We just bought an 08 Acura TSX and we seem to think there is a lot of road noise when driving on the highway. Is that normal? Is there anything we can do (i.e. dynamite, foam)? Any ideas?

 

What are you comparing it to?
How old are the tires?
Did you hear it when you test drove it?
Did you buy at a dealer that will look at the car?

All those options will work to cover it up assuming its normal, you could also turn the radio up

Welcome to Az.

 

well, we had a honda civic and that seemed like it had less road noise. The tires seem to be new. The tires are low profile tires, which I keep telling my wife can be part of the cause for the noise. It doesn't sound like something is wrong with the car, but its just not quiet. I would like the car to be a bit quieter when driving at high speed ( 65+ mph). any ideas?

 

Do you recall what tires they are?
Some treads are louder than others.

 

kelly navigation tires.

 

The TSX is a great car, we love ours (we have two), and I have no doubt that you should come to love yours too. But.... road noise has been a complaint since the car was introduced, and it does seem to be quite dependant on tire choice (and that may be one reason why Honda has used those almost universally unloved Michelins as OE). Those in the know (or care) may put how quiet a tire is at or near the top of the list of qualifications when seeking replacement tires. Sounds like you're stuck with the set that came with the car, and if they are in fact newer, it would make little sense to replace them for that reason alone. Bottom line? Get used to it I'm afraid.

 

I have found what the roads are made with makes how much road noise you get. A newly paved road with a excellent quality asphalt is the quietest. The worst are cement with expansion grooves.

 

OK, assuming Kelly Navigator tires are what you are wearing, and that they are the correct size on the original rims...that would be 215/50R17 tires on a 17x7 rim.

1) If the rims have been changed, the tire may not be properly sized for the rim.

2) The tires may be an incorrect size.

3) Kelly is a discount brand tire manufactured by Goodyear and not handled by major sellers like Tire Rack. It is sold by retailers serving a more price sensitive consumer.

4) Hondas, in general, always have more "road noise" on Consumer Reports reviews and Auto Enthusiast comments.

The majority of the road noise you can control is related to tire model and brand. Go to TireRack dot com and search for replacement tires in the correct size for your car. Then look for a touring or grand tire and read the reviews to fine a model that most buyers say is quiet. That's the ultimate answer.

As for foam or dynamat, that's just adding weight and not helping too much due to the transmission path of the noise.

Dynamite might work, but you'll need a new car.

 

Thanks for all the responses. I will you guys know when I change the tires.

 

If I might offer a suggestion, I replaced the oem pilots with bridgestone turanza serenity tires. The ride got a big harsher over bumps, but the road noise from the tires dropped by 50% easy. Best change I ever made in terms of noise issues.

 

I also replaced the OEM tires with Bridgestone Turanza Serenitys. They are way more quiet. We have about 20,000 miles on them now and they remain quiet. The most noticeable change is when you are on a blacktop road and go over a concrete bridge deck. With the OEM tires there was a huge increase in road noise when you went over the bridge. With the Serenitys, there is only a very slight difference in noise level.

 

I have had this same problem with my 2008 TSX, which I've had since it was a year old. I did find that when the OEM tires got older, they got even louder. When shopping for tires, I tried to find some that were quieter, but of course it's impossible to test this out -- you have to make a best guess and buy. From my research, summer tires seemed to be the quietest, but I didn't want that. I ended up getting Michelins that are very similar to the OEMS (but not exactly the same model.) The difference in noise was very slight but it did help a bit. I think the problem here is a lack of insulation in the car, and the sporty low-profile tires. I have rented a Hyundai Genesis sedan (obviously a much larger, less sporty car) and was amazed by the quietness. I love the handling of the TSX but I value quietness highly, and I'll be a lot more careful next time I purchase a car. That's not to say I would buy a Genesis, though! I do agree that Honda Civics I had (from the '90s) seemed much quieter -- of course they didn't have low-profile tires.

 

The Tire Rack owner surveys can be valuable when searching for particular attributes in a tire. I wouldn't buy a set of tires again without studying what it has to offer. Single, anecdotal stories you might find on here (for instance) may be of some value, but much less so compared to thousands of responses reporting on a tire (it would seem to me anyway).

 

Good advice...I bought the Serenitys based on my reading of the composite ratings of high speed (V) rated touring tires on the Tire Rack site. That was almost three years ago. Things may have changed... New tire options may be out there.

 

Sorry. Couldn't edit my post. The ride is only a "bit" harsher with the serenities. Still much quieter after 35k miles on them. Good tread left as well! I believe consumers report evaluated all season tires like the serenities awhile back. They list noise/comfort for their tests. I used that and the tire rack user reviews for acura vehicles to make my decision on the serenities. I got them for an even better price than the tirerack quote by going to my local discount tire store and local firestone store on the same block. Then I just kept having them compete for my business to get the best price. If you're willing to go back and forth 3-4 times, I ended up getting them from discount tire for $200 less than what they were originally quoting me for installation.

 

buy some hankook v12 tires it helped my tsx alot on road noise