xedap1998

will pick up the car tomorrow and let everyone know the result....

nednj36

did you get your car back? is the humming gone?

thanks

xedap1998

seems to be a little better at morning idle but it is still there...so definitely not the damper or the heat shield....which page of this thread has a fix regarding adjusting the exhaust hanger??...my problem is not vibration at speeds but more like at 1500 even in park and not moving..shaking feel

Republican TL

Those that have vibration issues, have you checked your wheels? I recently had terrible vibration issues myself. I found out one of my wheels got bent which was causing the vibration problem. It would only appear at highway speeds.

Republican TL

Also forgot to note...the rims themselves were not bent and you couldn't see that the wheel got ovalshaped until it was put on the tire balancer....where it became evident that the wheel was indeed bent. Perhaps these OEM wheels are made of cheap Chi-comm alloys?

Stu E.

I can't find anything even semi-definitive for the MT 6 cars. Is there anything similar that Acura is doing?

I have dealt with this issue for years assuming tire and/or wheel issues and now after multiple tires and wheel sets the problem is as obvious as ever.

What can be done for us with Mt's?


Thanks,

S. Egli

bhelsdon

The vibration damper that you have shown is only for the automatics. It is designed to absorb vibrations thru the drive train due to the transmission shifting into 5 gear too soon. Acura calls it a "harmonic Vibration" If you have this vibration in a MT then it is driver error and the driver needs to downshift. If your TL is suffering any vibration then it is most likley from a tire balance issue or a bent rim. You should try going to a shop that specializes in tires and wheels and have them balance your tires.

Just a small tip: The original rims that are made for the car will usually ride smoother than aftermarket rims. Also if you are having high perfomance tires rebalanced, make sure that the car has beed driven at least 5 to 10 miles before they are balanced. other wise the balancer will pick up on the flat spot of the tire and balance it incorrectly.

mikmax1

Ever since the weather warmed up, my driveline vibration is almost un-detectable. One day, it got back down to low 30's and it returned. Certainly must be related to something getting "stiff" in the cold.

Yong269

talked to dealer and they told me that the vibration damper was only for 04tl. i have an 05 tl and have the same problem.

bernie_d

I have an 04 TL with AT.

The dealer in Canada told me that the service bulletin only applies to USA spec 04 TL's,

I did have the vibration problem, however replacing the stock Bridgeston Turanza's with the OE Michelins did eliminate 95% of the vibration.

There is still a hint of it, I guess I got used to it.

Don't give up, go to another dealer, it took several visits before the tires were replaced.

pvansh

I'm in Canada as well and I was told the same thing. However I don't have the Bridgestones I have the Michelin's so I don't think that is the problem.

I think what you experienced is probably a bit different. This is clearly from the engine/transmission at 1500rpm, not just a steering or floor vibration.

carwax

Geez, I'm late in this game. I got an Auto tran-06 TL and love it.
This vibration thing seems a bit confused around this board.
Seems to me the Acura has the auto tranny shifting to 5 gear at too low of an rpm vs the horesepower curve -resulting in a "bog"(our term for the same situation in auto trannys on American muscle cars back in the day) at 55-60 (depending on your year) you feel vibration. The engine is not responding well to the gear ratio. Hold your speed and drop it back a gear and notice the vibration stops.
Better test , tool around at 35-40 mph and use the slect shift and push it UP a gear to" bog" the engine...get the same vibration.

Hmmmm....the highway MPG rating and emission rating is based on running around highway speeds (55-60 mph) and I''ll bet the auto tran TL is geared (bogged) to proffer its better numbers at those speeds.

whatjones911

I agree with carwax about the vibration is from the tranny bogging or what not.

But i also have the 2000-3000 rpm vibration that others have too. Its different from the 1500 rpm vib because this is more like a humming/harmonic vib rather than the rougher vib from the 1500rpm. Its not tranny related like the 1500rpm but i think its just bad engine mounts or something else

pvansh

I agree with CarWax too, this is definately a bogging vibration. But where is the fix?!

