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Land Rover Defender

NuwanJayasinghe · Jul 19, 2025, 01:28 PM

Machang got this annoying rattling noise from front end of my 2009 Defender 90. Happens mainly when driving over bumps or uneven surfaces. Sounds like something loose but can't locate exact source.
Mechanic checked suspension components and said everything looks okay. Ball joints, bushes, shock absorbers all seem fine. But noise is definitely getting worse and really irritating during daily driving.
Anyone faced similar issue? Could it be exhaust related or maybe heat shields? Really want to find and fix this before it becomes major problem. Driving through Colombo traffic with rattling noise is not pleasant experience!

David_Christopher · Jul 19, 2025, 01:31 PM

Bro I had exact same issue with my 2010 Defender! Drove me absolutely mental for months. Turned out to be loose exhaust heat shield near front differential. Really difficult to spot because it only rattles on certain road surfaces.
Check all exhaust mounting points and heat shields carefully. Also examine brake disc shields - they can work loose and cause rattling. Another common cause is loose spare wheel or jack rattling in storage compartment.
For proper diagnosis, get it checked at workshop with proper lift. LR Motors in Malabe are good at finding these mysterious noises. Sometimes it's something simple like loose bolt that's impossible to find without proper inspection.