It's definitely coming from behind the nearside rear passenger seat but that could be under the car then vibrating or echoing into the hatch. It could be the shock absorber. I only had the springs replaced. The rest of the strut is original.
Wondering why only the Spring and not the shock? Did your mechanic recommend that or against that? If it was your mechanics recommendation and the noise is the shock then maybe you can get a discount from the mechanic and save some money.
In the UK we generally only change shocks if there's a visible fluid leak. The springs were £75 each to change. I also had a front shock changed for £90. This got me through the inspection. Really 4 new strut assembly's would have been ideal. It needs other things though and costs add up. It needs two new tires soon and new brake discs on the front. The brake actuator recharges every third press.
UPDATE I think it's the brakes. Going over the same bumps with brakes pressed and there's no noise. Pads were changed a few months ago and I notice there are no anti squeal plates or original hardware.
Finally found the problem but what's the fix? https://youtube.com/shorts/YDPyXwddKR8?si=7a-M8-3pSVlL4f5L
Your gen 2 rear brakes are different from our US ones; the best answers will come from people familiar with how yours are put together.
Yeah you have drums and mine are discs. They are the same as the front ones though unless your front ones are different too. It's a floating caliper on slide pins. The bottom pin is where the play is. I'm hoping to remove, lube and put back. Might need a new pin and boot. Worst case the bore in the carrier has worn and needs replacing.
In some of our US models, one or both of the slide pins will come with a rubber or plastic bushing on it to control play (diagrams in the repair manual show which one, if it's only one). Perhaps such a bushing is worn, or in a past repair, a bushingless pin was installed there.
You could be onto something there. I had the pads changed in July and I don't know if that's when the noise started. This is what I've seen on eBay.
Looks like you're missing the lower bolt, through the caliper ear and threading into the slide pin. They forgot something on hat recent brake work?
As far as I know it's one piece that's the bolt/pin. The play is about 5mm. If it was not there at all wouldn't it just lift off at that end.