There are a lot of things that can cause a rattle in the front end of a car on a rough road. Fundamentally, there’s something that’s loose and that’s causing the rattle as the suspension moves up and down on the uneven road. When you touch the brakes, everything compresses and tenses up either under the strain of slowing the car or because more weight has been thrown on to the front suspension. At that point, whatever is loose tightens up and the rattle goes away.

Start with the basics. That means bushes, ball-joints, springs, dampers, wheel bearings and the brakes. A mechanic will be able to do a quick inspection and locate what’s loose and what needs replacing. But don’t ignore it, as anything loose in the front end of a car is a serious safety issue. It could be something as simple as a loose brake backing plate, but even a worn bush or ball-joint is not difficult or expensive to replace.