Flapping Noise is driving me nuts!

[c7lee]

Hey Everyone,

Just throwing this out there in hopes of someone who's gone through something similar can help me out. It's been bothering me a lot! :bang

I've been hearing this flapping noise from my passenger side that increases in frequency as I accelerate and vice versa. I've looked at my car and inspected as much as I could underneath.

It's not something that is obvious like a seatbelt hanging out from my door as everything looks to be where it's supposed to.

Has anyone out there gone through this and if so, what needed to be fixed?

[Krazy]

CHECK if it's coming from ur shifter... like the plastic that covers ur gears. (im guessing u have automatic?)

my sound was coming from there.

if it becomes more frequent.. im gonna go get it fixed...

sound disappears when i press on that plastic.

[JashiK]

Does it sound like it's coming from the outside underneath the passenger side? And how fast do you have to be going to start hearing it?
It could be your underbody plastic cover that may be loose and flapping around over certain speeds?

[mazdabetty]

yah sounds like that, or your tires perhaps... I have a flap/tick noise at highway speeds as well but I think it's cuz a chunk of my splash shield is hanging down :whoa

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

yah sounds like that, or your tires perhaps... I have a flap/tick noise at highway speeds as well but I think it's cuz a chunk of my splash shield is hanging down :whoa

My wife has this noise too when driving down the highway with the windows down. Oh yah, it only happens when she forgets to wear her bra.

Her noise is distinctly unlike the whistling sound I hear when driving down the highway with the windows down. However, I have managed to isolate this noise to a condition caused when the wind passes from one of my ear canals right through to and exiting the other ear canal without any insulation or barrier to interrupt the aforementioned air travel/movement. :chuckle

To the OP. Did you check each of your tires carefully for anything embedded in them?

[bbell1984]

i have a similar noise, coming from what im pretty sure is the drivers front wheel area. Car is in today, i'll let you know the results.

i thought it might be my tires, but i had them rotated and checked out @ Exclusive tires by Keith (thanks again btw) and the same noise is there, im thinking maybe wheel bearing or warped rotor......

[c7lee]

sounds good,
I was thinking of heading into Oakville Mazda and taking a mechanic for a spin to hear the noise. I'll post what I find as well.

[c7lee]

it sounds like it's coming from that exact area you mentioned...it starts from acceleration and speeds up in frequency of flapping/tapping as I hit the gas

[c7lee]

CONCLUSION:

For anyone who cares, the problem was 2 things actually,

1) my under car splash cover was cracked, but still held being bolted in place. Cost to repair is about $200 plus labor so I held off on that

2) a screw was removed from my tire tread

All is well now with my baby..no more tapping = me a happy man :bana2

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Glad to hear.

There is a TSB on the splash cover and bolt assembly. Make sure it is actually damaged and that this isn't one of the dealers that is trying to screw people into paying for them to execute a TSB.

I figured you had something stuck in your tires. That is a lot better option than having issues with the bearings and assembly...

[ng3]

Another option I had the luck of dealing with was a loose driver side mud flap (they were standard on the 04 GS models) and it would flop like crazy on the highway...

[mazdabetty]

There is a TSB on the splash cover and bolt assembly. Make sure it is actually damaged and that this isn't one of the dealers that is trying to screw people into paying for them to execute a TSB.

I think this is exactly the noise I'm hearing... I don't see this TSB anywhere tho.. is it valid for 2005's? $200 is insane.... but still better than what I was quoted :whoa

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

I think this is exactly the noise I'm hearing... I don't see this TSB anywhere tho.. is it valid for 2005's? $200 is insane.... but still better than what I was quoted :whoa

Here you go Betty...

http://www.finishlineperformance.com/pdf/mazda3/bulletin/09-012-07-1747.pdf

Yes, it affects 2005 to 2007 Mazda 3's, Mazda 5's and the 2007 MS3's.
I had this implemented on my 2005 hatch.

[mazdabetty]

Ohhhh niiiiiice thanks you rock!! The car doesn't necessarily have to be under the 3 year warranty still hopefully....

[TheMAN]

read it carefully, the TSB doesn't deal with a loose, sagging, or broken engine under cover... only broken speed nuts... if they're broken but the bolts are still tight in there, it can't fall off!

[Karen Lee-McNair]

Ohhhh niiiiiice thanks you rock!! The car doesn't necessarily have to be under the 3 year warranty still hopefully....

Unfortunately TSB's are assistance guides for technicians while the vehicle is still under the manufacturer's warranty guidelines.
It is completely different from Special Service Programs, Mazda Service Programs, Campaigns or Recalls.

If you need parts to be ordered or installed outside of the warranty period, let me know. Even if you are under the warranty period, let me know.

[mazdabetty]

Unfortunately TSB's are assistance guides for technicians while the vehicle is still under the manufacturer's warranty guidelines.
It is completely different from Special Service Programs, Mazda Service Programs, Campaigns or Recalls.

If you need parts to be ordered or installed outside of the warranty period, let me know. Even if you are under the warranty period, let me know.

ahhh.... yah I'll need a new shield for sure... I thought I'd get by with it being zip tied but when I reach highway speeds one side starts flapping everywhere and makes annoying sounds...

Thanks Karen, I'll send ya a pm about the parts :)

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Unfortunately TSB's are assistance guides for technicians while the vehicle is still under the manufacturer's warranty guidelines.
It is completely different from Special Service Programs, Mazda Service Programs, Campaigns or Recalls.


100% true...have I told you yet that I am sooooo impressed by you Karen. :)


read it carefully, the TSB doesn't deal with a loose, sagging, or broken engine under cover... only broken speed nuts... if they're broken but the bolts are still tight in there, it can't fall off!

Also true. I am just assuming that if the nuts and bolts broke and the cover is flapping as a result of this, then she has a very good case to be covered by this TSB, as the new design addresses this problem.



Ohhhh niiiiiice thanks you rock!! The car doesn't necessarily have to be under the 3 year warranty still hopefully....

NP, anytime, but yes, the car needs to be under warranty typically to be covered by TSB's. Typically...

[Blue_Jinnee]

it sounds like it's coming from that exact area you mentioned...it starts from acceleration and speeds up in frequency of flapping/tapping as I hit the gas

I have exactly the same thing ... sounds like engine valves clicking

[marvin24k]

omg. I have this noise too. It sounds more like cliking or tapping... I have trouble locating the where noise is coming from. Jimmy was not able to locate the source of the noise either.

[mazdabetty]

Yah I get mine over 120kph.... and I've been told it's pretty loud when ur driving beside me... :bang

Might be the shield flapping underneath but not sure... the ticking is too fast to be a flapping sound... so confusing...

[JashiK]

Yah I get mine over 120kph.... and I've been told it's pretty loud when ur driving beside me... :bang

Might be the shield flapping underneath but not sure... the ticking is too fast to be a flapping sound... so confusing...

i installed ticking device under your car :chuckle

[mazdabetty]

ffff....you would.....

[Flagrum_3]

i installed ticking device under your car :chuckle

What a bomb? :whoa :chuckle



Actually Ash the ticking sound is at a much slower frequency then what rate your cover is flapping, plus I couldn't hear the sound well from the left side of your car (where the cover is flapping, mostly), but it was definately loud from the right front wheel.


_3

[TheMAN]

mazda updated the tsb AGAIN a few days ago for the broken speed nuts... they changed the parts AGAIN