As for the 2500rpm vibe, I've heard that that is due to a loose heatshield. Do a search and you should be able to find something.

whatjones911

I think the fix for the tranny bogging vibration is to reprogram the torque converter to not lock-up at 1500 rpm but at a higher rpm. But then in return we will get lower gas mileage. I think Acura had no choice but to leave the car with vibration in order to post good gas mileage on the window sticker which equals more customers....

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

Just out of curiousity... Anyone with a 6MT install this driveline damper? I understand I should shift eliminate the vibration when it occurs, but you can feel the engine lug... It shouldn't shake the car apart when I accidentially lug it. Was hoping this would minimize that uncomfortable feeling...

Will it fit? or is does it mount directly to the 5AT tranny?

bhelsdon

It doesn't fit on the tranny, it fits on part of the rear of the engine cradle. It is kind of pointless for manual transmission because you have control of when it goes into high gear. The vibrations in the auto occure when the transmission shifts into 5 gear at too low of an RPM, thus causing the lugging. To answer your question, it will fit on a stick.

acford

I just bought my 05 6MT (they still had one on the lot) and I'm also experiencing this annoying vibration problem. I now have about 2,500 miles on it after a month of driving. I have not taken it to the dealer yet to address the problem. I'm not sure if it is the flat spotting problem on the EL42s. I'm hoping it is just the tires! I hate the vibration.

A_UFO

If the vibration you are experiencing goes away after driving 5 - 10 miles, then it's the tires. The manual transmission TL uses Bridgestone Potenza and the non-Navi TLs uses the Bridgstone Turanza which is the tires many on Acurazine members have negative posts.

Yong269

dealer kept the car for 5 days test driving and finally told me that there's nothing wrong with car. Test drove with the manager and pointed out the vibration and the manager told me that its normal, all other tl do it and they can't fix it.

acford

That really stinks with the automatics. I heard from a friend that it happens when the torque converter kicks in. I don't have a torque converter on the manual. The vibration I'm feeling is definitely coming from the tires. I know that because when I feel the vibration, I put the car in neutral at 60 or 80 MPH and coast and the vibration does not go away. I'm going to take it in and have them rebalanced.

jag123

I have a 05 TL MT dynamic, it has this vibration too. I just put new rims and tires on, and its still there like everyone says at a 100km and up. Its annoying me like hell. I thought it was crappy wheel balancing or alignment when it was lowered.
Also I had eccentric rings installed on all rims, I think that's what they are called, but the vibration remained.

But after reading all this it sounds like an Acura problem. Pretty lame for the calibre of car.

Any ideas??

KJW73

I have been noticing the vibration in the steering lately, also. I have my tires rotated every time I get an oil change and my alignment isn't off and I have the Michelin's.

Sadly, I've been just trying to ignore it and hope that it goes away. And sometimes I don't notice it and others I do. Example: Picked up my car from my work garage last Saturday morning (...had too much fun at happy hour- LOL) and decided to take the beltway home. At one point, while going about 65mph I noticed a harsh vibration in the steering; I honestly thought that maybe I was getting a flat tire or something. But, my tires were fine. I also drive that part of the beltway frequently and know it's not the paving.

I read through "most" of this thread to see if there has been a resolution and I am guessing not?

So - IS THIS NORMAL??

Thanks! (...and sorry if I've reiterated what many others already have...)

rjbarfoo

I have an 06 MT dynamic with the Potenza tires and only 1500 miles on it and I have noticed vibration in the steering wheel, usually just when starting out for the day. I guess it goes away after a while, or I just stop noticing it. I thought I was imagining things but I'm glad to see that I'm not going crazy. I first noticed this problem when the car had less than 500 miles on it, OEM rims/tires, etc. so it must have come that way from the factory.

I find it very difficult to believe that this vibration is a "design flaw", which has been suggested in this thread and others, because it manifests during very normal driving conditions. Surely Honda would never have let this model leave the factory without first fixing that problem. Furthermore, not all owners report the problem which I think would be quite obvious to all drivers. My guess is that it is a manufacturing defect or possibly related to the design of the tires.

