Trunk Clunk Question

I have noticed that at times, over bumps, I will hear what sounds like an amplified "clunk" from the rear of the car. I've heard that there is an issue with the trunk latch and that Porsche will replace it under warranty...is that true? FYI I have a 2006 CS

Hello, Black Croc. Search the forums here at The Cayman Club and you'll find plenty; complaints, descriptions, even a homemade fix. I'm still in the process of having my 2006 CS hatch clunk and tapping fixed under warrantee, so you'll see my posts about progress occasionally. Good Luck! Snaxster

Thanks, I searched on "trunk" and actually didn't come up with much...did the old forums transfer over...

i've got an '07 CS and i hear a noise that seems similar to what you're describing. those kind of noises and rattles used to bother me a LOT but i've learned to just ignore 'em!

Black Croc , Look at the very bottom of your screen for "Similar Threads", type in something like "rear lid noise" in search, or click on Snaxter and check out a thread he started that helps with your problem. Also, remember that some of us refer to various openings in different terms, e.g. bonnet. Hope this helps.

I might have experienced this noise once or twice when hitting a bigger bump in the road. I just had the Porsche dealer perform that recall on my CS Rear Lid, replacing two 987-512-899-01 Rubber Bumper Lid Rear.

Black Croc - here's many pages of delectable reading for you on this subject: http://www.planet-9.com/showthread.php?t=3710

This is funny, but I heard a "clunk" sound yesterday for the first time when I went over a bump in the street on the way back from getting mine servided. It was definately the trunk lid. Russ

Search for "hatch", "thunk", "tapping", etc.

I think there is a TSB for this?

Found the posts...many thanks, and sorry for starting a new thread...

Will, I think the TSB deals only with the bump stops. But the extent of the problem is obviously greater than the bump stops. My car, for instance, had already had the TSB fix, but is far from being free of the thunk problem.

Same as Snaxster. TSB fix for rubber bushings on rear hatch is done...but the thunk is still there on sharp bumps (like railroad tracks).

The "thunk" noise is going to take more than the bump stop fix according to others that have tackled the "real" problem, the weight in the trunk lid. The step by step "fix" by another member is what it's going to take to really fix the problem or nuisance, but I'm not sure how many owners are willing to tackle the real fix themselves.

Folks, please participate in this poll so we can get an more accurate picture of this issue: http://www.planet-9.com/showthread.php?t=6874

Thanks for the quick link to the poll, hopefully this will get a Porsche fix in the work sooner rather than later.

There is a Great Article http://www.planet-9.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=7&cat=6

Confused I thought the trunk thunk was with the rear hatch? Is it the rear, front or both? I car's build date is Dec, I plan on testing it out and taking it back to the dealer as often as I can to have it fixed, then try some home solution.

b8factor - It's the rear hatch only. brad

I hear the thunk and the rattle...the thunk doesn't really bother me because it's not very often I drive over a bump...but the rattle is extremely anonying! I hope to hear about an official Porsche fix for this soon...

Service Bullentin? With all the complaints on the “trunk thunk” issue how do we get Porsche to respond with a fix? The rubber bumper stop replacement on the rear hatch doesn't fix the problem. I’ve done that. We all go to our dealers and ask for help and get varying responses – most of them unsatisfactory. It's about all any of us seem to know to do. This is an expensive sports car. We all read about these vehicles being solid like they are forged from a block of steel. But mine sounds like a cheap van when it goes over the small but sharp bumps. My 7 year old Honda S2000 sounds more solid when driving a paved road surface that is not absolutely smooth. Somehow, with this much problem evidenced on the Cayman Club, it would seem like there should be some way to get Porsche to take note and do something. How can the Cayman Club help us accomplish this?

Have you checked the ARTICLES section here for the clunk fix article and how to stop the clunk? Sounds like your dealer did the rubber bump stops, but did not do anything about the vibration weight suspended inside the hatch itself which has been the source of a thunk for some members. I would suggest starting there.

K-Man S your suggestion is what I plan for my next step. It just seems with this problem being so commonly known and discussed at The Cayman Club somebody here or at PCA ought to know how to get Porsche to formally acknowledge this issue and document a fix. Does this sound logical to you?

You are assuming that someone from Porsche reads and responds to this site. While I know the former is true I can't speak to the latter...

I understand. It's a great site and I'm most appreciative of your good work. As membership grows perhaps you'll find a way to bring a collective voice to Porsche. Enthusiasts love the cars and want them to be the best. Porsche surely desires to maintain this kind of support.

Hatch lock adjustment When I brought the CS last week, I asked them about the hatch clunk. Their solution was to adjust the hatch lock adjustment to a lower position. So far, it does seem to have taken care of the clunk but the jury is still out. The one downside is that it is now harder to close the hatch. I'll probably have to ask them to readjust it a tad.

Perhaps it's an old issue, but Porsche has a recall on the trunk problem.

Any idea the date this recall started? I'm wondering out loud if they really have a solution. It's one of the main reasons I have not rushed down to the dealership.

hsjb, Were you around when your service center made the adjustment, and did you see WHERE the adjustment point is located and how to get to it??

Re: There is a Great Article Stevie: I did this procedure. The first part about taking the hatch apart to get to the weight, is the best, but I did not find the foam strips to be effective in fixing the problem. It changed the problem, but didn't cure it. I took the hatch apart a second time, removed the foam and installed some small O-Rings above and below the weight. That worked. There is a second article about doing it that way. Then, I did the other procedure in Articles dealing with the lock that holds the hatch down. It's in the back, obviously. You have to remove the right side access panel for the rear tail lights, then...well follow the Article. When you get the covers removed, there are two bolts holding the hatch lock. The lock casing has an oversized hole so the lock position can be changed. I'm pretty sure one of my bolts came loose because the left side was all the way loose and the right side was a bit past half way tight so the lock was sitting off-square in the car. It still worked OK, but I think it was not allowing the the trunk to close tightly and the whole thing would move when the car hit small bumps causing an air pressure change that hurts the ears. I put blue (removable) loc-tite on the bolts and re-installed the lock adjusted full down (tight). I screwed the two bumper on the sides of the hatch in a little bit to allow the lock to pull the hatch down a bit more. I think this lock position adjustment made the most significant change to the noise in back. When the counterweight inside the hatch door is hitting something, it's usually with a hard bump and it's really loud when it hits something. The misadjusted lock is more with smaller bumps and it's that painful pressure change thumpy sound. Imagine closing the trunk each time a small bump is hit. Next, I took some of that foam from the weights and put it on the little black blocks on the sides of the hatch and another piece on the clear plastic stuck on the adjacent rim where it contacts the black blocks. This made the fit just a little tighter and holds the door further in one position when it's closed. It's really the icing on the cake. The hatch is really good now. If you drive a lot on real roads with speed limits and bumps, this is worth doing. I don't think your Porsche dealer is going to take the time required to do it really right unless you have something compromising negatives or are holding a weapon on him. No one has a better feel for the problem than the guy who drives your car every day and has to listen to it.