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My Base 07 TL with 66K has a rattle coming from the front right suspension, all stock. The rattle only happens when driving on back roads that have mild pot holes while driving over 35 MPH. It sounds like metal on metal and not the typical blown shock I am used to hearing.
I put the car up jacks last night and took the tire off and used my rubber mallet to bang on the suspension to see if I could hear the noise and got nothing. Hit the bolts, busings, sway bar, brakes etc. Pushing on the car up or down gets nothing.
Did a search but could not find anything. I have replaced suspensions on a car (00 Integra GSR) so am pretty familiar with it and not a novice. Trying to see if anyone has ideas or if I need to go get it evaluated by Acura...and I don't want to pay them just yet.
It can be hard to simulate road forces on suspension components with a mallet. I'd keep an eye out for any visual cues. Usual culprits are ball joints, strut/spring, and endlinks.
Check your passenger side engine mount. That could definitely cause a clunk or rattle if it's shot. Here's a good video where the side mount was the problem.
We offer replacement engine mounts that are stiffer for less vibration. You could also look into our XLR8 Engine Torque Damper. It helps keep the engine secure and reduces wheel hop!
Guys, thank you for the advice, it ended up not being suspension related at all.
I decided to just drop it off at Acura, needed an excuse to drive a new TLX for a couple days. Whoever owned the car before me removed the brake pad brackets (the thin pieces of metal that go over the caliper) so when I replaced the front pads with OEM they were not there. The rattle was pads slipping in the caliper. Acura put on the thin brackets, rotated and balanced the tires and performed the 60K mile tranny drain and fill...out the door was $435.
Prime Acura in North Hampton, NH did the work. They are a great place if you are in the Seacoast of NH area.
Guys, thank you for the advice, it ended up not being suspension related at all.
I decided to just drop it off at Acura, needed an excuse to drive a new TLX for a couple days. Whoever owned the car before me removed the brake pad brackets (the thin pieces of metal that go over the caliper) so when I replaced the front pads with OEM they were not there. The rattle was pads slipping in the caliper. Acura put on the thin brackets, rotated and balanced the tires and performed the 60K mile tranny drain and fill...out the door was $435.
Prime Acura in North Hampton, NH did the work. They are a great place if you are in the Seacoast of NH area.
I've been dealing with something that sounds eerily the same as you. I've had a couple of folks look at the front end and tried to reproduce the sound with a mallet while up on a lift as well. Would you be willing to share the part numbers and/or the diagnosis info from your receipt? If you don't want to share here would you mind PM'ing me? No guarantee your issue is the same as mine, but would give me another direction to look into.
I've been dealing with something that sounds eerily the same as you. I've had a couple of folks look at the front end and tried to reproduce the sound with a mallet while up on a lift as well. Would you be willing to share the part numbers and/or the diagnosis info from your receipt? If you don't want to share here would you mind PM'ing me? No guarantee your issue is the same as mine, but would give me another direction to look into.
I'm at work now but they are part #12 in the image on the following page. It's a cheap part but the diagnostic and the labor is what cost the most.
$435 to put on a caliper shim , tranny drain and refill and a tire balance is retarded. wow
Exactly what I was going to say. Then again, it was at least $25 in parts at their cost and a good 45 minutes in labor lol.
In the original post it would have been helpful to mention the noise was not there when on the brakes while going over those bumps. Glad you got it fixed.
$435 to put on a caliper shim , tranny drain and refill and a tire balance is retarded. wow
Pricey - yes. Retarded - well........just keep in mind along with that cost OP now has piece of mind that the issue is resolved and there is no longer a major impending suspension failure.
Originally Posted by I hate cars
In the original post it would have been helpful to mention the noise was not there when on the brakes while going over those bumps. Glad you got it fixed.
Agreed but obviously only if that was an observed symptom or behavior.
In the original post it would have been helpful to mention the noise was not there when on the brakes while going over those bumps. Glad you got it fixed.
I never thought it could have been the brakes so never tested that going over the bumps. With my hind-sight being 20/20 I could have put that in the original post but that was not information I had at the time.
