I guess my speed is getting old (I am too, but that's another story). I have been hearing this noise, sort of a rattle or something coming from the right rear of the car for several months now and have not been able to find it, and it has been driving me nuts. I have pulled the rear wheel off and inspected and tightened everything there is, checked my sat radio installation (the receiver is in that corner), poked and wiggled. Well today, I completely disassembled the interior of the rear hatch area, and drove with my son back there and the culprit has been identified!
![IMG_20130423_174822[1].jpg](https://mazdas247.com/forum/data/attachments/121/121706-dceecc4e415a0a0b76fb67a96105b1aa.jpg "IMG_20130423_174822[1].jpg")
The crack is in the inner sheet metal just in front of the right tail light. When the body flexes a little when driving, the edges move back and forth, making the noise. It is very hard to locate the noise source, since the whole rear of the car resonates. It seems to me that this is a design defect by Mazda, though my stiff suspension components probably don't help.
I have made a temporary repair, and it is now quiet, but I will have to take it really apart and weld it one of these days.
![IMG_20130423_175243[1].jpg](https://mazdas247.com/forum/data/attachments/121/121707-792462bc889565d15cb4e0128f40ba05.jpg "IMG_20130423_175243[1].jpg")
If you have unexplained noises is your car, you might check here.
The crack is in the inner sheet metal just in front of the right tail light. When the body flexes a little when driving, the edges move back and forth, making the noise. It is very hard to locate the noise source, since the whole rear of the car resonates. It seems to me that this is a design defect by Mazda, though my stiff suspension components probably don't help.
I have made a temporary repair, and it is now quiet, but I will have to take it really apart and weld it one of these days.
If you have unexplained noises is your car, you might check here.
