. I would hate to have it happen again though, so I would love to know if this is something I can expect to reappear...

No.

:icon18:

1> You need to get someone else to listen for you while you are driving, take it over various roads. I'm guessing it is something loose like the spare mentioned or tools in back.

2> No check engine light I take it? battery maybe... fuel pump ehhh doubtful...

3> Keep it functional, just know where the fuse is if it does happen again. In some metro areas I could see getting shot for having your horn screaming in stop n go traffic!

1) Checked the tire and tools, and nothing seems to be out of place or loose in any way. Since it happens on straight roads when I'm just cruising along, I'm going to assume that this isn't the problem. I may take some of the stuff out for a few weeks to see if it stops. The problem is, it only happens once a week or so (sometimes more, sometimes less). Thus, I have very little way of diagnosing the problem, aside from trying random things for long periods of time. Is there any chance it is engine missing/backfiring noises? Could it be something in the rear (or front) struts/susension being loose/broken/missing?

2) No check engine light. Nothing left on, and it was happening after only about 8 months with the car, so I doubt the battery. Plus, it seems to just happen ocasionally, and under no specific conditions. It definitely isn't a safety concern, so I guess if there is something wrong, eventually it just won't start. Then it will be easy to diagnose. Otherwise, I'm trading up in the next spring/summer timeframe, so I guess I just hope it doesn't happen when I'm trading it in. If anyone knows what it might be though, please let me know.

3) Yeah, I know exactly how to make it stop if it happens again. I jsut wish my car issues were able to be repeated, so that I could at least attempt to diagnose them...

Note: I hate this game. GL with everything.

i have the same problem you have with the noise in the rear. i hear it when i go over bumps, dips, or wavy roads. it seems to happen mostly in the late afternoon when i drive after my car has been sitting in the sun all day and when the car gets warmed up. i dont hear anything on the way to work in the morning, but when i drive home, it doesnt start making the noise until i am almost home. and it only happens like once or twice a week. my spare was a little loose so i took it out completely, but it still happens. its so random i cant pinpoint it. i am starting to suspect the brakes because i'll hear the noise over some bumps, then i'll depress the brakes over the bumps and it goes away. this noise is driving me crazy