Was wondering if someone could check their car quickly for me - I'm experiencing some rattling when I go over speed humps - it's a metallic rattling sound (sounds like it's coming from the front passenger wheel area), and a quick physical and visual check didn't see anything loose that could potentially rattle.

I popped the hood today, and was poking around to see what else it could be and noticed that my radiator actually moves around fairly easily (I can probably make it move with my index finger) and actually creates a rattle somewhat like the sound I hear going over a bump.

I'm wondering if the radiator normally moves around like that or if it's solidly affixed to it's mounting brackets. I only ask this because it was replaced after I had a front end accident. (along with the hood, headlights, grille and front bumper) If it's an installation problem, I was going to try hit up the body shop to get it fixed - or try fix it myself if it was something easy and cheap to do.

I'll go take a video of it tomorrow when there's light out, but if someone could check their car if it's convenient, and let me know if yours is loose, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

My radiator rattles too, I showed it to a tech and he said that it wasn't mounted properly.

But my noise comes from the front drivers side and not the passenger....

 

By my estimate, all the stock radiators are loose. Mine moves around quite a bit. I've seen this in three other tsx's (04-07). That's just my opinion of course But I have seen this in quite a few.

 

Thanks for checking guys.

I never really paid attention to it before my accident so I didn't remember if it rattled or not. I'm sure it moves a bit, but the metallic rattle sound I heard wasn't exactly reassuring. I'm just guessing it comes from the front passenger side, as I've never really been outside of the car when I hear the sound to confirm the exact location.

I'm going to have to do some trial runs with the car later in the week to see if it really is the radiator or something else.

 

The radiator should be able to move some but it should a have a foam rubber strip along the front to keep it from rattling against the car. I would definitely go back to the shop that did the work and have them finish the job right.

 

I have this exact same noise, but I cannot find the source. It is not the radiator, since I stuffed some rags around it, and still I get the rattle over large bumps

 

My stock radiator doesn't have a foam strip in front of it, but there is a rubber strip on the inside of the hood that seems to align with the front of the radiator in oder to keep it from moving. Is this what you're referring to?

 

I'll have to take a peak tonight as I don't recall off hand exactly how it's done on the TSX. Honda has been doing the foam rubber thing forever though.

 

Another thing that might rattle is the heatshield on the CAT. I noticed that one of the brackets on mine cracked and started to rattle over time. I ended up taking mine off. It might not be your problem, but I figured I would throw that out there because the rattle does sound very metallic.

 

Well, I braved the BC cold and rain and went out into the garage. and took some video.

Here's a video of me rattling the radiator. I'm not using too much force to move it, and it makes quite the racket when I'm shaking the radiator:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrFOdu-CMCs
Here's a pic of what appears to be the mount point of the radiator. There's one on each side. (not sure how the bottom mounts but this is the top)




Does everyone else's one rattle like this?

 

Hell no. That's not right at all. Back to that body shop with ye and demand they put the car together correctly. You didn't get the half-ass work discount, did you?

 

haha...nope. It was an insurance company claim. They should have raked in the money on that job!

 

The radiator uses two lower cushioned mounts to support the weight and two upper brackets with rubber cushions to keep it in place. Since the two upper brackets are there, you might want to check for the lower cushion mounts (#20 in the pic).

 

^^ Dr. JTso strikes again.

 

I have the stock radiator. That sounds a little bit louder than mine, but the amount of play seems identical. I don't think they messed it up. But then again, I can't see the lower cushions

 

Checked my 05 TSX and the radiator does move freely...like in the video. Next time I head to the dealer I'll ask if this "free play" is normal.

 

Ever find the source?

 

Ever?

 

I have this exact same rattle. Doesn't necessarily do it over speed bumps, but it does it the most at idle while the engine is vibrating the most

 

The free play is common for Honda. I think all 4 of my family's hondas do it. But none of them make noise when you shake them.