Rear Coil Spring Issue?

[swimjim]

Hi all, new guy here.

Here's the situation. About 1 week ago I noticed a clunk coming from the passenger side rear wheel. Nothing was consistent as to when the sound appeared so I thought something was just rolling around in my trunk. Today I noticed considerably more clunking now accompanied with metallic rattling (almost like loose change). I got out of the car and looked in the wheel well and noticed the end of the spring was sticking out of where it sits. The opposing side looked nothing like it. I turned around and headed home. About halfway there there was a lot of clunking and a lot of metallic jingle sounds. The sound then stopped, I heard a ringing behind me that sounded like a wrench or a metal part hitting the pavement. I stopped again and the coil looked like it had rotated as the end of the spring was in a different place. I got back in the car and the clunking and metallic sound was gone. Once in the driveway I look at it again and now it looks just like the opposing coil. It's not loose and looks just like the other side. What the heck is going on?

By the way this is a 2001 Camry 4cyl 4dr. Should I drive it or park it? Thanks in advance everyone!

[marksauer810@in]

camry's are known for a rattling noise in the rear and I had 3 mechanics baffled when mine did this. If you have a rattling (metal) noise notice if it is when you hit a bump, even a very small one. If so, it is the rear sway bar bushings..good luck

[Hajoca]

Look up the rear swaybar DIY, look for the sway bar to body mount (Bushing described above)
you can take the bracket off and wrap some T tape on the bar and reinstall and see if the clunk is gone. If it is the bushing is worn out (common noise on Gen 4 camrys ).

Look at the swaybar to strut link, and wiggle them and see if there is strange noise,