Has anyone heard of this problem on any other Honda vehicle or any make/model for that matter?

Why would the tires cause this vibration for only the first 5-10 miles?

JohnDoe2

Because the flat spots go away. Think of spinning a clay pot on a potters wheel (the rubber is soft)

006r

I have an 04' 6MT with a vibration from 60mph clear over 100mph. As stated before, seems worse when its cold. Car has different tires than factory so its not them. I am will get the wheels balanced today (again) and see if this helps or not. If not, and I'm guessing it wont, I will call acura and see if I can get it looked at. It is really annoying.

Layson

Just bought a 2006 tl and I noticed the vibration on the way home. Just about 55 mph... It has about 400 miles on it now. It is barely there though not too bad. But still annoying! I guess I just need to hassle acura about it!

Dwarflord

Ahhh, good to see. I'm so glad this problem is not my imagination or my tires. I have an '05 6MT, which I love, but I hate the vibration problem. I've replaced the stock michelins with BF Goodrich and I still have a vibration problem. In the mornings, especially cold, the car shakes like a freakin paint can shaker at Home depot. Then I drive that off after a few miles when it warms up only to feel shaking in my seat and steering wheel. It comes, it goes, sometimes its really bad, sometimes its not so bad, but it is always there. It is driving me absolutely insane. Im very particular about my cars being "just right" to enjoy and this is just blowing away all of the fun I have in the car. I'm going to have to take this in and get it fixed. It sounds like nobody has come up with a fix yet and that is very dis-heartening. I may go lemon law if they can't fix it. I'll keep looking back to see if anyone is successful. I hate spending lots of money to have problems......

equivic8

Alright, I am glad I found this thread because I was starting to think I was crazy. I have the vibration too, especially when it is colder. I have an 05 5AT. The best I can figure it is that Honda was going for the ULEV rating, and the high MPG rating and decided to set the idle to low, and the mixture too lean resulting in essentially engine sputter or vibration. Cause the engine sounds great between 1000 and 6000 rpms. My guess would be that if someone took a stock TL and took the cat converter off it would stop vibrating.

06tl99ta

This thread has been going for years now and acura still hasn't fixed it? But yeah my 06 atuo vibrates real bad when I first start up and drive but after I drive a few miles its smooth. I would think it was the tires but some people have changed tires and still have it! I tell ya I have never owned an import, so when I did decide on one I figured Acura TL would be the way to go.....they look awsome, but I paid 30+ and already have vibrating problems from windows, somewhere I have no idea, crappy stereo system etc. To me this is an awsome car but honda needs to look into all these problems that EVERYONE is having. My 99 Trans Am with 100k+ miles hasn't had this many problems.

acford

All this time I thought it was the crappy EL42s, especially since I have the 6MT. I just paid $110 to have my tires road force balanced by the Hunter machine. I was so dissappointed when I drove away and the vibration was still present!! The vibration is HORRIBLE! I still can't believe that there isn't a fix. I thought my next set of tires was going to fix the problem. The outlook is bleak!

acford

I have the 05 6MT, but mine came with the Turanzas, not the Potenzas. You only get the Potenzas if you choose the summer tire option. So I have the same Turanza EL42 tires that come with the automatic tranny models.

Mark - Detroit

Hi ACford,
The issue you have is a 6mt with the Turanza's. I had the problem for the first 3000 miles of my 2005. It has nothing to do with the automatic trans problem. (You know the suspension is stiffer on the 6mt.) I called and sent many faxes to acura customer service in CA. Customer service said there was no solution for a car with my configuratation. And told me it did not exist with the 'other' configuration. I had my tires balanced at firestone and acura (12 visits). I took the service manager for several rides on the freeway. I was so annoying that they had to satisfy me. The dealer traded new turanzas on my rims - it did nothing. The dealer traded new wheels and tires from a new car with mine (also turanzas). Vibration was clear on my car but not on the new car (an automatic).
Finally the dealer tried new Michelin tires and wheels from a new car on mine and the vibration was gone! I bought new Michelins at a significant discount and my problem has been gone since. I even have used snow tires with out a problem. So don't give up - The 6mt is great with good tires. You will never solve the problem with firestones. Firestone folks told me they have seen this before. So - Just don't give up. It did cost time and money that I do not forgive honda for.
Mark

04TLinSYR

I must say that this forum has really opened my eyes. I was a real fish for the dealer to reel in before I started reading the posts here, so thanks to all. I had the usual driveline drone at approximately 1,500 rpm on my 04. I complained when it was new (Feb 2004) and the dealer exchanged tires and claimed it was fixed. It wasn't, but I figured the 'lugging' was a characteristic of the car.

