Help! Bangin' Back Suspension--'91 Vert
09-23-13, 11:42 PM
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1991 S5 N/A Vert
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Help! Bangin' Back Suspension--'91 Vert
I took my stock '91 N/A 5-speed vert into the nearest Mazda dealer. (I know, it was a moment of weakness. I only owned it a month.) It sounded as though something was rubbing in the back suspension and rattling a bit as well. The car handled great, very little body lean, enough movement in the suspension to handle bumps alright, and not too low. At first they couldn't find anything and said they couldn't hear anything. So I pushed down on the rear bumper a few times and then they could hear the noise. Said it wasn't the struts, it was probably the rear swaybar connectors.
They replaced them.
Made no difference to the noise, so I returned the car and they said it must be the struts. They would have to order them.
They put in the new struts and as soon as I pulled out of their drive, with the top down, the car was making a lot more squeaking and rattling noise and there was a loud banging noise coming from the back whenever I hit significant bumps. So, back I went. The tech said that the struts were hitting the stops because all struts are a little different. And the compression and where the strut stops is a shorter distance on these struts. He finally admits that they put a pair of off-brand aftermarket struts in! He orders some more connection pieces and bushings to install to see if it helps.
On the way home, the car was rolling when I turned it hard and rattling and occasionally banging. The rear was floating and porpoising on the expressway and banging when I hit big bumps. Still rattling and squeaking--except much worse than when I first took the car in.
When I drove the car back to the dealers, it started to rain, so I pulled over and put up the top. When I pulled out, I thought the entire back end was coming off! BANG! BANG! BANG! Rattle, rattle, squeak, BANG! It was awful. I saw that the tech hadn't replaced the button fastener that held a panel to the metal bracket and it was bouncing up and down and banging. I checked all of the jack equipment and the spare and they were all tight. But the banging continued. Sounded like something was trying to come up through the back floor.
As though someone was hitting the back glass with a hammer, but loud! Mazda tech was there and he replaced all of the missing connectors. There were a ton missing that the original mech. either broke or lost.
They ordered Mazda OEM struts for the car. And replaced the bushing and parts. As I drove the car home, I didn't hear loud banging at first. But the rattles and squeaks were as bad as ever. But the banging began again, not as badly as before, but still Bang! Bang! Bang! on almost every bump!
The strut mounts seemed to be flexing a bit in the car, but not a lot.
My great vert that I loved to drive became something I hate to drive because of the noise.
Anyone have a clue about what this could be? Or what I should look at? What I should tell the dealer's service department to look at? Help!
They replaced them.
Made no difference to the noise, so I returned the car and they said it must be the struts. They would have to order them.
They put in the new struts and as soon as I pulled out of their drive, with the top down, the car was making a lot more squeaking and rattling noise and there was a loud banging noise coming from the back whenever I hit significant bumps. So, back I went. The tech said that the struts were hitting the stops because all struts are a little different. And the compression and where the strut stops is a shorter distance on these struts. He finally admits that they put a pair of off-brand aftermarket struts in! He orders some more connection pieces and bushings to install to see if it helps.
On the way home, the car was rolling when I turned it hard and rattling and occasionally banging. The rear was floating and porpoising on the expressway and banging when I hit big bumps. Still rattling and squeaking--except much worse than when I first took the car in.
When I drove the car back to the dealers, it started to rain, so I pulled over and put up the top. When I pulled out, I thought the entire back end was coming off! BANG! BANG! BANG! Rattle, rattle, squeak, BANG! It was awful. I saw that the tech hadn't replaced the button fastener that held a panel to the metal bracket and it was bouncing up and down and banging. I checked all of the jack equipment and the spare and they were all tight. But the banging continued. Sounded like something was trying to come up through the back floor.
As though someone was hitting the back glass with a hammer, but loud! Mazda tech was there and he replaced all of the missing connectors. There were a ton missing that the original mech. either broke or lost.
They ordered Mazda OEM struts for the car. And replaced the bushing and parts. As I drove the car home, I didn't hear loud banging at first. But the rattles and squeaks were as bad as ever. But the banging began again, not as badly as before, but still Bang! Bang! Bang! on almost every bump!
The strut mounts seemed to be flexing a bit in the car, but not a lot.
My great vert that I loved to drive became something I hate to drive because of the noise.
Anyone have a clue about what this could be? Or what I should look at? What I should tell the dealer's service department to look at? Help!
09-24-13, 10:33 AM
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Quick tip: go back to the Dealer,get the Service manager and DEMAND that they either fix the car or refund your money.
If you paid them and the problem still persist then they have not done their job.
If you paid them and the problem still persist then they have not done their job.
Last edited by misterstyx69; 09-24-13 at 10:21 PM.
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