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Creaking Rear!

Suspension 
32K views 89 replies 54 participants last post by  Wilmo 
#1 ·
Hi, has anyone else had a problem with a creaking sound coming from the rear? It only happens first thing in a morning and again at the end of the day on my return home from work, i.e. after the car has been parked for a while. It's hard to tell whether it is coming from the tailgate or some springs. Of course the dealer, yet again! has no idea what it is and it will never do it whilst there as I've just driven 25 miles down the motorway beforehand. It creaks for a few seconds when I reverse, then again as I drive off.
 
#2 ·
This sounds very similar to a problem I am experiencing.

I notice it usually when turning left to drive left up a small (not tried steep) gradient. I recently parked on a gradient overnight, and the creaking was the worst I'd heard it when I started up the next morning. After a couple of seconds and back to normal driving, the creaking stopped, but it did sound quite worrying.

My car was with my dealer for the past 2 days, having a few warranty bits done. I had been told my rear shocks were on the replace list, and expected this done too - which I had attributed the creaking to. However, picking the car up yesterday, I was told my shocks were not on the replace list and therefore they were not changed or even looked at! I also experience clanking/creaking I would not expect on occasion when passing over speed bumps.

So the car is going back in for a few days for some investigation. In the meantime, I'm going to try to work out exactly when the problem happens to give the dealer the best chance of recreating the problem locally.
 
#4 ·
My shocks too also sound like they need replacing. Mine is an 06 model, 1.8 SE probably built around July/August. I was told they didn't need replacing by the dealer but am not convinced as the noise and thud my car makes when going over potholes is enough to make your teeth fall out! All the dealer said was that mine was one of the quietest that they had heard. I feel sorry for some of the other Civic drivers out there if mine is the quietest. Another trip back to the dealer and another call to Honda CS. I will let you know how I get on.
 
#6 ·
Snap, I have 1.8 SE, 06 model exactly the same noise from front drivers side when going over holes, speed bumps etc and knocking at the rear from the left after the car has been stationary for a long while. Apparently mine are fine too but they have only driven it to hear the noise :confused:

My car is going in for a service at some point soon an im going to insist they get it up on the ramps and check properly.
 
#5 ·
I appear to have this problem again, even though my rear shocks have been adjusted at least twice. I first noticed it when I bought the car, yet after the second return to the dealer it seemed to have been resolved. In recent weeks though I've once again heard that creaking/groaning sound when pulling away after being parked for a while.

As I've made about ten return visits to the dealer in total, I'll proably leave it until the service is due in August. It's not good though: nearly nine months down the line and I'm still collecting unusual noises from around the car.
 
#7 ·
My car is currently with the dealer to have some issues sorted out, and creaking from the rear is one of them. My driveway is on a slope, and when reversing off there is some creaking which continues when I pull forward. The loan car also does the same. I reckon it is something to do with the torsion bar
 
#8 · (Edited)
Creaking

Hi,
I had a creaking noise from the rear of my car when I bought it(April 06),my rear shocks were changed,noise was still there.
After a check of the tailgate I found that where the rubbers rested on the bumper the pressure was causing the bumper to flex,causing an annoying creaking noise.
I put plastic spacers in behind the bumper where the rubbers rested.
Problem solved.
I am not sure if this is what is causing your creak but it certainly cured mine.All the best.
 

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#9 ·
Hi,
I had a creaking noise from the rear of my car when I bought it(April 06),my rear shocks were changed,noise was still there.
After a check of the tailgate I found that where the rubbers rested on the bumper the pressure was causing the bumper to flex,causing an annoying creaking noise.
I put plastic spacers in behind the bumper where the rubbers rested.
Problem solved.
I am not sure if this is what is causing your creak but it certainly cured mine.All the best.
Hi alastair,

Please could you tell me where the spacers were fitted and what type of spacers you used, I have the same problem I think I might give this a go...

Thanks
 
#10 ·
Spacers

Hello Joey,
You can see the spacer in the picture,believe it or not it is one half of a plastic clothes peg,I broke off the top part and this left me with a tapered shaft.I just wedged it in behind the bumper,took a couple of minutes.
Let me know how you get on.All the best.:)
 
#11 ·
Hello Joey,
You can see the spacer in the picture,believe it or not it is one half of a plastic clothes peg,I broke off the top part and this left me with a tapered shaft.I just wedged it in behind the bumper,took a couple of minutes.
Let me know how you get on.All the best.:)
I'm going now to go nick a peg from the wife's peg bag (if I can find it that is!!) cheers..:D
 
#13 ·
Yes I have this as well. It only happens first thing in the morning, reversing off the drive. If I bounce the rear end of the car before reversing, it creaks for the first 2 or 3 pushes & then resolves itself. Is there something in there which is self lubricating & dries out after standing all night?
 
