I have a 2001 Dodge Stratus. It just broke 111,000 miles and I've never had any major mechanical problems with the car. Now I'm starting to get all the wear and tear problems. I took my car in two months ago because it was making a loud sound in the rear of my car. It sounded like it was coming from the trunk and was happening when I used my brakes. The dealer charged me $50 to tell me that it was my spare tools rolling around. Two months later, the sound has gotten louder and happens every time I use my brakes and sometimes just randomly. They told me that I have a left lower ball joint that will need to be repaired before winter, but I don't think that's what's causing the sound. Please help... I don't want to keep getting the runaround from dealers and spending all this money to have a problem that could be very serious and dangerous.

 

Can you describe the sound at all? Does it sound like a bowling ball bouncing around in the trunk? A loud thumping sound? Does it sound like metal hitting metal?

 

It's hard to explain and I know that's going to be the hardest part about finding a mechanic. I can easily take someone for a drive and let them hear it. I guess the best thing I could think of is it sounds like a grinding sound. I guess the way you described it metal on metal. It's not squeaky or anything like that. Just sounds like when I use the breaks that something isn't right. Like I said it starting to happen more and not only when I use the brakes. It's just frustrating and I should just take it into a mechanic. They're going to have the best knowledge, it's just hard to find the right one.

 

I just noticed a circle scribed inside the back of the wheel. My ball joint lowered and forced the dust cover into the wheel on hard turns.