Originally Posted by Oh Sickest TL
$435 to put on a caliper shim , tranny drain and refill and a tire balance is retarded. wow
Well the Diagnostic was $75, the parts were $30, the Tranny drain/fill was $99 and the rest was labor for the brakes/tires. That's just the cost when you take it to the dealership which is why I do as much work on my own as I can. This was just something I did not have time to figure out on my own so I took it where I knew it would be done right as NBP04TL4ME said.
I never thought it could have been the brakes so never tested that going over the bumps. With my hind-sight being 20/20 I could have put that in the original post but that was not information I had at the time.
Applying the brakes gently is something I do most of the time when trying to diagnose an unknown noise. It can help sometimes even if it isn't the brakes. Noise travels through the suspension and chassis so well that it can be very hard to diagnose by sound alone. Wait until you swaybar endlinks or even worse, the swaybar bushings go out. I know what they sound like on the TL now but the first time was not fun at all to try and find the source.
Applying the brakes gently is something I do most of the time when trying to diagnose an unknown noise. It can help sometimes even if it isn't the brakes. Noise travels through the suspension and chassis so well that it can be very hard to diagnose by sound alone. Wait until you swaybar endlinks or even worse, the swaybar bushings go out. I know what they sound like on the TL now but the first time was not fun at all to try and find the source.
That's a great point. Normally I do but where this was only happening above 35 MPH I never thought it was a brake issue so never bothered to test it. I also only heard it briefly when I would hit some broken pavement but when taking it for the test drive with the shop foreman he knew almost immediately what it was.
Been reading some of your other posts and appreciate the knowledge and feedback.
Guys, thank you for the advice, it ended up not being suspension related at all.
I decided to just drop it off at Acura, needed an excuse to drive a new TLX for a couple days. Whoever owned the car before me removed the brake pad brackets (the thin pieces of metal that go over the caliper) so when I replaced the front pads with OEM they were not there. The rattle was pads slipping in the caliper. Acura put on the thin brackets, rotated and balanced the tires and performed the 60K mile tranny drain and fill...out the door was $435.
Prime Acura in North Hampton, NH did the work. They are a great place if you are in the Seacoast of NH area.
That's EXACTLY what I just posted about.. I was going to re-install those OEM "SHIMS".. I bet it was the caliper and brake pads with looseness in there.. Same noise I am getting on all 4 wheels. I removed the shims when I did the brakes a few years ago.. I think as the brake pads wear thinner, it creates more noise due to extra play and no Shims! https://acurazine.com/forums/problem.../#post15469550
That's EXACTLY what I just posted about.. I was going to re-install those OEM "SHIMS".. I bet it was the caliper and brake pads with looseness in there.. Same noise I am getting on all 4 wheels. I removed the shims when I did the brakes a few years ago.. I think as the brake pads wear thinner, it creates more noise due to extra play and no Shims! https://acurazine.com/forums/problem.../#post15469550
Apply the brakes slightly when under the conditions that produce the noise. If the noise stops it's more than likely the brakes.
$435 is a total rip-off, if you think that's a great "out the door" price... then you must learn how to do these yourself. 1 drain and fill + pad shims cost less than $50. Tire balance you can get done at a discount tires for a low amount and they'll do tire rotation at the same time. That was a service that should cost less than $100.
We offer replacement engine mounts that are stiffer for less vibration. You could also look into our XLR8 Engine Torque Damper. It helps keep the engine secure and reduces wheel hop!
$435 is a total rip-off, if you think that's a great "out the door" price... then you must learn how to do these yourself. 1 drain and fill + pad shims cost less than $50. Tire balance you can get done at a discount tires for a low amount and they'll do tire rotation at the same time. That was a service that should cost less than $100.
I think the shims are like $60 at wholesale. And installing shims are about the same as installing new brake pads. Because the brake pads have to be removed.. So, laborwise, it's almost a brake job. And DW-1 transmission fluid is like $10 a quart. But transmission services are like $99 just all by itself... Plus you have like $30-40 in TAX.. and if you asked me to work on your car, I would not do it for less than $200 for myself! (maybe more)..
