'09 TSX Engine Pinging and Hood Vibration
 

Thought I would provide service feedback from my local dealer (Acura 101 West - Calabasas, CA) on the above items which are frequent complaints on this board with the 2009 TSX.

1. Engine Pinging - They heard it and stated Acura has a TSB out regarding the noise. The TSB states it is normal and does not need repair. They also claim the MDX does the same thing, but I have never heard it coming from my wife's 2008 MDX.

2. Hood Vibration - Service tech test drove and witnessed the vibration by the windshield line and along the quarter panel seams. Checked all adjustments and signed off on the hood being as secure as it can be. Opinion was Acura is using thinner sheet metal in the 2009 hood and it is flexing as a result.

I got the sense from the repair findings that the case is closed regarding those two nuisance items.

For better or worse, hope the above helps anyone out there dealing with those two complaints.

Hey bdsgsu1. Welcome to the board. Do you have the TSB or the TSB number for the pinging?

Unfortunately, they did not provide a TSB number. The quote from the work order is as follows "the shop foreman found bulletin stating situation to be normal and there is no repair."

Ok. That might be the same "normal at this time" statement the dealers have been getting from Acura. According to my dealer, they have been pushing Acura to address this issue as they have a series of compiants back to Summer 2008. They say they have never seen any of their other products have this issue in the past.

How bad is the pinging in your car? How many miles?

4,500 miles, but it has done it from the beginning. Pings most often between 20 mph and 40 mph when accelerating from a dead stop. Seems to occur more frequently when the outside temps are low (i.e. 40 - 50 degree range). Hope that helps.

open the hood and look at the latch . there is a strip of glue where the the inner and outer metal come togather. theres the latch and then a hole. check in the hole. the glue seperates and the hood jumps up and down. check the same thing on the mdx.hold the hood with one hand and pull on the hook with the other. if there is a problem . please take it in right away. it could cause a safty problem.

I noticed the hood shake the other day. Makes me think I have motion blur.
Thanks for the tips, I will check it out.

I had a loaner 09 TSX Tech A/T yesterday and unfortunately (or fortunately as the case may be) the tank was empty. I put $10 of 87 octane in it and proceeded to load the car up with people from work (4 guys 6'1"-6'3" 230+ lbs) with the a/c on.

I could not hear any pinging or pinging sound at all. I meant to get the production date but forgot.

However...the hood on this thing shook around like a WRX STi. (If you've ever driven one, you know what I mean.) It was really bad, it was obvious it was badly out of alignment with the hood sitting 1/8" lower than the driver's side fender.

If Acura doesn't want to do anything about the hood shake, you could always get a couple strips of Dynamat Xtreme and apply it to the bottom of the hood underneath the heat shield. That will kill the hood vibration dead. That stuff is put on the bottom of hoods all the time, its made to take engine heat. It'll also make your engine moderately quieter. ;)

PS, my loaner was an automagic, btw.

I love working with Dynamat, it's great stuff. I had two bulk packs in a regular cab 98 F150...2 layers doors, roof, floor, back of cab. It was like a vault in there.

But...the kinda shaking I'm talking about on my loaner was the whole hood was shaking, I don't think it would help this kind of shake.

Sounds like they need to adjust the bump stops on the front of the engine bay... but really vibration dampener is vibration dampener, it would help. And maybe it'd do just enough to make it be "not annoying" ;)

I had 3 bulk packs in my RSX Type-S, dramatic improvement... lol

I've fixed the hood shake that can be view thru the windshield, while driving (the end of the hood closest to the windshield).

If you feel the hood gasket (the long one parallel to the windshield), it feels soft and hollow and will definitely NOT offer any support for that end of the hood. Note that both ends of this gasket have a 3 and 1/4 inch tube inside the gasket that provides only minimal hood support.

My fix was to simply make a small slit in the gasket about 3 and 1/2 inches in from the end and insert a 3 ft. long vinyl tube INSIDE the hollow portion of the hood gasket. Now the end of the hood has support and hood vibration is dampened out.

Safety feature
 

You guys should know this, its US Law that made it! The hood on the new TSX vibrates because it is an active hood, the windshield wiper arms are also alot flimsier. The hood is designed to deform on impact with a pedestrian and the wiper arms disintegrate.

The vibration is hardly noticible on my 09 Accotd Tourer, and as for the engine pinging, get a diesel model, oh, sorry, you cant:naanaa: 50mpg and quicker than the 2.4 petrol!

(My point was) thankfully mine doesn't do it 10% as much as the loaner did. The loaner may have been in a collision, the body panel gaps were really bad.

surprisingly i dont have neither of these problems.
bought my car june last year and currently have 16406 miles right now.

Last Acura Due to Hood Shake
 

I have tried to "overlook" the hood shake problem but I cant help getting ticked off when I drive the car.

This will be my second and last Acura for this reason alone.
Thats how it starts. Companies "improve" things ie deformable hood that has unintended consequences...the hood shakes badly.

If Acura does not come up with a TSB solution to the problem I will deem they do not to care to keep their quality up.

Bye Bye Acura

my hood also vibrates but only enough to catch the eye... i will try to use a dyanamat??? im sorry im just new at acurazine... how do i put in a dynamat??

Uh

Wasn't there just a post about the new TSB 09-041 that has a repair for the engine pinging and knocking ? It was stated that a little bit is normal for high test engines or whatever, but they had a fix for the severe noise .. or something I'll see if I can find where i read that again

I know I sent myself the text with the TSB number in it so i could bring it up tomorrow morning when I drop my car off to get the+32 offset legends put on my car and the door handle replaced, as well as the seals on the roofs replaced etc. they're gonna have my car all day long doin shit to it lol.

i just read another thread.. i can't find it anymore?? there's one that cost $1.75 hood vibration fixed??? uhhh, i guess im really noob in this community... hehehe... anyway, as i have read it. i think they put a rubber insert at the back of the engine from the driver side to the passenger side???

Here ya go!

thanks heavyduty.....

Mmm I got the manual 2.4 Tourer, should be faster... Not on the fuel unfortunally.