larchmont

Let's finally find out how prevalent the rattles problem is.

I think it's assumed that most of the cars have it. But that might be just because we're more likely to hear from the people who have it.
Well, let's find out.

So, what's your story: Yes or no? (No fudging please.)

I'll start it off: NO


P.S. (edit) On another thread, people are talking about how the rattles can come and go:

http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/show...&threadid=1598

These polls don't let you vote more than once, but if your car shows a change in the "rattle" situation, you can always put in a post about it (here), and of course that would be taken into account.

TSXKid

Yes ..... :

Pass door

Pass side airbag

Somewhere in the rear

Squeaky drivers seat

Squeaky clutch paddle

4500Km's to date!

TSXKid

Oh Yeah ...... Sunroof visor ... when open... rattle. Closed .. no rattle

larchmont

Hey, Soop/Prov/Tink/Jase -- Whaddya say about a sticky on this for a while?

gomez_regina

Holy Cow TSXKid...you've got some serious issues there...

I've got NO RATTLES...ZERO...ZILCH...NADA...ZIP...ABSOLUTELY NO RATTLES!!!

The only problem I share with you is an intermittently squeaky clutch pedal which I'm gonna ask the techs to look at during my first service (coming up in a few weeks).

TSXnT-dot

YES.
Rattle by passenger door, now fixed.

the_peel

How was it fixed? BTW, I'm a YES.

Jason

I made it sticky...good thread. I voted yes.

hondagain

Yes...
Intermittent dash/a-pillar, passenger side squeak.
Doorknob rattles (both front, over Botts dots, started at 2500 miles)

BurnabyTSX

Looks like the squeaky clutch pedal is more prevalent than I thought. Here's my list (5200km so far):

- infamous door lock rattle; driver side.
- squeaky clutch pedal
- rear passenger side window - grinding sound when rolling down (sounds almost like some plastic got stuck in there)
- over the past few days, a new rattle coming from passenger side dash; suspect it's the tweeter cover

My dealer's gonna have a bit of investigating to do when I bring it in at 8000km.

jkotran

driver's side armrest/control console
rear door on driver's side
passenger side door handle
passenger side dash

The dash rattle is constent. The other three occur only in the morning or with unusually loud music/high bass. On the ride home after work, the car is much quieter. I am not sure why that is.

larchmont

Interesting. Maybe check out this post by Reader1:

http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/show...2555#post22555

He says rattles are worse in winter. Assuming it's true, I guess it's because of colder temperatures.
And in the morning, the car has been sitting in cooler temperatures than later in the day.

Maybe that's it?

nuke

None

dabuda

YES, it rattles towards the rear of the car but only if i drive on a bumpy road which i've usually avoid

fdl

I think this poll will hardly be accurate because there are people who think that "turning the bass down fixes the rattle" and they will vote no. Or they havent really put their car to the test. If I keep the radio at a decent volume its low enough that my doors dont rattle, and loud enough to drown out the rattles in my window and sunroof. If i didnt know any better I would vote no. I challeneg anyone to bring me there rattle free car and I guarentee I will show you a rattle in it

mbucek

yes

fdl

You forgot to vote

larchmont

Not necessarily -- maybe he voted some time before he posted.

larchmont

Please keep the votes coming -- it would be good to get as much data as we can. BTW this will also serve as another "count" of number of TSX's.

(And, if we see the total of votes here as being much less than on the "number" thread, obviously it'll mean we didn't get a great turn-out and the results will be less persuasive than they could be.)

But already we've seen enough to get the basic picture: There's a huge, huge problem. I'm somewhat surprised. I thought probably our picture was distorted by the fact that people with a problem tend to be more vocal than those without it. But, no. It looks like the picture we thought we had was exactly right. Probably most of the cars have the problem, in fact probably the great majority.

Speaking as someone who doesn't have the problem -- Honda/Acura has a lot of work to do on this. Maybe this poll will help them see that this is the case beyond any doubt. They need to come up with a fix, they need to make it widely known that there is a fix (once they have it), and of they need to make it known that future TSX's won't have the problem.

fdl

I recently read on "another" site that someone had been told by his dealer that Honda/Acura was aware of the problem and is working on it. This is the second time I have heard someone state this so maybe its ture. I hope so. Personally I was told by my dealer that Honda/Acura is not aware of any problem. But he may have been BSing me.

larchmont

Why are U so sure??

I've tried hard to have it, and I ain't got it.
(And I don't want you trying to give it to me either!)

Anyway, the problem doesn't have to be in every car in order to be a serious issue. It IS a serious issue, no doubt about it.

Fooman

Aside from the rattles, I think...no, I'm quite sure there's a factory defect on Satin Silver TSXs. The paint on the passenger side doors don't match up. And it bothers the crap out of me!