So $400 is about right..
BTW, I am not sure if Piast installed Shims or the little metal brackets/clips on the ends of the brake pad. either way, you have to pull the pads off.
This was just something I did not have time to figure out on my own
Two contradictory statements here. They diagnosed it for you, so you could've walked out the door with just the $75 bill, and then done the whole thing yourself. It makes me cringe to see people throwing money at dealerships/shops for simple maintenance work that takes little/no experience. Oh well, glad you got it all taken care of.
I think the shims are like $60 at wholesale. And installing shims are about the same as installing new brake pads. Because the brake pads have to be removed.. So, laborwise, it's almost a brake job. And DW-1 transmission fluid is like $10 a quart. But transmission services are like $99 just all by itself... Plus you have like $30-40 in TAX.. and if you asked me to work on your car, I would not do it for less than $200 for myself! (maybe more)..
So $400 is about right..
BTW, I am not sure if Piast installed Shims or the little metal brackets/clips on the ends of the brake pad. either way, you have to pull the pads off.
I disagree. I've never bought a set of pads from Autozone or Advance Auto that didn't come with the shims. Pads from those places cost as little as $20-30, so he could've installed a brand new pair of pads with shims for less than they charged for just the shims....like you mentioned, you have to pull the pads to get the shims on, however, that process literally takes 10 minutes per side. It's one of the easiest things to do on any vehicle. I'm not saying $400 isn't a "normal" price for everything they did, but once you do it yourself one time and see how easy it is, you'll understand why paying that amount of money is a total waste.
I solved my issue. I took out the Brembo brake pads and shims and inspected them. There was no "grease/lubricant" on the back side of pads or shims. Not sure if it was ever there as they looked dry (had an indie shop do my brakes in 2014). Added some put it all back together and presto no noise whatsoever. I would have bet good $$ it was a suspension issue but nope - pads and shims rattling around in the caliper.
^Yeah, I always slather the caliper grease all over both sides of the shims before installing them. I always thought it was to prevent brake squeal, not brake rattling...
I always get amazed at how strongly negative people get because someone does something different from them. For some that were negative without reading the thread thoroughly you would have seen that I had already replaced the pads with OEM and when done so the little metal brackets were missing from the prior owner. Yes, the shims were used that came with the OEM pads. And yes, I did try to diagnose it myself first taking it to Acura after I could not figure it out in the short time I had.
There was a time in my life that I would have fixed the whole thing because my only responsibility was to myself and I could hang out in a garage with my friends working on cars and posting on forums. But those days are gone. So while some people may cringe at spending $435 at the dealership my time is more precious at the moment and this spring, on top of being a husband, father, and working I coached 3 travel soccer teams, managed two more and coached a U8 town team. So I really did not have the time to spend on this, Acura already had the car, and it was much easier for me to just pay them then spend time I did not have doing the work.
So while some may find it contradictory to spend the money just recognize that you are not the only "internet expert" out there, people do things for specific reasons you can't understand or comprehend, and at the end of the day this forum is to help people, not crap on them.
Anyway, back at the ranch, I installed the larger "dual" oem shims and it did not fix the clunking noise, but my brake pedal feels a lot softer and better. So it was still worth it. It was not hard to install them. My pedal was harder before and if I slammed on the brakes it took too long for them to respond, even though some of that might be normal for power assist brakes. But being softer, they might actually perform better in an emergency.. I guess I'll see, or hopefully not actually. haha either way, it feels smoother and softer. Pretty nice.
I always get amazed at how strongly negative people get because someone does something different from them. For some that were negative without reading the thread thoroughly you would have seen that I had already replaced the pads with OEM and when done so the little metal brackets were missing from the prior owner. Yes, the shims were used that came with the OEM pads. And yes, I did try to diagnose it myself first taking it to Acura after I could not figure it out in the short time I had.
