I took my car in to the dealer this morning as the A146 notification came up in the MID - timing belt, water pump, spark plugs, oil change, rear diff fluid change, and tire rotation. They called me mid-day and said the belt tensioner needed to be replaced as well, which I OK'd. I picked the car up tonight and had to drive to my parents' house to pick my son up. When I was almost there I started hearing a weird banging noise, which got louder as I slowed down. I pulled into my parents' driveway and called the dealer - the service manager could hear the noise through the phone and told me not to drive it. They sent a guy out to my parents' house with the loaner car I had just turned in, and sent a flatbed out to take the car back to the dealer, both of which were nice. They did road-test the car after they serviced it, since it had 4 more miles on it than when I turned it in to them this morning. Really hoping the engine isn't permanently screwed up - I'm aware that bad things can happen with pistons and valves when the timing is messed up. I opened the hood with the engine running and the noise is definitely coming from the area where the timing belt is.

How worried should I be about this? Could it be something simple or is it likely serious? I was hoping to keep the car until at least the end of the year - I'm waiting for the AWD version of the RLX to come out before making a decision about my next car. I'll see what the service manager says tomorrow morning but I don't have a good feeling about it right now.

 

I'd say the dealer owes you a new engine

 

Yeah, when the word 'banging' is the word you would choose to describe it...not good. It sounds like the tensioner may not have been bolted properly before letting the belt jump and cause your valves to dance unhappily close to the pistons...Shouldn't have to work to hard to get this motor fixed/replaced

 

Thanks for the responses guys. I knew it was bad when the service manager told me not to drive it. I'll see what they have to say tomorrow morning.

 

If you get a new engine, you should be good for quite a few more years. Hope it works out well for you.

 

Which Dealer? 4 miles doesn't seem alot of distance for a timing belt test...

 

 

Wow that's weird, the same thing happened to my car last night I heard a banging/ knocking noise coming from where my timing belt is now my car won't start and I had my timing belt serviced about a month and a half ago
Hey op please let us know what the dealer says
thanks

 

I got a call back from the dealer this morning. They're saying the car is fine, that a bolt came loose and was causing the banging behind the area where the timing belt and tensioner are. He said they took everything apart and put it back together and it's fine. I was walking into work when I got the call, so I'll get the full explanation this evening when I go get the car and update the thread.

 

Which dealer is this? Also, how much did you pay for the service? I am curious as I am approaching the 100K mark.

 

Acura of Auburn. Had they driven it 15 miles, the noise would have been apparent.

 

What was the bolt banging against? You sure it was banging and not just bad vibration?

 

ask them specifically which bolt came lose?

Ask them to perform a compression test and/or leak down test if the bolt came off a either of the TB pulleys and/or the tensioner.

Just to make sure there is no internal engine damage.

 

It was one of the bolts from the back timing belt cover. I was told the tech tightened it until it stopped, but that it wasn't actually in all the way. The vibration from the engine caused it to back itself out some and it was in the way of a pulley (crank pulley?), causing the banging noise. They disassembled everything and replaced the timing belt cover and the bolts, then reassembled everything and road-tested it for several miles to make sure it was OK. They also had the car detailed. I drove it home and it drove nicely - hopefully it stays that way.

 

Well that's good to hear that it wasn't in danger of getting in the way of the timing belt. Could have been catastrophic.

 

You get inside an engine that far, everything should be thought of twice and torqued properly. Regardless of what it was, hopefully they warranty their work for at least a year/12,000 mi.

 

Glad to hear it worked out...won't be using Acura of Auburn anytime soon.

 

"Until it stopped." That is a terrible way to perform or explain car maintenance. I'm glad it was nothing major like DXplicit's ordeal. I assume from his experience we have an interference motor?

EDIT: *The RL has an interference motor?

 

I just got the B14 code

Curious, what did they charge you for A14?