First, let me say that the TSX is without a doubt the nicest car I've owned. I'm stacking this against my '01 BMW as well. No competition.

Now that I've said that, I can tell you all that I just responded to the 'rattle poll' up at the top. Mine has developed the windshield rattle from hell, it started right around 950 miles on the odometer. Today I have 2800 miles. Passenger side, lower corner. I became 'one' with the rattle this week on my 1900 mile trek to Illinois and back. That's not what this thread is for though:

About 2 hours from home this evening, after having driven 14 hours at 60 - 80 mph on the highway, I started smelling something like hot motor oil coming through the vents. I didn't pay attention to it at first, but then I realized I had been smelling it for awhile. Not strong, but ever so faint. Definitely oil though.

You think this is something to be concerned about? The car was driving within normal temps and everything else seemed normal otherwise [wow it accelerates quickly going up the mountains]. When I got home though, the car just smelled hot all over. It wasn't noticeable the other day when I went out to Illinois... just today on the way back.

No, I didn't check the oil yet. It's dark and I don't have good light outside. I'll check it in the morning.

Any thoughts on this? I'm a complete engine novice, so go easy on me. Thanks in advance.

 

i drove about 2k this past holiday week as well...i don't have the hot motor oil smell but the windshield rattle did develop, rattling started around 5k miles...i'm not sure what's causing the rattle but i'm hoping it's just temperature change...my destination was 30-40 degrees colder then where i usually drive my tsx

good luck with the engine...maybe some oil was accidentally spilled in the engine bay or a bug got in somehow?

 

i definetly think the windshield rattle is related to the cold temps. i have had the rattle for the last 2 months, BAD. until saturday, it completely disappeared. i dont understand, it is just gone, period. maybe it shook itself loose...

 

TSX goes in for service tomorrow morning. I told the service manager about the windshield rattle this afternoon. [of course] he was surprised to learn of it, it's the first they've gotten. He also mentioned that the smell may be transmission fluid [gawd I hope not] or something [more likely] got hot and melted or paint is curing somewhere in the engine from being driven so long. Whatever it is, it better be resolved the first time around. That goes double-triple for the windshield rattle.

They have a loaner TL.

Oh no.