Seems whenever I start the car and put it into drive (automatic transmission here - lol) as I roll forward I hear a clunk coming from the rear end. First time it happened I thought it was something falling over in the trunk - then realized it happens everytime I go forward from a dead stop where the car was off. Bringing in to have dealer take a look. Stopped there and had them listen - they too had never heard that. I thought it had something to do with the weight distribution sensor - if so I can live with it but really bad mfg. design. I'll keep you posted what they find. Anyone else hear that?

 

it is the ABS self check. it is making sure that the ABS system is working properly. it does it everytime after the car is started and goes over 2 mph. no need to worry.

edit: if it was a mechanic or the service writer at the dealership who didn't know what it was do not ever go there again! if it was a sales person the next time you are there make fun of him/her to the mechanics.in front of him/her.

 

thanks so much for that information.....yes it was actually the service manager who said that. He was in the car with me when I showed him. But in his defense he did say he has not had the opportunity to work on any automatic RX-8's yet....they had only seen 2 in the last 2 months. I knew it had to be a design feature - not a very good one and I'm so happy to hear that it isn't something in the drive shaft or something more serious. Thanks again.

 

Well, it does it on the 6MTs, as well, not limited to the automatic. So you still get to laugh at him.

 

and laugh I will - it'll feel good to show off - lol

 

if it waas the service manager do not go back there! he of all pepole at that dealership should have known what that was. since he didn't do not trust him to do any work on your car. if for some reason you have to go back there make them give you some kind of lifetime price break for causing you to worry like that.

edit:sorry for the typing errors. it's late and i need some food.

 

I have a 6 spd. manual. The "clunk" noise happens every morning for me. My first direction is usually reverse so I thought I ran over somthing several times or that the brakes were screwed up! I am glad I now know the answer.

 

I m relieved to hear that this is not a problem....I thought it happened onli on auto RX8..........the "sound" comes on & off....

 

My MT does it in the morning when its cold. I, too thought I ran over something in my garage. With kids, thats always a possibility. I was going to have it checked next week when I go in for my shock sensor install. Thanks, guys.

Nice to see you over her Deb from WPB!

 

please do not take offense at this but please everyone sit down and take an hour to thoroughly read the owners manual and the quick tips booklet. you will find many answers like this in there.

 

And if not, the answer is most likely already on this forum.

 

And a gator fan besides RX8Gater - my son's a freshman there. And, second of all - Zoom44.....I read the manual cover to cover the second morning I got the RX-8. Are you kidding? I needed to find where the trunk release switch was!! Actually, I never get anything new without reading the manual. There is nothing, and I went back after hearing about it being a noise from the ABS check system - I went back to look again and it said nothing about any adjustment upon starting. This forum is great. I have really begun to love this yellow happy face since I've learned so much about it from everyone here.

 

What got me crazy was I told the service manager today about this forum and told him what I had learned about the clunk. He wasn't even impressed so I decided to tell him everyone's opinion about him not knowing what it was. It was then he asked me for the website address. Said maybe he needed to see what was going on. LOL

 

damn i know i read it in there somewhere?! i wasn't pointing you out. i did say please take no offense. and you know i have forgotten where the trunk release switch is! care to share?

edit: great now your mechanic is going to be on here giving me crap for fogetting where the trunk release is:o

 

Also interesting to note about the abs check is if you take off kinda quick before it's done the check, you can feel the brakes grab a little also (or something) along with the sound from the brakes.

The trunk release switch is a press-button just above where the hood-release is (to the left of the steering column, below the tcs and dash dimmer controls). In the glovebox is a trunk-override switch where you can disable the opening of the trunk via electronic means to prevent a valet opening the trunk with the release button or the key fob.

 

you guys are getting funnier and funnier. No offense taken Zoom - just giving back a little. And thanks Rotary for the trunk release lesson - I was kidding - lol but more importantly....do you mean that if I let it warm up just a little more (it seems so strange to warm up a car in Florida) I can move forward without the clunk....it's a time issue and not a roll forward issue? It does seem less loud at times.

 

I can say that what you're describing isn't an RX-8 only issue. I drove a 93 Saturn SC for about 7 years and quickly became accustomed to something quite similar. I did notice that the longer I let the car warm the less I would hear/feel some mechanical adjustment on take off, but it was definitely more profound on a cold take off.

I always figured the ABS was grabbing the breaks so to speak, lining them up to some set position away from the pads. I never asked about it however, and most of my knowledge is in bikes with no computer controlled systems

 

This forum is awesome! I just got my car yesterday, heard that weird noise and freaked out. I got onto the forum, typed in the word "clunk" and found the explanation within 1 minute.

I'm sure nobody is reading this thread anymore, but zoom44 -- thanks very much!

 

welcome greyhound
i go thru the same
and colder temp or not letting it warm up for long
makes me hear the noise.oh well still love my car

 

Thanks to this forum I can sleep! I noticed the clunk on my new 8 and took it in to the dealer. Had two guys jump in an try to hear it. Since it was warmed up then it didn't make the sound as loud and I felt like an idiot. I said it was probably something normal but wanted to make sure before jetting to Seattle. I will tell them ALL tomorrow that I found the answer here. Whew.

 

I, too, had a 93 Saturn that did the ABS self-check after starting moving, so I recognized it on my RX-8. I haven't had this experience yet with the RX-8, but while backing down a steep driveway in the Saturn with my foot on the brake, the ABS check can be startling - essentially activating the ABS when it's not needed. I've driven other ABS cars that do not go through this cycle.