I need your opinion here. While driving last night, we hit a pothole and then heard a tremendously loud sound that sounded like a jackhammer lasting for about 1 second from the vicinity of the right rear shock. These are Bilstein shocks about 2 years old. Could this be gas escaping past a seal in the shock? I tested for bounce and all seems fine. The car seems OK otherwise. I can't determine what the sound was but I have not climbed umderneath yet.

My wife experience a similar sound about 12 years ago where it sounded like a fart lasting about 1 minute coming from the area of the left rear. I never found the cause of that one either but that was the original shocks. I suspected the pressure relief valve was stuck and let go but it also could have been gas leaking from the shock.


Any ideas on the current mysterious sound? Anybody know what the warranty is on Bilstein shocks?

Thanks!

 

I don't know what the sound is but if I'm not mistaken bilsteins have a lifetime warranty.

 

Thanks. Now if I could prove if it was or was not the shock. It scared the hell out of me. Very loud but only for a second.

 

Are you sure it wasnt the exhaust bouncing??? Might jack it up and take a look..

 

This sounded like an impact wrench or jackhammer. It was a fast and loud vibration. It was so loud it scared the crap out of me. It went away as suddenly as it started. I thought it might be the seal fluttering as gas escaped from the shock but this is just a guess.