I was at the local Merlin store to do a tire rotations and balancing (some weights looked like they fell off) as the car was exibitng vibrations. The thing is, even after rotating and balancing the tires, the car is still vibrating.

The Merlin store pointed out that the lower arm bushings are cracking that that could be the cause for the vibrations. They also pointed out that the struts are leaking.

Is this normal wear for 07 TSX with less than 50k miles? I mean replacing struts and bushings? Would struts also contribute to the steering wheel vibration or just the bushings? I am trying to limit what I must replace as I wasn't ready for this such expense.

On the other hand, what is a fair price to replace bushings? I called several Acura dealers and they all came up with $700+ quotes to replace bushings and 4 wheel allignment. What should I expect from a local store like Merlin or any other independent place ? Any recommendation for a good place in chicago/northwest suburbs?

Thanks

 

In my opinion, splits in the ends of bushings are not a problem, unless the bushing is loose which indicates advanced wear/damage. As bushings age, they split on ends. They can last a very long time in this condition. The split at the ends because of high local strains in the rubber (end swell due to press-in).

Regarding vibration, a bent rim or out-of-round tire can cause this problem. You need to consult a good shop specializing in front end and suspension problems.

Shops have been known to spray a few drops of oil on a strut to help make a sale. How is car riding? If ride is acceptable, I would at least get a 2nd opinion.

good luck

 

Thank you for some insights on this issue. I spoke with Firestone Auto (got an appointment for an inspection next week) and they also mentioned that it is unlikely that the bushings are the cause and it could be related to bent rim, damaged tire or brakes.


Also yesterday, I readjusted tire pressure in all wheels and took the car for spin and it appears that the vibrations is mostly gone and only present under braking, so perhaps the issue is related to brakes, which we wanted to replace anyway. If that is the case, than I will be very happy that I do not have to go out of a way to fix the issue and only replace what I had plan on replacing.

 

Minor seepage from the shock absorbers (Acura does not call them struts) is normal. Acura issued a bulletin on this because too many people were unnecessarily getting them replaced. I will attach it when I get to my other computer. A couple years ago I was told my niece's car would not pass state safety inspection because her front struts were leaking. I did a fair amount of research and discovered that the struts were perfectly fine then and they are still fine 40k miles later.

 

Here you go. The article about Acura shock absorbers aka dampers is in this 2007 Service Newsletter:

 

I really appreciate the info on the shock absorbers situation. Knowing this, I will definitely not be rushing to replace them until I actually feel like they are not working or see the actual leaks. Thank you!

 

if it vibrates when u press the brakes your front rotors are warped it happens with my 2004 tsx have the rotors resurface about 15.00 ea.

 

This weekend I had the car at firestone. I went with a brake job (new rotors and pads) since my car needed it anyway. In addition, they found out that one of the rims is bent, so now I got something else to go after.

So far the car does not vibrate under braking, but at higher speeds there is a slight vibration which is most likely caused by the bent rim.

I am going to look for a shop that specializes in wheel repairs and will go from there. If the damage is small and fixable, I will most likely just get the rim fixed, if not, I will be forced to get a new one.

 

If its not bent too bad No need to replace the rim, can get it fixed by most wheel repair places.

Or Get a high speed Road Force balance and it will be good to go.
Only some shops have this machine tho..dealers.

And no the lower control arm bushings will not cause your steering wheel to vibrate.
And no need to replace these bushings I see these last a very long time with the small splits/cracks in them. Especially at only what 50k miles?

 

This is the bane of the TSX for me. I've had 4 of them and in 3 of them I chased vibrations. Besides wheel balancing and an alignment, here's my checklist:

1. LCA bushings (if these are the culprit, buy a whole new arm vs. 3 new bushings)
2. Bent rims
3. Uneven tire-wear
4. CV Axle (if the vibration is only from 55mph-62mph)

 

This is getting more annoying for me

To rule out the bent rim (as told by the shop) I put a spare wheel on and took the car for spin.
I believe the car is perfectly fine in a normal city driving now; however, past 60+ or so miles the steering wheel has some vibration (minor) and it feels a bit disconnected, almost like there was a lose somewhere in the suspension or in the steering?
Since the wheels have been balanced twice in the 2 week span, perhaps the bushings are the culprit? does anyone have any other ideas or suggestions before I spent $200+ on new bushings?

I appreciate any help
Thanks

 

Check the suspension steering system; upper/lower ball jts and tie rod ball jts (inner and outer) primarily for any looseness.

Lift wheel off ground and forcefully try to move top/bottom of the wheel in/out. There should be no movement or looseness. Upper/lower ball jts would be source if you detect anything.

Similarly attempt to move wheel grasped at 3/9 o'clock in/out. Since steering is anchored by other wheel, there should be no slack. Any freedom of movement indicates worn tie rod ball jts or other steering defect. Looseness could be in either inner or outer tierod ball jt.

good luck

 

Hiya,

Just to add since it was not mentioned. If you opt for the CV Axle fix also replace the intermediate shaft.
I've done this repair to my car. I purchased just the replacement inner CV joint and found a minor vibration persists. After taking it to the shop and having everything balanced and aligned that vibration still persisted. This is a very minor consistent vibration either on the gas or off.
Replacing the intermediate shaft replaces a bearing where the passenger axle meets the shaft. My guess is that bearing is the culprit.
Easiest method is to purchase new I-Shaft from an OEM acura parts store instead of wrestling with the new bearing itself.

Much luck! I just hit 150k miles Here is to 200k!

 

We will be getting new tires installed this coming weekend, so I am hoping to find out more about the state of the wheels that are on this car. Hopefully everything turns out to be smooth and the tires actually resolve the vibration issue, if not than we will have one less thing to worry about and the list of potential culprits narrows down to 1-2 things.

BTW The main reasons that we are getting new tires is that one of them has a bulging sidewall which we never saw because it is on the inside. Since tires are over 4 years old, we decided to swap them all. Perhaps this is our cause for the vibration? Let's hope so.