Enjoying my new (used) Scala 1.0; but there's an annoying intermittent rattle from the front at motorway speeds.

I'm no good with spanners, but a look under the bonnet reveals an unsprung/unrestrained small flap above the radiator - see pics. Photo and video are is taken with me by front right wheel, looking towards the front of the engine bay.

If I manually move it up and down, it makes a similar sound to the annoying rattle - I can imagine it flapping open and closed when moving at speed.

Anyone know what it is? OK to tape it open or closed?

Tia.

Mike

It's a flap on your intake, gravity should drop it down when stationary, inrushing air keeps it open during driving to allow cooling air into the engine bay, it does look like yours has become detached on one side ?

Probably ok to tape up to see if it cures your rattle. then further investigation (top of intake off) and see if a clip has broken.

Should the flap (or something else?) occupy that small square hole(?).

Edited 9 September, 20259 Sep by nta16
typo

Thanks, guys.

I'm reluctant to take spanners etc. to the car at this stage, since I've only had it a few days, and it's under warranty for a year.

As far as I can tell the flap is just hinged on its top edge, and doesn't seem to have fixings for springs or any other kind of control.

I've been in touch with the dealer who sold it, and sent the same photo and video, so it will be interesing to see what they say.

For now I've also put felt pads in a few places to mute the noise it makes when it opens or closes.

I'll post an update if/when there is one.

Looks like the flap is disconnected at one end.

Thanks, Aldfort - but I'm pretty sure the flap is top-hinged at both ends; it only moves in the direction of being opened or closed.

Mike

Looking at your video it appears that the flap was stuck in the open (up) position until you touched it and then it fell down (the video ends with the flap partly down)

On my 23 plate 1.5 the flap is in the down position when stationary. It lifts easily to the up position and falls back when released without making any sound. (It appears to be slightly damped but I imagine that is caused by friction at the pivot points)

I don't know what road speed it is designed to open at but from the size of it and the intake scoop that feeds it, I can't imagine that it would open and close quickly enough to result in noise under normal driving.

Do you only hear the noise at low speed after a period of driving at a higher speed? That would be consistent with it sticking in the open position then falling back.

Hi

Thanks for your help with this.

I've only had the car for a few days, so nothing is certain yet, but the noise was only evident on the motorway, say 50+ mph.

I stuck on some felt pads, so it can still open and close, but not quite to the extent it did before. Trying not to get too excited - on the motorway today I couldn't hear the noise. Wouldn't it be nice if it were that simple? Time will tell.

I'll report any updates as they occur.

Cheers

Boo. Noise still there, but seems worse in windy conditions.

Hooray! Identified and fixed the rattle!

It spent a day at the dealer, but they couldn't identify the source of the noise. They suggested that it might emanate from inside the dash, and since the warranty doesn't cover the cost of eradicating squeaks and rattles, I wasn't prepared to pay who knows how much to have the IP removed, taken apart and reinstalled.

However, I'd noticed that the noise only became apparent at speeds above around 50mph, or when the weather was windy. This led me to think that it must be caused by the passage of air somewhere.

Then I began to wonder about the under-engine tray - what if it was that which was flapping under the right/wrong conditions? Feeling under the car revealed that though the tray was securely attached front and back, at the back there was still sufficient play for it to knock against the car floor. Wedging the rear of the tray in place has cured the problem - at last!

But I still don't know what that little flap inside the top of the bonnet is for...

Well done on finding it and sorting and thanks for reporting back.

Exhaust shield rattles, which can sound loud and be anything on the underside, can sometimes be difficult to find as they seem secure when you try to shake them at usual points but then moved when you persist ant different points and angles.

On my wife's 2015 Fabia the plastic undershield was a PITA and neck for me as I couldn't comfortably get the Torx screwdriver on the nine screws to remove it without having the car raised (sitting breezeblocks) taking it off and putting it back on was annoying for me. It locates at the front by laying over and under another bit of plastic at the front. After finishing one job I had just fully tightened the last screw when I thought to myself even though I'd had the undersheild off and on a few times by then that I might have intertwined the two bits of plastic wrong. So of course I removed the nine screws again and tried the two bits of plastic the other way round to find it was correct as I had it before. I might Tipex the two bits before removing them next time and I've bought a 1/4" socket with Torx screw tip to fit on my 1/4" rachet to save space over my Torx screwdriver to see if I can just get at the nine Torx screws without the need to raise the car. I'll probably get my head and belly stuck under the car. 😄

That flap, as long as it opens and shuts I'd not worry about it, I could have a guess at what it might be but without seeing it in situ, or even then, it'd just be guessing. You have found you are better than the Dealer a working some of these things out so if you still want to know have a good look at it, where the air comes from and goes, and see if you can work it out.

Well done and good luck.