[Snappyjack]

Whenever I shift my car into reverse or into drive, and I start to move forward or backward, I hear what to me sounds like a metallic vibration underneath the car for about 1-2 seconds, once or twice, and then it stops and I don't hear it again.

This doesn't happen all the time, and it is only occasional. What could it be? Any ideas? I don't believe it is the rear axle, because I would think it would be more constant if that was the case. My heat shield is also loose. Could that have something to do with it? I'm at a loss to figure out what it is.

Like I said, it only happens occasionally and only right when I start moving forward or backward.

 

[Gregg-O]

Lets see...you have a loose heat shield, and you hear a metallic vibe of and on...fix the shield, see what happens.

 

[Snappyjack]

Heat shield is fixed. Noise still there. Upon further inspection it sounds like it comes from the rear driver side wheel. It's not an axle noise, so I am thinking it might be something to do with the brake. As I only hear it occasionally and I don't have any pulsating of the brakes going on, I am not too worried at this point. Any other thoughts are appreciated.

 

[capricewiz]

It sounds like you might have some dirt on the rear brakes. If they're drums, I would clean and adjust them and apply some grease on the rear shield contacts. (Whatever you call the raised part of the shield)

 

[Snappyjack]

Interesting that you mention the brakes. My friend listened and suggested it might be the parking brake. Also, now accompanied with that initial noise is a clicking/scraping noise when I move, both noises coming from the back drivers side wheel area. That like this noise, disappears after a minute or two. I wouldn't think it'd be an axle problem, as it would happen all the time if it was bad or serious enough. And as I said, the parking brake as well as the universal joints to just dirt or something stuck in or near the brakes have all been suggested. Still trying to get to the bottom of this.

 

[capricewiz]

Did you even try to clean the rear brakes and put grease on anything? Other than that I can only think maybe the u-joints on the driveshaft.