[RoofDown]

This is a bit of a long shot but in my retractable hard top 2013 MK3.75/NC3 UK MX-5 there is an unusual metallic rattle that sounds like it's coming from behind the seats. It's been happening for years and it's only audible when I drive over some rough road surfaces. It sounds like a bolt and washer has come loose and that washer is gently tapping off something else metal. The noise is like 2 large spoons balanced on your index finger of each hand freely tapping together. It's very annoying and I've tried hard to identify it by various means and checking all the bolts are tight but I can't isolate where it's coming from. I'm also concerned it is a loose bolt for the roof somewhere that is inaccessible that might cause issues in future.

Does anyone know of any common metallic rattles from things that come loose inside the cab behind the seats? Thanks in advance.

 

[guitaristanime]

Exhaust hanger?

 

[RoofDown]

Exhaust hanger?

Are the exhaust hangers not made of rubber to avoid rattles? The noise almost seems like 2 x thick metal washers clicking together, quite high pitched. I had the passenger seat out for inspection yesterday in case anything had fell in to the rails for that but I didn't see anything obvious. 😔

 

[guitaristanime]

sorry I meant and exhaust rubber broken, thus creating exhaust rattle.

 

[RoofDown]

sorry I meant and exhaust rubber broken, thus creating exhaust rattle.

Ah OK. No I don't think it's that. It's inside the cabin and sounds like a couple of spoons clinking off each other, it only does it when you go over some pot holes so it's incredibly hard to pin point. It is extremely annoying. 😒

 

[guitaristanime]

Are the seat belt anchorage bolts accessible in an NC? Wonder if its that...

I don't know the NC at all, but in an NA and NB there aren't actually that many bolts that have washers inside the car. The only one I can think of is the seat belt tower

 

[RoofDown]

Are the seat belt anchorage bolts accessible in an NC? Wonder if its that...

I don't know the NC at all, but in an NA and NB there aren't actually that many bolts that have washers inside the car. The only one I can think of is the seat belt tower

That's a good idea. I might get all the interior trim off today to get a look at the seat belt towers etc. It's got worse over the last year so I'm thinking it is a bolt or washer loosening off. 😔

 

[dadbif]

Does it rattle with the roof up? Down? Or both? I have a rattling noise from behind the drivers seat (at least it sounds like that’s were it comes from) but only when the roof is up…
Cannot find anything loose despite removing all the panels.

 

[RoofDown]

Does it rattle with the roof up? Down? Or both? I have a rattling noise from behind the drivers seat (at least it sounds like that’s were it comes from) but only when the roof is up…
Cannot find anything loose despite removing all the panels.

I have a feeling it is a tiny bit better with the roof down which made me think it was the roof mechanism but then I also think the roof being down disguises the noise by the roof folded over it or because of increased wind noise. I'm going to take all the trim off behind the seats today and I'll report back.

 

[RoofDown]

Had all the trim out from behind the seats and can't figure it out at all. 😔

 

[dadbif]

Snap! I only drive with the roof down unless experiencing a monsoon, so I’ll live with it.