There was a time in my life that I would have fixed the whole thing because my only responsibility was to myself and I could hang out in a garage with my friends working on cars and posting on forums. But those days are gone. So while some people may cringe at spending $435 at the dealership my time is more precious at the moment and this spring, on top of being a husband, father, and working I coached 3 travel soccer teams, managed two more and coached a U8 town team. So I really did not have the time to spend on this, Acura already had the car, and it was much easier for me to just pay them then spend time I did not have doing the work.
So while some may find it contradictory to spend the money just recognize that you are not the only "internet expert" out there, people do things for specific reasons you can't understand or comprehend, and at the end of the day this forum is to help people, not crap on them.
My negativity was aimed mostly at the outrageous prices dealerships charge people. If you're upset that someone shared a different opinion, you might want to grow thicker skin...this is a discussion forum. I was simply offering an alternative solution, which should be informative for those who come into this thread looking for answers and don't have the money to throw at the stealerships.
Originally Posted by Chad05TL
Problem with Azine is poor management. And a outdated website. If it had a facelift, ppl might act in more respectable, like corvetteforum.
lol not sure what this statement has to do with anything in this thread.
I always get amazed at how strongly negative people get because someone does something different from them.
I don't think anyone is trying to dog on you, they just don't want to see you get taken to the cleaners over simple service. That's what this forum is about; helping others. But hey man, it's your money, if you want to light fire to it, be my guest .
I always get amazed at how strongly negative people get because someone does something different from them. For some that were negative without reading the thread thoroughly you would have seen that I had already replaced the pads with OEM and when done so the little metal brackets were missing from the prior owner. Yes, the shims were used that came with the OEM pads. And yes, I did try to diagnose it myself first taking it to Acura after I could not figure it out in the short time I had.
There was a time in my life that I would have fixed the whole thing because my only responsibility was to myself and I could hang out in a garage with my friends working on cars and posting on forums. But those days are gone. So while some people may cringe at spending $435 at the dealership my time is more precious at the moment and this spring, on top of being a husband, father, and working I coached 3 travel soccer teams, managed two more and coached a U8 town team. So I really did not have the time to spend on this, Acura already had the car, and it was much easier for me to just pay them then spend time I did not have doing the work.
So while some may find it contradictory to spend the money just recognize that you are not the only "internet expert" out there, people do things for specific reasons you can't understand or comprehend, and at the end of the day this forum is to help people, not crap on them.
I agree with you for the most part. As I've gotten older, I have less free time but more money. If I had not seen what goes on even at most dealerships I would probably pay to have mine worked on. I don't enjoy timing belts and valve adjustments and it won't hurt my bank account but I trust no one.
People are too quick to judge. There's obviously nothing wrong with taking it to the dealer. I would guess more TL owners pay someone to work on their cars than those that do the work themselves. It might have been the part about it being a good deal that got people talking. The way I look at it personally is it was an hours with of work that they did and it probably takes at least that long to drop the car off and pick it up.
I disagree. I've never bought a set of pads from Autozone or Advance Auto that didn't come with the shims. Pads from those places cost as little as $20-30, so he could've installed a brand new pair of pads with shims for less than they charged for just the shims....like you mentioned, you have to pull the pads to get the shims on, however, that process literally takes 10 minutes per side. It's one of the easiest things to do on any vehicle. I'm not saying $400 isn't a "normal" price for everything they did, but once you do it yourself one time and see how easy it is, you'll understand why paying that amount of money is a total waste.
I disagree. It's not a total waste. Also the shims that came with my current pads are very Small and they only had 1 per side. Oem has 2 per side and they are a lot bigger.
Some people are willing to spend money on their cars to let someone work on it. If you don't like it then deal with it.. Haha
06-08-2015, 10:35 AM
Whoever owned the car before me removed the brake pad brackets (the thin pieces of metal that go over the caliper) so when I replaced the front pads with OEM they were not there. The rattle was pads slipping in the caliper. Acura put on the thin brackets, rotated and balanced the tires and performed the 60K mile tranny drain and fill...out the door was $435.
Good call, you are correct. More vibration, but the engine is more secure. Like doing polyurethane engine mounts.
