Hello
Every day, when I start my car and roll out, I hear a rattling and metallic noise that seems to come from the wheel areas. When I go over a bump, or the yellow reflective lane dividers on the ground, the noise gets amplified.
It sounds as if something is loose or dangling perhaps, i don't know.

Eventually during that drive, the noise stops.

What or where can I possibly check what might be loose?

Near the tire, rods, axle, sway, brake parts perhaps? Lift it and shake the area with your hands.

casperfun wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:30 am

Near the tire, rods, axle, sway, brake parts perhaps? Lift it and shake the area with your hands.

Thanks Casp
You meant that I should lift the car and attempt to shake the tires a bit?

Yes, wheel and the suspension parts.

Check sway bar end links. Sometimes they break and will rattle when you go over bumps and driveway dips.

good morning all
I finally got around to this cause the noise drives me nuts.
After removing the wheel and putting up the left side with a stand, I lifted the wheel assembly with my jack and dropped it a few times. I also looked around, and nothing looked loose or broken or torn. I admit that I felt a bit like when the pilot walks around the plane inspecting the tires and wings and everything else - I was looking, but wasn't sure if I was accomplishing anything. I obviously couldn't lift up the wheel assembly with my hand to drop it quickly.
Remember that I hear the noise when I go over a bump or lane light or anything.

What else can I try or do?

A lot of the potentially-loose stuff under a car won't respond to a visual inspection, you need to break out a prybar and look for play which shouldn't be there. Rattles in things like brake hardware will often show up if you tap-tap the rotor or control arm with a deadblow hammer.

Good morning
The rattling noise continues to haunt me whenever I hit the slightest bump, and the stubborn OCD in me continues to want to fix it. I mostly hear it from the left rear wheel when I drive.

This morning I replaced my rear brake pads. Before lifting the car, I loosen the lug nuts on both wheels, like most of us should do. I use my foot to forcefully step down on the lug nut wrench pry bar to start to loosen the nuts. As I was hitting the wrench bar with my foot, I could hear the same noise that I hear when I hit any bump on the road.
I continued on, replaced the RIGHT pads, and with the car up, I crawled under to look around for anything loose.
The muffler and exhaust was secure and quiet after shaking it.
The heat shield thing below the tank was secure and quiet.
I touched around the brake and suspension parts as best as possible, but nothing was loose or looked out of place.

I went to the left side to replace those pads. With the wheel off, I had the wrench on the brake bolt to loosen the caliper. As I tapped it with my fist to loosen it, I heard the noise again lightly. After replacing the pads and retightening the caliper bolt, I could not replicate the noise. I tapped on the rotor and disc, and I couldn't produce the noise.

As I said in the OP, I have no way to lift and drop either of the wheel assemblies quickly with my hands or the jack lift to simulate the vibration of going over a bump or pothole.

SUMMARY
I heard the noise from the right side with the car on the ground stepping on the lug nut wrench bar with my foot.
I heard the noise from the left with the car lifted and the wheel removed when tapping on the lug wrench to loosen the caliper screw.

What else can I try? Or do I just need to accept the noise and become one with it. I have the reassurance that nothing is loose, and I have good brakes and suspension.

I thank you, as always.

Have you tried adjusting the parking brake shoes? That's a common cause of metallic rattles in the rear on gen5 Altimas, not as common on other models but it does happen. Archetypically it happens worst over "washboard" pavement and the sound is rather like tiny chains rattling in the back of the car.

VStar650CL wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 7:57 am

Have you tried adjusting the parking brake shoes? That's a common cause of metallic rattles in the rear on gen5 Altimas, not as common on other models but it does happen. Archetypically it happens worst over "washboard" pavement and the sound is rather like tiny chains rattling in the back of the car.

Thanks V
Where are the parking brake shoes? Aren't they the rear wheel pads? I replaced them this morning.
I don't drive an Altima, btw.

I know, but Rogues can do it too, or any other model with top-hat parking brakes. The pads only serve as parking brakes on cars with electric parking brakes, on a '15 yours should be mechanical. There are brake shoes inside the hubs of your rear rotors that look just like old school drum brakes, but they're only there for parking.
https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts-l ... m=441_A001

VStar650CL wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:28 am

I know, but Rogues can do it too, or any other model with top-hat parking brakes. The pads only serve as parking brakes on cars with electric parking brakes, on a '15 yours should be mechanical. There are brake shoes inside the hubs of your rear rotors that look just like old school drum brakes, but they're only there for parking.
https://www.nissanpartsdeal.com/parts-l ... m=441_A001

Wow, I nwver knew of those pads. Ok
Are they easy to get to? I have the service manuals, I think.
You mentioned "adjusting" them, so is it common for them to shift or move?

You just have to pop a rotor to see one. Most of them either don't have an adjustment slot or the slot is in the wrong place, but you could take a look. If it has a proper slot, you can just spoon the star wheel tighter like an old set of drums. If it doesn't, you need to pop the rotors and spin the adjusters as tight as possible while still being able to get the rotor back on.

VStar650CL wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:51 am

You just have to pop a rotor to see one. Most of them either don't have an adjustment slot or the slot is in the wrong place, but you could take a look. If it has a proper slot, you can just spoon the star wheel tighter like an old set of drums. If it doesn't, you need to pop the rotors and spin the adjusters as tight as possible while still being able to get the rotor back on.

thanks again
It sounds cumbersome. I repeat that I hear the noise whenever I hit uneven street, the reflective lane dividers, or anything taller or bigger, of course. You mentioned that the lose parking pads make a "tiny chains" -like noise and it's semi constant, but my wheels are silent. And as soon as I hit anything, you hear the rattle.

It is possible, that I may have to learn to live with it and turn up the music. It's interesting that it only happens when I first drive out of anywhere with the car cold. Later into any drive, I may hit something, and yet it's not audible or not made. So, is it possible that whatever it is, is affected by a warmer engine or wheel assemblies????
I'm digging deep, I know...

No, the noise from the parking brakes is always over bumps. Especially washboards, but any kind of bump if they get really loose.

I had a rattle last summer going over bumps. It turned out to be the subframe on the front of the Rogue.
The bushings on the subframe was shot.

Try going under the front of the car and push up on the frame you see behind the radiator support.
On each side you will see a large bolt. Watch and see if the frame moves up and down.
If it does, then the bushings are damaged.

I tried inserting a picture, but it won't let me

I'll share my annoying rattle that had bothered my wife for over half a year. Looked and shook everything under the Rouge I could get my hands/pry bar on.
We could only hear it on bumpy roads next to another car or freeway wall.
Finally figured it was the front brake dust shields. (I had wheels on and off, spin by hand no noises).
I found a small shiny arc (possible contact with rotor edge) on the shield while poking around planning for a pad replacement.
I guess it only moved enough on rough roads to touch the rotor.
Push the shield away from the rotor and sound was gone.

Rockhoundrob wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 2:39 pm

I tried inserting a picture, but it won't let me

Does it allow you to pm it? What is the picture of?

itsa300zx wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 03, 2023 1:15 pm

I'll share my annoying rattle that had bothered my wife for over half a year. Looked and shook everything under the Rouge I could get my hands/pry bar on.
We could only hear it on bumpy roads next to another car or freeway wall.
Finally figured it was the front brake dust shields. (I had wheels on and off, spin by hand no noises).
I found a small shiny arc (possible contact with rotor edge) on the shield while poking around planning for a pad replacement.
I guess it only moved enough on rough roads to touch the rotor.
Push the shield away from the rotor and sound was gone.

Thanks for this. I will check that out, though I'm convinced that the sound comes from the rear.