Thump on Passenger side rear?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: Cherry Hill NJ
Thump on Passenger side rear?
Anyone else have this strange phenomena? I get a thump-like sound somewhere on the passenger side. Sound more like from the rear maybe. Happens very rare, and as strange as this sounds I get it every morning, driving to work, about a mile from my house on the same stretch of road. The road is smooth, nothing unusual about the road. I don't think my car is haunted.....any one else had this similar thump sound? I can find no obvious reason for it, nor can I recreate the thump if I try other times of the day.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,937
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville Florida
Originally Posted by ucla81
Anyone else have this strange phenomena? I get a thump-like sound somewhere on the passenger side. Sound more like from the rear maybe. Happens very rare, and as strange as this sounds I get it every morning, driving to work, about a mile from my house on the same stretch of road. The road is smooth, nothing unusual about the road. I don't think my car is haunted.....any one else had this similar thump sound? I can find no obvious reason for it, nor can I recreate the thump if I try other times of the day.
It happens to me too but not quite often...once a week. Two thumps about 5 seconds each on the rear passenger side.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,992
Likes: 3
From: Pleasanton CA
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12, '14-'17,'21, '25
I get the same thing. Not every day. It only seems to happen after the car hasn't been driven for a couple of days. Sounds like it's coming from right behind the passenger seat. Thought I was going crazy.
Mine is an 04 vert.
Mine is an 04 vert.
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 503
Likes: 16
From: Virginia Beach VA
I had a similar sound coming from the 03 AE coupe. It started shortly after I got it home. I've asked the same question with no real reasons. I've heard everything from end links to cabin pressure value, but never was able to locate the cause. I haven't heard the sound in over 4 months. It never affected the perforamce of the car.
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 503
Likes: 16
From: Virginia Beach VA
I had a similar sound coming from the 03 AE coupe. It started shortly after I got it home. I've asked the same question with no real reasons. I've heard everything from end links to cabin pressure value, but never was able to locate the cause. I haven't heard the sound in over 4 months. It never affected the performance of the car.
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Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
There has been any number of posts on this topic here in the past. Unfortunately, the search feature here is still not working properly. I don't remember all the details now of some of these past posts but many refer this phenomenon as "oil canning". Seems that under certain conditions the body panel behind the passenger's seat can flex, much like pushing on the bottom of a old oil can, and this is what some say causes this sound. I heard it several times on my car when it was new but haven't heard it now in a long time. To me, it sounded very much like a tennis ball hitting the passenger side rear quarter panel. Perhaps someone more familiar with the details that cause the panel to flex will chime in soon. 
Last edited by GrayC5; Sep 13, 2004 at 11:07 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 0
From: Katy TX
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
I was going nuts 
attempting to find the "thunk". After the service dept. had my car for a week they finally found out it was the rear hatch flexing against the body. Readjusted the hatch and walla no more thunk!
attempting to find the "thunk". After the service dept. had my car for a week they finally found out it was the rear hatch flexing against the body. Readjusted the hatch and walla no more thunk!
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: New Canaan CT
Originally Posted by ucla81
Anyone else have this strange phenomena? I get a thump-like sound somewhere on the passenger side. Sound more like from the rear maybe. Happens very rare, and as strange as this sounds I get it every morning, driving to work, about a mile from my house on the same stretch of road. The road is smooth, nothing unusual about the road. I don't think my car is haunted.....any one else had this similar thump sound? I can find no obvious reason for it, nor can I recreate the thump if I try other times of the day.
