98 Avensis Rear Suspension Knock

[dibber]

I have a knock coming from what I believe to be the rear suspension on my 98 Avensis. At first I thought it was a the rear hatch but having had a couple of knowlegable friends in the boot they both say they can hear it coming from the suspension.

I have had a good look underneath at the rear and cannot find anything wrong. The knock is more likely to occur on slightly bumpy roads or a ripply surface but not on deep potholes. I am wondering if the strut top mount has an issue or the actual strut itself.

Has anyone had a similar prob like this? Its bursting my head big time.

[Bosnjo]

Once had the same problem with company Renault Megané. Car had only 2.000 km. Went to the dealer and chief engineer gave a look under the car while three of us were bouncing the rear up and down strongly. It started to knock and he said: "Shock Absorber...". They changed it and it was OK ever since.

This may be something for you to have a look.

Other time hapened on my VW Golf, at the front suspension. I knew that shock absorbers were old, with 70.000km. It was just like you said, on the bumpy road but not on deep potholes. After changing them everything was OK.

[gazza1286]

Try jacking the rear of the car up and suspending it on axle stands. You should be able to push/pull/lift the wheels to identify any slackness.

I would think it's one of two things:

(i) a worn/split bush on the radius arm (play front/rear)

(ii) a defective strut (up/down play - there will be a noticable difference between nearside and offside)

Good luck

[dibber]

Thanks for your words of advice and suggestions how to test for it. Bumping the supsension up and down does not show up anything though I spoke to a guy that says the transits have a similar noise from the front struts. Bouncing them up and down does not yield any noise and it is in fact the top mount that wears on them. Common prob apparently.

I will jack the car up like suggested and try that and if I still not have found anything I will pull the strut off and take it to pieces. I am pretty certain the rest of the components on the rear suspension are fine to the point where I took off the drop links to check them, as its the only sure way to see if they have play in them.

To be continued...

[Gooli]

Not shure if this will help you but here it goes.

I had an irritating noise from the back area of my avensis 2001.

I checked the suspension, the boot, heck I even took it to the garage

to have them check it up. Nothing helped.

I eventually located it to the foldable backseat locks.

Sometimes when the car drove over a bump (often a small one),

the backseat locks made a clonking sound.

I put some rubber foam between the backseat and the area

surrounding the lock, and the noise disappered.

[dibber]

Not shure if this will help you but here it goes.

I had an irritating noise from the back area of my avensis 2001.

I checked the suspension, the boot, heck I even took it to the garage

to have them check it up. Nothing helped.

I eventually located it to the foldable backseat locks.

Sometimes when the car drove over a bump (often a small one),

the backseat locks made a clonking sound.

I put some rubber foam between the backseat and the area

surrounding the lock, and the noise disappered.

No it was not that Gooli.

The noise has since vanished but I reckon the fault was an over tight handbrake causing the rear wheel to bind. Going over light bumps the wheel would be locking then releasing.. "cracking" free giving the noise.

I noticed after a few weeks of getting the car the handbrake deterioted from one notch to about 3 which its settled at and as the it deterioted the noise became less andl less. It looks lik someone overtightened the handbrake..

[aamir]

I have a knock coming from what I believe to be the rear suspension on my 98 Avensis. At first I thought it was a the rear hatch but having had a couple of knowlegable friends in the boot they both say they can hear it coming from the suspension.

I have had a good look underneath at the rear and cannot find anything wrong. The knock is more likely to occur on slightly bumpy roads or a ripply surface but not on deep potholes. I am wondering if the strut top mount has an issue or the actual strut itself.

Has anyone had a similar prob like this? Its bursting my head big time.

am having a similar problem with my 02 avensis

did you ever figure it out?

aamir

[aamir]

I have a knock coming from what I believe to be the rear suspension on my 98 Avensis. At first I thought it was a the rear hatch but having had a couple of knowlegable friends in the boot they both say they can hear it coming from the suspension.

I have had a good look underneath at the rear and cannot find anything wrong. The knock is more likely to occur on slightly bumpy roads or a ripply surface but not on deep potholes. I am wondering if the strut top mount has an issue or the actual strut itself.

Has anyone had a similar prob like this? Its bursting my head big time.

am having a similar problem with my 02 avensis

did you ever figure it out?

aamir

[dibber]

I have a knock coming from what I believe to be the rear suspension on my 98 Avensis. At first I thought it was a the rear hatch but having had a couple of knowlegable friends in the boot they both say they can hear it coming from the suspension.

I have had a good look underneath at the rear and cannot find anything wrong. The knock is more likely to occur on slightly bumpy roads or a ripply surface but not on deep potholes. I am wondering if the strut top mount has an issue or the actual strut itself.

Has anyone had a similar prob like this? Its bursting my head big time.

am having a similar problem with my 02 avensis

did you ever figure it out?

aamir

2 years I have had the car and still not got to the root of it! I pulled the rear suspension apart last weekend and found nothing wrong but now I feel the noise a previous poster mentioned caused by the rear seat latches is looking likely to be the problem. Driving with the seat down there was no noise so just need to figure on a way to stop it rattling now.

[Gooli]

Told ya! B)

[cmia]

Told ya! B)

He should have listed to you.

My old hatch did that as well

[dibber]

Ha Ha finally found out what was causing it. Turns out the handbrake cable was not releasing fully. It was enough for the car to drive but was causing a very slight drag. I have never come across this nor my friend before and we have a combined 40 years of the motor trade. Sticking handbrakes yes but not to cause a sound like a worn drop link!