718 Cayman Rattle

[SK555]

PHers I have a bit of a strange issue with my 2018 Cayman S. I have noticed intermittently that when I hit a bump the rear passenger side of the car emits what I can only describe as a jingling sound (think keys or sleigh bells).

Speed, temperature etc don't seem to be a cause - it feels like it emerges randomly and is only audible from the outside (I.e. i can only hear it when the windows are down).

I took a video of the underneath of the car and nothing looks loose - suspension also otherwise seems fine.

Any suggestions?

[Mr Squarekins]

Broken spring? They can sound exactly like that. Maybe a piece at top or bottom, not the whole thing snapped in the middle.

[scrounger73]

Also check your wheel bolts. The collars rattle when loose.

[smg916]

Might not be applicable, but I had something very similar on a 996 that took me ages to find; it was the handbrake shoes/springs rattling and it went away if you put slight pressure on the handbrake. Adjusting the handbrake as per the manual made it go away. Not sure if a 2018 Caymen will have the same setup though?

[Jones the cat]

SK555 said:

PHers I have a bit of a strange issue with my 2018 Cayman S. I have noticed intermittently that when I hit a bump the rear passenger side of the car emits what I can only describe as a jingling sound (think keys or sleigh bells).

Speed, temperature etc don't seem to be a cause - it feels like it emerges randomly and is only audible from the outside (I.e. i can only hear it when the windows are down).

I took a video of the underneath of the car and nothing looks loose - suspension also otherwise seems fine.

Any suggestions?

Even if everything looks tight visually, try checking:

Heat shields around the exhaust: These are infamous for developing small cracks or loosening at the mounting points, causing a metallic rattle or jingle.

Exhaust hangers: Rubber hangers or metal brackets can wear out or lose tension over time.

Internal baffles inside the muffler**: If one has broken loose, it may create a jingling noise when shaken (this can be intermittent and only under certain vibrations).

Tip: With the car off and cool, lightly tap the exhaust system with a rubber mallet or fist — listen for any rattling that matches your issue.

Even if the suspension seems fine, check:

Drop links (sway bar end links) – if slightly worn, they can produce a metallic rattle over bumps.

Upper shock mounts or bushings – a loose or degraded mount may allow the strut to move slightly, causing a light metal-on-metal sound.

Spring perch or coil binding – rare, but a slight movement of the spring in its seat can sound strange under load changes.

Brake pad anti-rattle clips: If one is missing or installed incorrectly, the pad can shift slightly over bumps.

Backing plates (dust shields) behind the brake rotor: They can get bent slightly and vibrate against the rotor or hub.

Tip: Try driving over a speed bump slowly and then applying light brake pressure during the bump — if the sound disappears, it might be brake-related.

[SK555]

Thanks all - seems like best option is to get it up on a ramp and give everything a shake

[mrfunex]

I had a rattle from a 718 Boxster S. The dealer attached some microphones to the chassis and we went for a drive… the iPad device the technician had showed exactly where the rattle was coming from by comparing the data from all the microphones. Clever!

A suspension component was switched out and… fixed!

[ATM]

mrfunex said:

A suspension component was switched out and fixed!

Usually anti roll bar drop links or tuning forks.