Ok, I have an 03 cpe, just over 80k miles. Never had a problem besides brakes wearing out too fast. Recently I've noticed a slight rattle when I accelerate around 2nd gear. Sounds like it's coming from underneath the car, almost sounds like a small amount of sand being shaken around in a soda can. It seems to disappear after it hits third, and the car seems to drive exactly the same. Any ideas what it could be, or if it's anything to worry about? Thanks!

 

Could this be the "coughing/choking" sound that people were talking about in another thread? I've noticed this on my car also, and it seems the coughing-type noise is worse when going up steep hills or when you're going up a hill in a higher gear. Sounds like that noise you hear in some cars with bad gas.

 

I don't think so...it's barely audible, and I haven't changed the gas I put in at all. Kinda sounds like a small piece of metal dragging below the car, but I know that's not the case. No clue what it is.

 

rattling or clicking sound when accelerating. That sounds like the TSB axle. But you said only when its the 2nd gear, and it sounds more like somethings dragging, so I'm not sure.

 

axel clicking only happens when there is a shift of momentum...moving from a stopped position, putting car in reverse and car shifts from moving forward to back, all causing the axel click. OP's problem sounds like the coughing issue...some people are saying its normal?

 

Thanks for the responses. If it is normal, it's never happened until recently. Could be the axle I suppose. Maybe it starts when the car accelerates from a stopped position, and becomes more noticable around 2nd. I'll look into it I guess.

 

put your car in 2nd gear at 2000rpms or so and floor it. if your rpms needle starts going up and down your clutch is going. I figure its this since u said its a light sandy sound......worth a try.

 

Sand in a soda can? Hmmm, sounds exactly like when a heatshield needs to be removed

 

maybe one of your cats is blown out?

 

I hear some weird sound from underneath, something like a loose heatshield, but it's only when the car is cold in the morning. Anybody has any ideas?

 

^+1

 

I've got that one too. Had my resonators chandged twice. That wasn't it. Noise is still there, but the RPM that it happens at changed when they switched resonators. It could be the heat shield... I put dynamat on part of it to see if that would fix it. It didn't. Still looking...

 

JB,

I have the same noise in 2nd and 3rd... It happens when I let off the gas and just coast no matter if it is uphill, downhill, flat road.... Sounds like we are draggin metal on the road....The sound is intermittent and I took it to the dealer and they could not get it to make that sound... Frustrated!!!! I only have 27k miles on mine... Let me know what you find out!

 

Will do. Although I only hear mind when I'm on the gas. Doesn't seem to affect performance at all. Just want to figure out if it's something to be worried about.

 

are you in low RPMs, hitting the gas, and you hear the noise you describe underneath the car? I have a rattle noise on mine if i'm going slow enough (10-15mph) and have the gear in 3rd and hit the gas, i hear a rattle coming from underneath (sounds like the tranny or something rattling). I've already had a crazy rattle fixed (it was a broken support arm on one of the catalytic converters). but that was much louder