So a couple weeks ago i started hearing a strange noise coming from behind the center stack / under the shifter area. Any time i run over a decent bump, i get what sounds like a cup of change being shaken. as the sound has increased in volume, i started to notice it coinciding with feedback in the shifter.

now a few weeks later this has gotten worse and worse. my first thought is a bolt is loose. i'm unable to duplicate the noise on my own, only when driving and only when the car is jolted by an expansion joint or rough road (like a rail road crossing)

got under the car a few days ago and started poking around. my first thought was the tail end of the transmission was loose and bouncing up against the shifter assembly. i noticed there is a small piece of the tranny housing that is only maybe 1/2" from the front shifter arm. i even saw a few marks on the shifter arm from it possibly rubbing. however, i could not get any slack out of the transmission so i ruled that out.

both the rear mounting bolts and front shifter/trans bolt were tight. so the assembly itself is not loose. i also double checked the linkage arm bolts (1 on the shifter, the other on the tranny) and they were tight too. lastly, i tightened the tranny crossmember and mount bolts. they weren't exactly loose, just snugged down with a breaker bar.

problem still exists, just as bad. i just can't figure out what would be causing the sensation of something hitting the shifter assembly except the transmission itself.

I finally gave up and took it to the dealer. They said two tech's drove the car over a brick road and over a rail road crossing and heard nothing. I pick up the car and can hear it the whole way home, loud enough I have to turn up the radio.

I know it's not behind the center stack because I've basically had the entire center stack out of the car and still had the noise.

 

06-04-01 Centre Stack Rattle

Try this !

 

hmmm. interesting. could be it. i'll have to get under the car and look at the hanger.

thanks!

 

^ It worked on mine !

 

Well, it's not the TSB.

Dealer thinks it's the shifter internals. They're not sure what as they checked all the mounting bolts again.

Now I'm thinking about an upgrade. MGW maybe???

 

Get the MGW , you won't regret it ...

 

MGW is a great and inexpensive upgrade anyway.
GO FOR IT!