[MiniSGirl]

My Mini has about 6100 miles I am bothered by the increasingly persistant rattling and creaking from the back.

The noise is especially loud on bumps, but is also evident while driving down the road.

I can't tell if the noise is my tailgate or if it's my suspension...

Anyone else have this problem? I would love some input on this!

Thanks!

[Big_Dave21]

I had this problem and it was the boot. We adjusted those black plastic nobs to apply a bit more force on the boot and the rattles stoped. It may help you too?

Dave

[MiniSGirl]

Thanks, I'll see how that goes. Hopefully it's something that simple!

[cooper4us]

Things to check

1) Adjustable rubber stops in hatch (Adjust them carefully to avoid proper closing problems)

2) Make sure your rear seatbelts are not banging against the rear seat interior plastic trim

3)Last but not least, I have discover that the front seat headrests have a tendency to rattle, so adjust them up or down accordingly until the noise is eliminated.

4) If you have a hatch boot rattle, put tape (Electrical kind) around the "U" shaped catch in the hatch door. This will also help in eliminating rattles.

5) Seat in the back seat and gently tap the plastic trim, seats, etc for signs of something lose back there.

[MGear]

Wow, I have 6,100 miles on my MCS as well and just started noticing those same 'rear-end' noises after attending the Litchfield meet this past weekend.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions on how to get rid of them, I will go through the car this weekend making all the suggested adjustments.

[Byrnie]

Just one other thought. Mine had an annoying rattle in the back end that was fixed very quickly and easilly by the dealer.

The rear seat retaining clips. Originally, when the seats were put back into their propper position there were no rattles then they would start again after a number of miles. A small amount of sticky backed felt type tape rapped around the U shaped metal seat retaining loop solved the problem without it coming back. If it ever does - its a very quick fix.

Good luck

Simon.

[Minty]

check the boot catch (the U shaped bit on the boot) if it is chrome, you have the latest type, if its normal metal, have a word with your dealer, they should be able to change that, and the rubber stoppers to the latest type ones...which should stop the boot rattles!

[KenL]

Quote:

Originally posted by Minty
check the boot catch (the U shaped bit on the boot) if it is chrome, you have the latest type, if its normal metal, have a word with your dealer, they should be able to change that, and the rubber stoppers to the latest type ones...which should stop the boot rattles!

Minty,

Could you please post the P/N and price for the latest rubber stoppers. At the moment if I put some foam on the existing hard stoppers it seems to help the odd knock I get from the tailgate. The foam is not a permanent fix though as water wears it down.

Since you mentioned previously that there are new softer bumpers I've been looking at similar ones in other makes of cars. They all have soft rubber nubs rather than the hard plasticky ones in my MINI.

I already have the chrome D and the dealer has had a couple of attempts to fix it so a simple cheap fix is better for me than putting the car into the dealers.

TIA,
Ken.

[hurrens]

Quote:

Originally posted by Minty
check the boot catch (the U shaped bit on the boot) if it is chrome, you have the latest type, if its normal metal, have a word with your dealer, they should be able to change that, and the rubber stoppers to the latest type ones...which should stop the boot rattles!

Dear Minty,

Could you also post the P/N for the new chrome boot catch. I have asked my MINI Service Department for my catch to be replace and they claim to have spoken to MINI who say there is no such thing as a chrome boot catch (U shaped bit) so my MINI Service Department just replaced it with a normal metal one that they had to order in. Thank you.

[KenL]

Quote:

Originally posted by hurrens
Dear Minty,

Could you also post the P/N for the new chrome boot catch. I have asked my MINI Service Department for my catch to be replace and they claim to have spoken to MINI who say there is no such thing as a chrome boot catch (U shaped bit) so my MINI Service Department just replaced it with a normal metal one that they had to order in. Thank you.

Show them one on a new car, that's what I did. Before that they didn't know about it.

It's pretty weird though how changing the to a chrome one makes any difference. Is it a different diameter or something.

[hurrens]

I tried that. Every car they had in the place, including two that were still on the transporter, had normal metal catches. They even let me talk to the BMW/Mini parts advisor at HQ who said he had never heard of or seen a chrome catch. If anyone can supply me with details of the chrome catch I would really appreciate it.

[KenL]

Quote:

Originally posted by hurrens
I tried that. Every car they had in the place, including two that were still on the transporter, had normal metal catches. They even let me talk to the BMW/Mini parts advisor at HQ who said he had never heard of or seen a chrome catch. If anyone can supply me with details of the chrome catch I would really appreciate it.

When was that? I had a loaner MINI ONE in January which had it. The car was brand new so I assumed they were being fitted at the factory from late last year.

I'm sure Minty will help us out

Cheers,
KenL

[MINIDean]

I had a rattle from the back too. Nothing like the rear hatch or seat belts. Turned out it was two fuel lines under my car that were just too close to each other. They would hit each other on bumps and make noise. I just used a tie wrap to keep them together and the noise is gone.

[Restyle]

I cured the "rear-creak" with the tape-on-boot-catch idea at 6000 miles.
I`ll get a micrometer on my "standard" metal & a colleagues Brand new "Chrome" catch Tomorrow hopefully to check the difference.

[hurrens]

KenL

I checked this with my dealer at the beginning of July, when they were taking their July delivery. All the catches were in normal metal.

[Minty]

it is the only catch available now, the old ones have been supersceded to the new part:

51.24.7.129.342 (we have them in stock, so i know they exist!)

the rubber buffers are also superceded to the new ones:

51.24.7.132.829 (£0.71 each)

regards
Stephen

[KenL]

Stephen,

Many thanks. I'll phone my parts dept and get a couple of the bumpers. Spending ~£1.50 is well worth it and I'll not have to put the car in for something so simple.

Cheers,
Ken.

[000Zero]

I think the chrome catch stops the creaking because it is smooth and rides in the lock quietly. Perhaps that is what the effect was of putting grease all over the old matt finish catch. My boot still rattles with the new chrome catch. How do the new rubber buffers differ from the old ones?

[jambo]

I have been told by my BMW garage that I'm getting the boot and both rear seat latches replaced with a new one that has a rubber coating on it. Also having all the rear interior fascia (round the speakers) latches replaced with new softer compound ones.

However I was told on here that there is a rubber washer kit avaiable for the rattling seat-belt height adjusters and my garage told me they asked BMW and they have never heard of them.

It really seems to matter who speaks to who who knows what about what.

I'll put a post up once I get my work done in a few weeks time.

Cheers.

[KenL]

The new bumpers are softer apparantly.

I phoned a local dealer who didn't have them in stock and he said they's never had them in before so perhaps they are not yet fitting them to customers cars who come in with rattling/knocking tailgates.