Ah I forgot that I finally chased down the one thing that was driving me crazy about this car too!

There was an awful rattle coming from the rear whenever I went over a bump. Like...something is loose and clanging around and I'm going to lose my mind kind of rattle. This has to stop.

1. I dug everything out of the spare area, tightened down the jack, tools, etc. Still getting the rattle.

2. I had the fiancee drive it one [stormy] night while I crawled around the cargo area searching for the rattle...it's coming from the lift gate...I'm pressing on the plastic pieces and it's just rattling away laughing at my puny mortal attempts to stop it...if I can just *we hydroplane a bit in a deep puddle* I'll return to my seat now.

3. Ok so I know it's something with the gate...maybe it's this big carpeted panel, it's kind of loose...I'll pull it off and see *breaks two tabs on the panel*

4. It wasn't the panel, but driving around with it removed really upped the volume on the rattle. The rattle is somewhere inside of the lift gate...THE FILES ARE IN THE COMPUTER!!!

5. I start tearing into the lift gate and find a new suspect: The backup camera and Depo tail light wiring that the previous owner installed. It's loose and could be slapping around on the sheet metal. Unlikely to be the source, but it's a mess and while I'm in here I can try out my new wire loom tape!

Before:


After (I really like this tape):


6. Feeling good, I slam the gate closed and HEAR THE EFFING RATTLE. I poke around a bit, prying and pulling, and find that the license plate holder cantilevers out at the bottom and kind of slaps the sheet metal with the plastic edge. I remove it, see that the foam pads that are supposed to contact the car are matted down after 17 years, add some foam furniture pads to build it up, cover it with my awesome felt wire loom tape, and reinstall. The plate holder sits tight against the car, no more wobbles.

7. I give the plate holder a hard test shake and HEAR THE EFFING RATTLE AGAIN. Grab the lift gate handle and violently slam it back and forth, recreating the clunking noise. Son..of..beech. It was under my nose the whole time. Pop open the lift gate, grab a torx bit, and after a few iterations I move the striker a few mm out so that it latches the gate tight nice and tight when I close it.

So all that to say, if any of the other two dudes on this site with tourings hear a rattle from the rear, check your lift gate latch first.


I earned these.