I was looking at Edmunds to see what the 07 Type S was all about and noticed a link to this forum. I have been catching up ever since (2 weeks). I found the TSB's in the 3G Garage and discovered the exact description of the drone in TSB 05-017.

I was having a rattling/buzzing passenger's sunvisor replaced and mentioned the drone to the Service Manager. He asked what had been done to the car previously. I noted the escapade with the tires and that the previous SM had said it was fixed. I then quoted the TSB's description of the drone - I had the TSB in my hand, but out of sight below the front of the service desk. The SM said, "Oh, that's normal for the TL." I asked him to check the TSB's and, lo and behold, up pops 05-017 on his computer. He gave me a look that said, "OK, you got me." He said he'd have a tech check it out and order the parts if necessary and that he'd never had anyone complain about this before . 30 minutes later, he comes in to the waiting area and tells me that he's ordered the dampener and will call when it comes in. Needless to say, I am thankful for the insights and links in this forum!

I will follow up next week when they install the dampener to let everyone know if it works.

rjbarfoo

I had winter tires - Michelin Pilot Alpins - installed at the dealer and I still have the vibration problem during the first 5-10 miles, although not as bad as with the Potenzas.

The only time I really notice the problem these days is when I open it up on a freshly paved stretch of road after dropping my kids at day-care, probably no more than 10 minutes and a few miles of driving after I leave from home.

Is the rubber compound used in performance tires softer than non-performance tires? I've driven plenty of cars, probably none with performance tires or low-profile rims before, so maybe that's why I've never noticed this issue.

For what it's worth, a friend who owns a BMW 5-series mentioned that he has the same issue with the tires on his b'mer and that it is "normal".

04TLinSYR

Ok, so here's the promised follow-up. My local dealer installed the prescribed dampener in TSB 05-017 today. I was only able to drive the car 8 miles back to work in the daylight. It seemed to me that the drone was minimized but still there although at this level, if I hadn't been previously aware of the issue, I probably wouldn't notice it. Another issue is the fact that I have new winter tires on the car that make quite a lot of noise on their own. I may not really know how effective the dampener is until I put summer tires back on. It seemed that the AT was shifting at slightly different points following the service...for example, at 50mph I was in 4th where previosuly I had been in 5th. I will investigate further when it stops snowing.

DaddysOnehotAck

I agree!......I havea n 05 TL I've never experience that problem??

'06TLowner

I have a '06 TL (AT) that we purchased new in Dec. 2006. It had 300 miles on it when we purchased it.

Since then I've been feeling a vibration, like an out of balance tire, in the front end and it feels like it coming from the passenger side. I feel it when I am running between 45mph & 65mph but it feels worse between 50-55mph and in the morning time. I have taken it back to the dealership 3 times in the last 6 weeks and all they have done each time is balance the tires. They did rotate them the first time it was there. I am having to take it back this week for a 4th time because the vibration is still there.

MDs1

06TLowner, are you sure you are not feeling the infamous 1800-2000 and 2500 RPM vibration? I have a 07 TL and have the same problem. The dealer installed the TSB damper but the vibration still there. I am very unhappy with the vibration and am already thinking of getting rid of the car.

'06TLowner

It very well could be. After this last time taking it to the dealer I was starting to wonder if I was really feeling it but I'm glad the mechanics that worked on it also felt it. I'm glad I found this thread and seeing other's are having the same problem as I am.

When we purchased this car we were also looking at a '07 Accord V6. I wish now I would have gotten it.