Vehicle: 2021 Jaguar XF

Issue: Cold weather rattle near footwell



I’m hearing a rattling noise from around/behind the foot pedals when the engine is cold (below 5°C). The noise is most noticeable at around 1,000 RPM and completely goes away once the engine is fully warmed up. The noise is also not audible in the summer when it is warm outside.

I’ve already gotten under the car to check for loose heat shields, but didn’t find anything obvious. I’m also unable to access the area behind the pedals from either the engine bay or from underneath the car.



The rattle only occurs during the cold/warm up phase and never when the engine is fully warm.



Any ideas on common causes or areas to check would be appreciated.

Please find attached video with the rattle audible.

 

Hard to hear on the video, I hear what sounds like a slight buzz and a different ticking, which one are you hearing? What engine is in your car, mileage? Mind sharing the last 8 of the VIN, I can look through Topix for anything that stands out. This is not an issue i've seen personally at the shops but i'm also not in a climate where it gets that cold.

 

So it’s the ticking that’s the problem. However, I can also send a louder video by recording even closer to the noise. It’s the 2.0L Inline 4. Last 8 of the vin is MCY88621. It’s only driven 50,000 km, so definitely not old.

This issue only started this winter when the temperatures started to drop. Once the engine is warm, I’m no longer able to replicate this rattle. It’s almost like it’s something related to expansion due to heat and contraction due to cold.

But I’m really struggling to find something solid. I am almost fully convinced it’s coming from behind the pedals.

I even bought a mechanic’s stethoscope and when I attached to the throttle, I could hear it even louder.

 

Sounds like a rattle. When the engine is cold it vibrates a lot and a lot less as it gets warmer.

 

Might be worth checking the heat shields around the exhaust and transmission area, it's on the other side relative to the pedals but with the aluminum body structure on these cars, they have a tendency to transmit noises in weird ways, and the pedals act like speakers if the frequency matches. We have brake pedal buzzing/hissing on the new cars that's coming from the new ABS/Brake module system, transmitting the electrical noise through the pedal into the car.
There isn't much low in the dash like that which could cause that type of rattle. You do have an aux coolant pump that's in that area, behind the shock tower on the left side, but I can't imagine it's running when cold and getting better when hot. I would be far more likely to suspect a cracked or loose shield or bracket on the powertrain.