Hey guys. I have a 2005 5AT and ever since I took delivery of the car, I've noticed this odd and annoyingly fast tapping/rattling sound when i'm idling in gear.. (either "Drive" "Reverse" or "SS" modes). The rattling does not occur constantly so it is so weird. It just comes and goes but it happens more times than not. The sound seems to be coming from the center console..but i'm not sure.

What is strange is that if I shift the car to neutral or park, the rattling will immediately go away. When I shift back to drive or reverse, it will come back. In addition, if I turn the steering wheel either left or right, the rattling will stop for a little bit as well. I don't know what the heck it could be but it is annoying. I've taken it to the dealer several times and they claim they can't hear anything so nothing was done. Therefore, I was starting to think that it was a common thing to the TSX. However, I had an 05 TSX loaner recently for most of the day and that car was completely quiet at idle. I did not hear the rattling at all. I don't know what to do at this point.. Any suggestions? Should I contact Acura corporate or something? Thanks

 

Just about 99.9% of the idle rattle are reported by AT owners. What's the idle rpm in gear? When you shift into neutral or turn the steering wheel, the rpm increases and the rattle stops. It's almost like the idle is too low.

 

Hey, JTso, thanks for the reply. I'm not sure what the idle rpm is in gear when I hear the rattling, but i'll note it next time and let you know. However, i do notice that the rpms rise when i turn the steering wheel left or right and shift into neutral. I was thinking that this rattling is a common problem in the Auto TSX but the loaner I had did not experience it at all...which made me scatch my head.

I contacted Acura corporate and a case manager is suppose to contact me. I need to get to the bottom of this problem. I get embarrased with this sound since this is a new car. When I have someone in the car and the rattling occurs, i quickly shift to neutral or turn on the stereo so they don't hear it.

 

Would you describe it as more of a metal on metal rattle or a plastic rattle? Have you noticed if it fluctuates with the temperature - more likely to happen in the morning or at night?

 

I think it sounds more like a plastic rattle and it can occur at anytime. It also happens during the hot summer days. When it was rattling last night, the RPM's were at 700.

 

Well, obviously it could be almost anything, but I just tracked down yet another rattle the other day, didn't happen at idle, only at low speeds, but it sounded like it was coming from the center console. You might want to try pushing slightly on the area in red below next time you hear it, and see if the sound is eliminated or minimized.

 

I have the same rattle, it sounds like it comes from behind the stereo. Goes away when rpm is ~800rpm or above and when rpms drop (e.g. in gear with foot on brake) the plastic knocking sound comes on.

Took it to the dealer a couple of times and they were never able to reproduce it (of course), and the last time I went they 'adjusted idle speed', which doesn't really help.

I'm about to take out the whole stereo to pinpoint the rattle (I remember there was a thread where someone found it was caused by the part where the stereo is screwed to).

Let us know if you find out anything from Acura.

 

Oh my goodness.. thank you lord.. Someone else that has the same problem. I knew I wasn't going nuts. I am experiencing the exact same thing. The dealers haven't been able to reproduce the problem as well.. Typical.

Anyway, the Acura Regional Manager contacted me today and told me that the sound i'm experiencing is not normal. He insisted I go back to the dealership and have a test drive with them to pin point the rattle. The funny thing is this rattle does not occur while driving..it is while idling in gear.. which is frustrating.

He told me that it is not really the dealer's fault because they can't fix anything unless they hear it. But it is so strange to me that they did not hear it not even once.
Do they not have stop signs or red lights by these dealerships? Anyway, I'll have to go back and see what they say. I bet anything in the world that they will try to blame it on my comptech header / hi flo cat that I just got installed this past Saturday. I've had this rattle since I I took delivery of the car last year.

 

Normal. That's th way it works

 

The question is : Why can't you just bring the service manager outside, sit in car, shift in gear and and SHOW him ???

 

Because the sound is intermittent so it doesn't always occur. I'm hoping that they can have the car on for as long as it takes in gear until the rattling starts. But next time I'll just have to go to the dealership and wait in the car in gear until it happens and just call the tech over to hear it.

 

Here's an upate:

I took the car this friday to my dealership and this time I sat with a tech until I heard the rattle. The tricky part of this rattle is that it is intermittent (Seems even more intermittent when near an Acura Dealership..maybe demons?). Anyway, the loud plastic rattling seems to be coming from behind the stereo and it only occurs when i'm shifted into "Drive" or "Reverse" and while not pressing on the gas.

