fdl

OK first off..I FINALLY GOT IT! I'm super excited and in my short time behind the wheel i LOVE the car.

But I have already noticed a couple problems.

First, there is definately a rattle in the passenger door. I hear when there is alot of bass. It goes away if I push on the door, or pull on the inside handle. I thought maybe it was the silver trim that was loose but I am not sure. Can the dealer fix this? I am a littel hesitant to have my door taken apart already, even if by a dealer.

Second, I'll have to look again more closely but it seems like my front pass. door does not sit flush with the rest of the car. It seems to be a out a little too far where the end of the front door meets the front of the back door (hope that makes sense). Like I said, I have to check again under daylight but if this is true is it normal? If I complain to the dealer..can they actually fix something like this? Any advice here would be appreciated.

larchmont

Let me have the honor of being the first to say congratulations!

About the second thing: You're a keen observer. If it's as you think it is, they HAVE TO fix it. I'm passing right over the question of whether they can, among other reasons because I have no idea -- but I have no hesitation in saying, THEY HAVE TO.

And about the first thing: A lot of people have noted this (I haven't). And I wonder, could it be because of THAT SECOND THING THAT YOU SAID -- maybe that's why there are vibrations so easily?

fdl

The thought crossed my mind as well. Maybe the entrie door needs to be replaced. Or adjusted.

I definately need to have another look and make sure my eyes werent playing tricks on me last night.

Brad

First of all, I would never worry about reporting problems to the dealer about warranty problems. Dealers get reimbursed from the parent company for warranty work that they perform. I've always found Honda dealers to be eager to perform warranty work. There's no reason why Acura dealers would be any different. Also, it doesn't matter if you take it to a different Acura dealer from whom you bought the car. Acura's domestic warranties are good at any domestic dealer.

One exception may be if you bought the car "across the border" and wanted to have warranty work done on it in your home country. (I don't know about the Acuras, some cars are cheaper by thousands of dollars in Canada compared to the US. US dealers and distributors are not happy about people buying cars in Canada and bringing back to the US!)

I hope that your door doesn't have to be replaced. I don't care how carefully and accurately they can match body color panels today, but down the road, you can often see signs of differences. For example, how could the paint job of a typical domestic body shop compare to the mechanized automated high-tech painting facility of a Honda factory, where all Acuras are made? Something will be different in the results, if not the paint color--then texture, clear coat, pattern of metallic flake, _number_ of coats, proper paint curing, etc.

Sometimes cars are damaged in transit and dealers/distributors have to "re-work" the problem. A body panel alignment problem may be a symptom of repairs performed domestically. Like a paint job, body shop repairs cannot compare to the accuracy of the factory. (This doesn't necessarily hold true of some of those domestic manufacturers, for whom sloppy build and alignment have been par for the course--namely GM, Ford, and Chryzler.)

fdl

If the door was replaced..wouldnt it come painted from the factory??


Guys..I just looked again. And I dont know. IT may or may not be off a little...like i am taling about a half a millimeter. I need someone to have a second look. Maybe I am going crazy. If the new door will not come baked from the factory..i would not replace the door to fix this probelm..if it even is a problem.

larchmont

I get the feeling it might be a little more, but even if it were just that, it's conceivable this could be the answer about the door rattles that so many people have noticed.

Brad

I don't know if Honda/Acura have pre-baked body panels just for this purpose. Let's hope they do! My first car was a color that faded badly in the sun except for the front-right fender. That fender was painted with a superior non-fading paint. I can only guess that the car had been damaged before I bought it new and they fixed it.

DEVO

what planet are you from? no company is going to send a color matched door from the factory.

w_piti

hello guys. I have the same problems, and i went to the dealer to ask them to take a look at it. What they did is that they adjust the seatbelt height to my shoulder level, and the sound is pretty much gone. Maybe u can try that? But i am not sure about your car. it might be just my car though. =)

TWong1200

Exactly. I can tell you 110% that they aren't painted. They come flat black. Just because your door may stick out a little, they can be adjusted. The striker can be adjusted to allow the door to be "pulled" in more to make it sit flush. If you bring it in, that's what the dealer will do. Good luck!

