2002 XG350L has noise/rattling sound coming from left rear wheelwell area. Noise sounds like something is loose. It is not constant. Happens about every 10 to 30 seconds and seems to be mostly related to either small bumps or acceleration. Sounds similar to somethings loose that is banging against another part OR something that is rolling around loose. Checked spare tire compartment and nothing loose in there and all is secured properly. I assume it must have to do with rear suspension (shock, coil spring, etc.) Can anyone advise what this might be or what I might check. Would love to be able to correct without have to take to a mechanic.

Thanks.

 

Seems to me I jsut answereed this someplace else...

Reach into the wheel well, use finger tips to feel around the upper washer.

Original bushings were compressed foam, so if you feel foam hanging out, and washer hitting mount, .. you need to replace the upper mounting parts..

In the pictures, I have a set-up with the revised rubber bushings that been installed somewhere some time ago (rust)..

You need the upper and lower bushing, a sleeve, a nut, and another pice at the bottom, I would have to go look at MICROCAT to be sure.. parts fella should be able to help, as it is kinda common problem on old XG/Sonata..

After you replace the mounting stuff, replace the sway bar bushings at rear, firming up the suspension will bring out the slop in the sway bar mounting, and it'll knock too.

 

Rattling noise in the left wheel well area of XG350:

Cheched all of the suspension component bolts to be certin they were tight. Used a pribar to test for slack and/or looseness in the bushings, bolts and nuts. Unable to find any obvious issues that would make a rattling sound like the one that I am hearing when the car is driven. My wife helper by ridding in the trunk with both back seats down while I drove the car on a bumpy road. The rattling sound seams like it is definitely coming from in side of the left wheel well area as discribed above.

Cannot find the source of the problem. Can anyone help or suggest another action that might fix this issue. Also, I might add that four new tires were installed on the car at Firestone yesterday. I had their mechanic try to find where the noise was coming from and he also said that the noise is coming from the left rear wheel well. The Firestone mechanic had another person ride in the trunk just as I did; he couldn't pinpoint or fix the problem either.

 

I have the same problem (13 years later). Wondering if you ever figured it out.