Mystery rattle / can a shock rattle?

[tommyweaves]

Originally Posted by Moomoo

Loose brake pad. Happened to me .

Isn't that more of a "tinkle" than a clonk?

[apersson850]

Originally Posted by monkeh

But more often than not, it is top mounts.

Agree. Have had that happening on several cars.

[reggit]

Thanks all, it looks like a overhaul of the struts is in order. At 12 years old, it’s probably needed.

[DEL6286]

Just replaced both front struts on my 2010 100k mile D5 for a similar sounding fault. Did both and the top mounts although the noise was only nearside and it was very difficult to replicate whilst it was standing. Top mounts seemed OK so assume it was an internal strut problem. All OK and quiet now.

[Martin Cox]

Yes, the shocks can certainly knock and rattle. I had exactly the same issue on my 2008 V70 with occasional knocking on the nearside front related to the state of the road surface.

The Master Technician at my local Volvo dealer drove it about 50 metres and said "I'm 90% certain it's the top of the shock absorber; unfortunately the only way to tell for sure is to dismantle it"

Anyway that was good enough for me so I elected to have it replaced. Dismantling did indeed confirm the problem was the shock absorber and not anything else and a replacement cured it completely. Its opposite number on the offside was also replaced and apparently wasn't in the best of health either.

Martin