Metal Rattle Sound

TimNelson

OK! I have the fix!

Same problem. Same conditions. To my ear, the rattling issue exhibited the common sonic signature of an exhaust heat shield tapping against something that it shouldn't. You know what thin bent metal sounds like -- a resonance that's thin and brittle, with an odd decay to the sound.

The rattle was coming from the mid-underside of the car, without a doubt. My mechanic quickly found the culprit once the 2012 370z Roadster Touring Sport was on the hoist:

The heat shield on the gas tank was being struck ever-so-slightly by the brake cables when the car vibrated while in motion. He 'retensioned' (added additional tension) to the brake cables by simply pressing the brake cable brackets forward with the palm of his hand. No tools. Just his hand and moderate pressure to bend the brake cable brackets forward, thereby 'pulling up the slack' of the cables. Done. Fixed. The next day, I took it on a 400 mile trip through the winding roads of around Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen with no issues.

The annoying rattle is gone. Now, if I could get my mother-in-law to stop her incessant rattling.

Drive safe.
Stay well.