TWong1200

That's ridiculous...what if you're short (like me) and you want the seat belt down all the way? Because of a rattle, you can't have it all the way down? Tha't not a fix, that's a bandaid. Lazy ass dealers.

My $.02

gogozy

ya, usually not painted.... hehehehe.. i also notice a that on the engine hood, different height. But i am sure the stuff is original from Japan becsue the clearcoat are the same, i notice that the clear coat on TSX are thinner and not as "flat" or "thick" as accord, TL, these North American build like a layer of thicker glass on it but TSX is thin and no depth.... check that to be sure.

i had friends in auto shop business and they get lots business from dealers because car are damages due to transportation or thief. last year he repaint about 15-16 civic engine hood in a 1 weeks.....

hobbestec

I'm reading minor problems here and there, and I know they are no big deal - but it still makes me paranoid, my car is supposed to arrive in a few weeks, i'm so excited and somewhat paranoid

I don't listen to alot of music with much bass - though won't any car rattle with a huge amount of bass? Those of you with bass door rattles, are you turning the bass up on the system or leaving the default setting?

DEVO

if the door alignment is annoying you, they can tap it back into place... that is what the auto body shop will do... if they do it right, they won't disturb the paint.

fdl

Don't be paranoid. I am just a little crazy. The door is off by such a small amount i would guess 99 out of a 100 people wouldnt notice it. I still havent even convinced myself it really is off. I need to get a second opinion and talk to the dealer to see if there is a simple adjustment.

As for the rattle..i dont listen to alot of bass heavy music, and i have my bass at 0. But when the music is loud and there is bass there is definately rattles from the door. Its not a big deal..just a bit annoying. I will have the dealer look at it and let you know what happens.

sauceman

Alright. Please stop sreading that comment, it has nothing to do with the door rattles we are talking about. Please. It makes you look foolish.

The belts rattle against the B-pillars when thay are half twisted. Heightening or lowering the belts adjustment is just standard adjustments that are up to you, and no matter what the dealer told you either it has a high or low adjustment, it will cause no rattles. This is just plain stupid.

Which brings me to another post.

Someone was talking about default bass settings on the sound system, and how increasing the bass would bring about rattles. yes it does, and NO it shouldn't. If the setting is there, then it should work without a problem. If it does create the problems, then why put it there?

I get rattles 99% of the time when playing music at volume 10, and bass +6. Is that unreasonnable? I think not. I wouldn't say at volume 25 or 30 with the same bass settings, but 10? I think Honda needs to re-do their homework and study their sound system vs insulation in the car and try and come up with a way to prvent the door rattles, because they are driving me crazy, and putting me in a bad mood.

fdl

So sauceman...have you talked to your dealer about this? Did they try anything? I am assuming my dealer will get this fixed up , but maybe not?

sauceman

They have tried and added felt in the doors to prvent the rattles, which seems to have improved things a little. Actually, the windows sounded like they were pressed on, but, for being in the business of selling felt, I know it can compress and take it's right place. And seems like it did.

But I think some places have not been covered, my guess is they haven't touched the lock and handle internal hardware, and they have started rattling again, but now I seem to be able to pinpoint them better, whereas before, I would press anywhere on the door, and things would get better.

I remember the service guy telling me, though, that my bass settings were too high, and playing MP3 converted music didn't help since sometimes their bass was amplified. but I am going to have a words with him if he tells me that again, because 1. the rattles happen when no music is playing also, 2. I have experienced the problem with genuine band recorded cd's, and just plain radio, and 3. since I never play the music above 15 with full bass, why the hell do I get these settings if I can't play them? (and I am only at a third of the system's supposed capacity).

Anyways, I'll get a few things cleared up at my next oil change.