Read my thread about it here:
http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/show...&threadid=1335

Take a look at the pic that was posted and you'll see what I mean. Want more examples? Look at the pic on this website's homepage or browse through the pic gallery on the "other" website.

red-tsx04

No rattles.

j-man

No rattles yet - only 990 miles though.......rearview mirror vibrates like crazy with just a little bass, I can only imagine what iwll happen when I upgrade the stereo w sub....

larchmont

The numbers have been running consistently like this from the start -- close to two-thirds "yes."

As per the "Number of TSX Owners" thread, we've had over 100 TSX's on here. Hopefully we'll wind up getting the yes-or-no on almost all of them.

fdl

Regardless of what the rest vote..I think its clear its a significant amount. But I see this as a good thing, because it means that its likely Honda will come out with a fix.

It also means that its probably a design flaw, not a build flaw.

Count Blah

The only one I hear is in the passenger door with loud music, and rolling the window down a little then back up "fixes" it.

LeMasseHammer

Yes.

I've bitched about it plenty already, but here's a recap:

-Infamous driver and passenger doors with or without music (temporary fix that usually works is to tap the window down a fraction of an inch) -- not fixed although dealer claimed to look at it
-Dash rubbing windshield squeak/rattle on passenger side (fixed)
-Headliner brushing sound where it meets the top of the rear window (fixed)
-Strange little buzz sound from steering wheel column (not particularly annoying, loud or frequent, so no biggie)
-Moonroof (soon to be fixed with a little lube)

GRAYTSX

Yes...rattles in the passenger door when the radio volume is around 20.

larchmont

BTW -- I know I said "no fudging" on yes or no. But, on another thread, people are talking about how the rattle situation on a car can change. These polls don't let you change your vote, but of course feel free to put in a post about it if your story changes.

sauceman

Yes, rattles, with no music on. If I lower the windows a tad, now the top of the windows scrub against the frame and the car starts sounding like its as rigid as a rag.

mjohnson68

I have rattles in both doors with the stereo up around 20. Of course the dealer told me that "these cars are built to such tight specifics that they are air-tight" which means that when the windows are in the full up position they seal the outside of the car. This is when the speakers rattle. If you do the "crack the window" thing then the rattle goes away.

My second rattle is in the engine, it is the A/C compressor when the car is at idle. When you accelerate you no longer hear it. The dealer could not re-create this problem, but told me to bring it back when it happens again. Of course it happens everyday here in Florida because I use the A/C every day.

fdl

I hope you did not accept this answer because its BS. We all need to demand the rattles get fixed, because its the result of a design flaw.

dom

Interesting, I have the same problem. I noticed it for the first time on Thursday on the way home from work in stop and go traffic because of the blackout. I noticed that when the RPM's dip below 1000 the car shaked ever so sightly. As soon as I bring it over 1000 or shut the AC off the problem goes away.

I also heard a rattle somewhere while listening to Howard Stern on 92.9 here in Toronto. As soon as I changed stations it was gone went back and it returned. So I guess I have a rattles, but like most its radio related.

PS. Did I mention my Drivers seat grinds severly ? I'm having the entire seat Track replaced next Wednesday even though Honda did a service notice on the Accord powerseat motor, the Acura guys think its the track. We'll see

fdl

Since when is Howard Stern on again in Toronto? News to me. His voice does have alot of bass..its a good test for rattles

dom

92.9 is a Buffalo Station. There's a bit of staic but its typically pretty good. Wait, I think its 92.9 but I have it preset so I'm not 100% sure.

larchmont

Do you get the feeling the rattles are gonna win?

I'm surprised. I had thought there was a "silent majority" of non-rattlers out there.

I wonder if my TSX is some kind of mutant. I mean --- no rattles, 0-60 in six flat......

Weck

I know it's been said before, but let me say it again... Check the 'aluminum'plastic trim!!!

My hypothesis: the interior trim is the only design difference between the JPN Accord and the TSX, so they haven't worked out the rattles yet.

Just have the dealer fix some double sided sticky-tape. If that doesn't work, just weld the door shut and 'Bo and Luke Duke it' in and out of the car.

tsx-fl

Yes. Coming from the right side. Louder as time goes by.

larchmont

You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss......

Weck

How about using Noise Cancellation software. Presto, your rattles are gone for a mere $1000 all wired up.

"The Noise Cancellation algorithms developed by SPIRIT follow the spectrum subtraction guideline. First, short-time magnitude spectrum is calculated using FFT ( Fast Fourrier Transform ) procedure. The FFT dimension is equal to 256 samples thus along with half-overlapping resulting in algorithmic delay of 128 samples, i.e. 16 ms for 8kHz sampling rate. Then one of the three suppression rules, or frequency domain filters, is applied to the magnitude spectrum. Suppression rule is based on the noise spectrum estimate which is updated during silent segments, so VAD ( Voice Activity Detector ) is required. The algorithm involves VAD based on LRT ( Likelihood Ratio Test ) with adaptive threshold and additional tracking for noise stationarity."

Hey, this stuff is solid, proven technology. Just look, they have cool graphs:


BEFORE (with rattles) AFTER (rattleless)