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Over the past few weeks my L touring wagon has developed an annoying rattle in the rear end. Doesn't happen going over every bump, and does not increase in severity over the bigger bumps.
At first I thought something was rattling around in the little under floor stash tray but no.
Rear sway bar bushes seem tight.
Brake backing plates tight.
Nothing obviously loose.
Where do I look next?

Check the bushes around the rear diff - my Liberty does that if you change the gear heavy give you clutter sound which mine ones that rubbers have worn out - but does not bother me because I am careful.
Cheers
AP

inside our outside the car? the plastic cover on my tailgate use to rattle.

alex

In another car it I had it turned out to be the jack wasnt in tight or the winder rod was rattling.

could be your rear bumper! dont cough too hard it it may fall off good ol l series rear bumpers

Tailgate release lever? (ie. The handle you pull to open the tailgate). From memory that was rattly when I picked that vehicle up from it's original owners and it was "temporarily" solved on a subaru club trip once by putting a piece of foam between the handle and surrounding body work so that the foam put pressure on the handle pushing it closed and stopping it rattling, but would compress if you squeezed the release handle. Was only supposed to be temporary, but worked really well so ended up staying there, but it wouldn't surprise me the foam has deteriorated and fallen out.

Other than that there is a couple of black tailgate bump stop things on the body of the car either side of the tailgate that slide on springs. These on occasion got noisy and a squirt of CRC or silicon lube would shut them up, but they made more of a creaking type noise rather than a rattle so might not be it.

One other thing I found can make a rattling noise is if the top nut on the rear shocks is not tight enough, but usually you can hear the noise is coming from one side or the other which helps track this one down.

something under the back seat? or in one of the side wells behind the rear wheels (jack space and friend on other side...)

Bennie

Thanks guys.
Will throw one of my mates in the boot and drive round the block and he can listen around. Mark, will replace the foam, and get a spanner on the rear shocks.
Cheers