#18 ·
It is not the rear shocks, that is a different noise.

But it is something that almost all 06 Civic's do.....it was funny driving the one of the dealer lot with the two Honda bod's there....they said, 'whats that noise!'.

I then explained that all Civics do it for the first 30 seconds are so after pulling away if the car has been standing outside all night.

You know...I also hear this noise if I have just cleaned the car and left it a few hours. I think it is water or condensation collecting around the handbrake and rear suspension that is then causing a creak for whatever reason. I think it will never be solved...but my advice is to drive it before you try to sell it privately in the future. Cos no-one will believe it when you say they all do it!
 
#20 ·
I have heard that the car settles overnight then when you first move off in the morning the gas in the shocks expands hence the creaking noise. Apparently on the first models many had to have replacement shocks as they has insufficient gas in them.

Now I am no expert but this explanation makes sense to me.
 
#22 ·
Hi All,

I have to add my car as one of those with this 'feature' (a very early - Jan '06 - Civic EX). When it went in for it's 1st service earlier this year, I suggested it was the shocks (although they were replaced a month or so after I bought the car due to a constant vibration over bumps and road imperfections) but the dealer checked with Honda UK and my shocks (based on the part numbers) were supposedly the revised ones supplied to fix the issue.

I think this creaking is a different issue to the rattling shocks experienced by early Civic buyers and like everyone else here, it seems to be mainly a 1st thing in the morning trait. I also noticed it at it's worst when on my hols in September last year and we parked the car in a street which was on an incline (facing up hill) moving off after the car had been standing.

I've been back onto the dealers since and they have suggested the car is left with them overnight and they will test it 1st thing the following morning and see if it does it to them. Like most people here, it is a pain in the rear (no pun intended!) to keep taking the car to the dealers, so I haven't done this yet and am living with the problem.

If anyone does know the final 'fix' for this, then I will bite the bullet and get the dealers to sort it.

Cheers,
Ian.
 
#23 ·
Creaking Too

Quite reassuring reading this thread. I had my shocks replaced shortly after getting the car ( they were clunking over bumps ). That problem is now fixed.
I had a towbar fitted and now I notice that when reversing off the driveway in the morning I get this creaking noise which sounds as if the towbar is moving. Once reversed and underway the noise goes.

Must mention this to the dealer
 
#24 ·
i get a creaking noise when i first drive off in the morning had it back to the dealer and they said it was the bolts on the sub frame wernt tightend enough. after 2weeks the creakin is back so annothe phone call and more of my time waisted tommorow or some time when they can fit me in
 
#25 ·
I had the same, even after the shocks were replaced, I also had a knocking from the rear left when going over speed bumps, dealer had it in and fixed the problem by flipping the springs, no more noise from cold when I move off now, although it still creaks if you bounce the rear end when parked for a while, but I think that is hand brake related.
 
#27 ·
I got 5 people in my car today (includes me), and the rear right shock absorber made nasty creaks when people sat in. I thought they had fixed it, since I had already taken the car to the service for this.
 
#31 ·
The handbrake was not applied, but I was holding the brake when it happened, at less than full force. Does that also creak if people sit in the car?

Spose I should do some tests, ask my friends to repeatedly get in and out of the car while I try out different combinations. :)
 
#32 ·
The rear suspension is such that any up/down movement of the car applies a small turning force to the rear wheels. If the brake pads are in contact with the discs then there is some movement resulting in the creak you hear, which also seems to be amplified by the metal disc surrounds used on ES/EX. Not a problem. Creaking rear shocks is something else.
 
#33 ·
I had exactly as described but managed to sort it out.

My creaking was coming from the side of the rear seats rubbing against the rear trim, both are hard plastic, and aren't a very good fit.

What I did was wedge some fabric between the two. The noise stopped instantly.

My wife found this out whilst travelling in the back as the dealer just checked the shockers and no fault was found.
 
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