The rattling has gotten louder lately due to the fact that I added the comptech icebox and header so i'm assuming the greater vibration is causing the plastic parts to hit against each other harder or something. I also need to have the bumper weight put back on because I think it helps with reducing engine vibration.. I took a look at the Accord TSB for excessive engine vibration and it called for the installation of a heavier bumper weight.

Anyway, even though the tech heard the freaking rattling, they didn't really do anything to fix it. I gave them permission to take out the freaking stereo to isolate it..but all they did was order some part for the shifter because they assumed it may help with the noise. I know of only one other person that has this weird rattling sound from acurazine. No one else seems to have it. Anyway, i would remove the stereo myself, but i have no clue.

Any nice acurazine members want to take a ride with me, so you could hear the rattling and give me some advice as to what it could be. Thanks.

 

There was a rattle coming from behind my stereo area at one point. I took the center console out, took the two storage pockets out (below the stereo), and jammed some folded-up foam tape between the metal structural bar, and the sheet metal it was touching. The support bar has the same shape/bends as the faux-metal trim that goes from one end of the dash to another. Shouldn't be too hard to find once the area is exposed.

I guess certain frequency vibrations would cause the structural bar to tap against the sheet metal area, and yes, it sounded almost like plastic vibrating because the metallic sound was muffled when the area was sealed off by the storage pockets and center console.

To get instructions on how to get to the area, use the Short Shifter instructions (comptechusa.com). Not sure how it differs on the AT but should be fairly straight-forward.

 

The other day I found the thread you started when you solved your rattle. I don't know if I have the same rattle as mentioned in this thread as it doesn't happen at idle, but it does sound like it's coming from behind the stereo. Anyway, I saw the bar you mention and the tabs you said look like they are missing screws, but my tabs have screws. And there are no other tabs in sight so it must be them. Oh well, the search continues.

 

I pulled the top storage pocket out, and I can see the structural bar you are talking about. It does look similar in shape like the metal dash trim. I can see holes that look like screws would go in. I'm going to drive with the storage pocket loose for a few days to see if I can hear the rattle and try to isolate it.

 

Hey bro, can you post a pic? I can't imagine that were both looking at the same thing and it's different nor can I see how I'm missing it, but a picture would certainly clear things up.

 

I will see if I can take a pic of it tonight when I get home from work.

 

Here a pic of the storage area. (it is a side view) Unfortunately, my idle rattle is not coming from that area. I was driving with the top storage area detached and as soon as I heard the rattle, I placed my hands inside the area and it still was rattling loud as ever. I have no clue what it could be now.. it is probably coming from behind the stereo. My journey continues.... =(

 

Yeah, shit, I did the same thing the other day and it didn't help worth a damn. The only upside I can see to this is if one of us finds the solution, it's likely the same for the other...

 

I bet you could find the noise with one of these...

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/STE-97202.html

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/STE-6600.html

 

That's funny, a stethoscope is actually on my list of shit to acquire at an indeterminate point in the future, never thought to use one to locate a car rattle though...

 

Any updates on this guys? Weather is getting warmer and my car is rattling and squeaking more again... but today I started to realize the cricket/squeaking noise that comes along with the idle rattle is actually coming from somewhere in the engine bay area, right where the passenger's side firewall is.... but it's so damn hard to pinpoint in that area since the engine is running... it's actually easier to hear inside the car, or outside the car right where the hood meets the windshield (with hood closed).

 

No updates on my end. This is really the only freaking thing that annoys me about my car. It's been to the dealer several times and they have heard it and acknowledge that it happens, but they are not able to fix it. It may sound petty, but that sound is the only reason why I am not planning to keep my car long term. It is also the reason why I haven't gotten the supercharger either. It is ultra annoying. =(

 

one day i had really bad rattling so i pin pointed it to my hood. i opened it up and adjusted these little rubber stops on left and right sides of engine bay right above the headlights by turning them counter clockwise. when i closed my hood the sound was gone but hood stuck out a little, so i adjusted it a little clockwise and perfect.. hope this will help some of you.

 

Please see the post I put in another thread on rattles.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...12&postcount=5