Loud banging coming from rear 98 accord
 

Hi Everyone
This is my first post here and I am hopeing that you can help me out with a problem that is stumping me. My wife's 98 4dr accord has a very loud banging noise coming from the rear. We live on a gravel road with potholes and this car bangs something fierce. Even at a crawl it bangs when we hit very small bumps just not as loud as the big ones.

A little history first. Sound has been around for at least 3 maybe 4 years progressively getting worse. Two years ago we had new rear struts and wheel bearings installed on advice of mechanic, did not fix sound but he said they needed to be changed anyhow. New muffler was installed last year and is mounted very well, looks like no sound from loose stuff there. I have taken everything out of the trunk, still bangs.

Present day. My wife wants this fixed so I crawled under and checked for loose bumper and anything else I could find. Removed rear seat to access top strut mounts and checked bolts for tightness, all tight. Took car back to mechanic today with seats out and 2 mechanics and myself went over the rear end, found nothing. We did adjust the trunk lid latch a little tighter as it seemed a little loose, grasping for straws. :) This is the 4th time he has looked for the noise and is also getting frustrated, did not charge for today :D So I think I will leave the seat out and crawl in the trunk while my wife takes me for a ride, maybe I can find something. I am now thinking of taking the trunk lining completely out and looking for loose stuff there.

Thanks for helping us both out it is much appreciated!
Cheers,
Dan

Loose accessories make possible thuds
 

This may have been the first and obvious check but thought I would post anyway. Have you checked for any loose Tire, Car Jack, Lug Wrench, or anything that may have fallen into the spare tire pit in the trunk. Sometimes a loose spare tire can even bump enough to make those sounds. Just check in any open floor pockets and between the seats where they fold down. And finally check in the plastic lining between the car frame and wheel wells or a loose wire harness banging on a side frame or on top of the gas tank (if there is clearance). That is all the nooks and crannies I can think of where something could be stuck and banging around.

Thanks Jschoend
I removed the back seat completely and emptied the trunk of everything except the spare, it was securly in place. Took it for a ride and still have the loud banging clunking thing. Maybe there is something hiding underneath the spare on the other side of the rim? Do you mean to take that fake rug covered cardboard that lines the sides of the trunk off and check there?

This banging is quite pronounced. Reminds me of back in the day on my chev trucks if I broke a shock bolt and it was banging around, except the ride is still good. A distinct clunking sound on every pothole big or little, definately on washboard. Thanks again.

Cheers,
Dan

Ps. Using the search I came across a thread about a guys rear end banging, it was because his coil springs were twisting back and forth. He had installed smaller diameter springs so there was room for movement. Made me think if there is something wrong with the stock coil springs or the way there are sitting there.