Newbie! Creaking from n/s rear area - 1.5dCi

[BigRich]

Hi All,

My first post on this excellent forum/ website so take it easy on me please!

Brief intro - my wife bought (well traded in an 03 Clio) for a new Megane II in December 2004, she's got a 1.4, 16v 5dr Dynamique. So, as impressed as I was with that I recently traded my Focus for an '04 1.5 dCi, 5dr, Dynamique, mainly for the economy/ road tax - £35/year - how good is that?!?! and because I think the standard kit on the Megane's is better than all other cars in my price range, plus I love it's (the car, not the wife's!) big @ss!!

Anyway, now the intro is out of the way, I wondered if anyone on here could help me. In the past 2 days I've read almost every post on this site and can't find the answers!! My Megane has done 52K and about 3 weeks ago developed a strange creaking sound, coming from the passenger side, rear of the car. This happens when driving down a slightly bumpy road, whilst turning (left or right, but more so left) or going over speed bumps at any speed. It's not a banging or knocking noise, but a creak. On the motorway you can't hear a thing, possibly masked by road noise, stereo, blower or all 3!! However, whilst pulling away it creaks it is more noticeable at slower speeds but is really annoying me now!

So, has anyone else had this problem? Is it a commom problem? And I guess ultimately, is it a costly repair? I jacked the car up last Sunday and could not see anything obviously, but I'm no mechanic!

Your help/ advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Jonault]

It might be the damper or possible a suspension bush. If it still makes a noise in wet weather it might just be a lubrication problem.

[robznet]

Hi and welcome along! I have a 1.5 dCi and had by the sound of it exactly the same creaking noise. A good friend and excellent mechanic had a look at mine - he found nothing wrong with it (no play in bushes, no damper wear etc.). Lo and behold a few days later it stopped creaking all together, and is still noise free. I know thats not a good solution to your problem but it might just go away! (hopefully).

Rob

[AlexB]

Hello BigRich and welcome!

I guess the creak is independent from speed of braking, or you would have noticed that. Try to reproduce it by shaking the car, pressing down on the boot frame (when the hatch is open), shaking the silencer, etc. I am with Jonault on it -- it can be a damper, bush, silencer mounts, silencer catching something, heatshield, or something as simple as the spare wheel with tools (check them first). I don't think it is a common problem.

[BigRich]

Hi All,

Thanks to those of you that have replied to my first post on here.

Well, I took my car to a local (independent) garage today - one that I have entrusted many a car too in the past 8 years. I took the mechanic/ engineer/ technician on a test drive (no talking, blower off, radio off) so he could just focus on this creaking noise. After about 30 seconds he said it happened when the "tail twists", strange I thought as it happens on bumpy roads, not just turns, but in any case he wasn't convinced it was a damper, top mount, bush etc. etc.

I left the car with them for an hour or so and they identified the problem as: a lose plastic casing under the rear of the car, which they duly re-fixed and more importantly the creaking really coming from the tailgate, so they took it off and re-fixed that too, lubricanted it as well (where I have no idea) and hey presto the noise (for now!) has disappeared, I say for now as I'm slightly pessimistic about stuff like this but on four separate occasions today after the "repair" I could hear nothing.

Fingers crossed this is the end of the matter. I'll keep you all informed, but wanted to say a thank you for all your help.

P.S. - When I registered on here I did put a brief description of what car I own but it doesn't seem to come up at the foot of my ramblings! Any Ideas?

[AlexB]

Well done!

[robznet]

Good result! Hope it stays creak free.

Rob