This is kind of a weird issue I've been having for a few weeks. Everything is fine when traveling on flat ground, but once I drive over a speed bump or hit a dip in the road, I hear a scraping/grinding noise. At first I thought it was the splash guard or something hitting the ground, but nothing seems to be out of position.

Does anyone know what this could be?

 

Couple of thoughts...maybe the plastic fender liner on the front is bent or something and is rubbing agains the wheel or axle shaft or something when the suspension is compressed.

Another possibility may be a wheel bearing going bad; they sometimes make different noises when going over bumps. You can somewhat check for bad wheel bearings by carefully feeling the hub after driving for awhile; if one is much warmer than the others, that bearing is toast (or the brake is sticking). You can also sometimes tell when one is bad by jacking up the wheel and checking for play (any discernible movement axially or radially is bad) and smooth turning with the transmission in neutral (grinding/clicking/roughness are not good).

 

Is your car lowered at all? Do you have an after market exhaust? Do you hear the noise before your front tires go over the speed bump/dip, after the front tires go over the bump/dip, when do you hear the noise?

 

The sound occurs after the car hits a gradient and levels back out. I just don't know if it happens after the front or back tires hit the bump/dip.

 

Most obvious possibilities would be either something hanging down under the car, or shocks going bad. The first is easy to diagnose and fix - see if something came loose and is hanging down or if maybe something has got hung up under there (I've trapped small tree branches underneath and they can make a heck of a noise).
Shocks would probably show visible signs of leaking, and if you push down on each corner of your car, you might be able to replicate the sound while parked and figure out which one it is. Replacement is not too difficult if you're somewhat handy.

 

I have the same problem too, but it only can hear it on winter. I thinking is the shocks not too sure.

 

You should hear mine the last few days. I have ice buildup so bad that I have maybe a half inch of clearance in the front. Potholes make is sound like it is falling apart. It is frozen in beyond the kicking off stage so will take a rubber mallet to them today.

 

The car does sit low even for a factory car, It's going to scrape the plastic underneath when going in a driveway, or something like it.

 

The bushings are also prone to obnoxious noises. Some 3M spray automotive silicone (wet type) will clear that right up. I shoot the spring bushings, control arm bushings, shock and strut bushings and dab some behind my ears...

 

Is it the sound of metal scrapping, or another sound?

 

what happened if sound like metal scrapping? Mine is like a little bit metal scrapping sound, but sound like plastic also. I did take it to the dealer couple years ago they said something about the seal even they fix it the problem will come back.

 

Do you have mud flaps? On my van they were installed too low and if I hit a severe dip they would scrape. Ws simple ... moved them up.

 

In your brake pads there is a built in "warning" that your pads are wearing too low. This makes the sound you are describing… If you keep driving can cause damage to the rotor (or disc) from the scraping of the worn pads..

 

Hi there Sneaky.If you car is still on warranty?If YES...Take it my friend.For sure they will find it BUT if car is out of warranty for sure you will find it.First....Take the car to a place where they can lift it.A garage that change oil maybe will help.Check under the car moving the exhaust from front to back and watch if it hit something near.Also watch for marks on metal under the car.If you see marks maybe is that.Watch also for the bushings that holds the exhaust.Maybe a missing one.Did you do any mods a few days ago?If you don't find anything wrong then take the car for spin on a bumpy road and watch from where the noise came from.The passenger side or driver side,front or back.Keep looking...Take your time....You will find it.I hope you find it for your peace of mind when driving.I hope is nothing bad.Good luck bro....It sounds to me a easy find.Take care.

 

That has happened to me several times, I try to remember to take driveways with dips at an angle. The underside of the front bumper has lots of scrape marks. Just painted over the marks a few weeks ago and hit another drive a few days ago.


My car is totally stock, I traded a Mazda Protégé 5 in for the Fit and it did the same.


Clifton

 

I checked the underside thoroughly and nothing is hanging. The sound occurs when the car hits even the slightest gradient such as pulling out of a driveway. Is there anything that could be rubbing the top of the tires?

 

I suspect it's a dry rubber bushing. Do you think this could be the sound you hear? It's usually more of a squeak.

 

Look under your front bumper and see if it's been scraping the concrete inclines. Or just stop the car when you hear the scrape, get out, and see if your bumper is on the floor.

 

I think I know what you are describing. Mine does the same thing with only 15k miles. It sounds kind of like a hard brush against a plastic surface. I always take my dog to the park and there are a few speed bumps along the way. Well ever since it's gotten cold the noise is present. I did not hear it when it in the summer though. I'm thinking is the front shock absorbers? I do not hear this when driving on the roads, only the speed bumps where you get full compression and rebound. Not bothered enough to troubleshoot it but I did notice it. The next time i wash ill try to peek for any signs of contact/wear with the plastics.

 

This has started happening recently in my 2005 Jazz. I'd describe the sound as plastic scraping on concrete, which would obviously suggest something like the mudflap hitting the ground but I'm pretty sure that's not what is happening. Mine is coming from the back driver side of car. Definitely the back anyway. About 2 months now. As others have said, it's not when going over a big bump, more like seemingly innocuous potholes or slight bumps on an otherwise flat road and mine seems to happen more when the steering is going round a corner to the left.

Anyone got any ideas on this specific problem?

Cheers