I recently purchased a 06 HHR from a private party, and we've been hearing a jingle noise from what sounds like right rear of the car when the rear tires hit bumps. Living in minnesota we got A LOT of bumps, so its been an increasingly loud noise and the wife just can't stand it. I was wondering if anybody has had a similar issue, or had any ideas on where to start with the issue. I don't believe it's coming from the exhaust. There was a clip in the rear end holding a bunch of rocks that were banging around, but clearing that out didn't help at all. What to do what to do?

 

Check the obvious first, if you haven't yet, see if there's anything loose in the spare tire well. The jack is supposed to be held down firmly with it's own nut and the spare (if equipped) should also be held down with a large flange nut. There could also be some misc "stuff" in there or in the two storage compartments just in front of the spare tire well.

 

to the forum an4ar2ch0y!

As Greybeard has so accurately pointed out, conduct a recon of the spare tire well and underfloor storage areas, if everything is secured check the exhaust to make sure its not loose. If the rear rubber exhaust hanger is broken, the intermediate pipe and muffler can hit the floorpan on bumps and make quite the racket.

 

Thank you for the welcome. I did inspect the exhaust and everything while I was under there. I was punching everything I saw to see if it made any noise when I hit it. I will check out the spare tire compartment and everything when I get a chance. It's not a real loud jingle or anything, it just sounds like a pair of keys jingling on every bump. So I'll let you know if I come up with anything after I look in the compartments maybe tomorrow.

 

No go on the storage and spare tire compartments. Any other ideas?

 

A couple more things come to mind, you may have a lower control arm bushing that's dried out and needing lubrication, or even a shock that's loose.

Open the rear hatch so you have something more sturdy to push on than the rear bumper alone, then bounce the affected corner up and down listening for the noise. A bushing will give you a squeak or a screech, while a loose shock will rattle. If you have a helper to do the bouncing its even better because you can check that corner as they bounce it.

Of course it may be neither issue and something else causing the jingle you're hearing, but the bounce test may allow you to hunt down the source of the noise.

 

I have a Dodge truck that had a "jingle/rattle" noise. Drove me nuts for a while. One day I crawled under the truck with a rubber mallet and tapped on everything in sight. Found it !!!! Turned out to be the guts of the catylitic convertor had broken loose and were banging around inside. You might need to get out a rubber mallet and see if you can find anything.

 

Not actually a "jingle" but the rear hatch can rattle if it's out of adjustment.... Not sure if the striker or the catch is adjustable on these (but one of them is)

Also beware of the dreaded license plate rattle...... there's no rubber bumpers to keep the bottom of the plate from rattling unless you add something, metal is thin so may be heard as a "jingle". Also just make sure the plate is tight.