Q: Rattling under the hood when driving

asked by on February 25, 2017

When I drive, my car makes a rattling noise like something is loose or something.

My car has 200000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Hello, and thank you for writing in. There needs to be some more information gathered before we can make any type of diagnosis. We need to know if this happens at idle, while accelerating, and or if it happens constantly. Then we can also try and determine where exactly in the engine it is coming from. If it sounds like it is coming from the exterior of the engine, there may be an issue with the timing belt, or there may be an issue with the accessories. If it sounds like the noise is coming from the inside of the engine, then you are likely looking at a more serious issue. Rattling can come from the wheels and suspension, the timing chain, a mechanical issue inside of the engine (sometimes referred to as "pinging"), a lack of oil and other fluids, and from the accessories and drive belt. Only further inspection will tell. Fore more help diagnosing the issue, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

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