My 2013 has started to clunk this winter (its second winter) at 30,000 km.

 

Have the rear shocks replaced, should be under warranty.

 

^ its a crap shoot, had mine replaced and it didn't help at all. Trying to decide if I want to go the KYB route

 

2015 RDX AWD w/tech package, 7k miles....and clunking. I've actually had it since about 3k miles. I'm about to take it in for its first service and will have it looked at.

 

The shocks are junk. I had mine in last week for the third time to have the rear shocks replaced with what I was told are the third revision of this shock. "The supposed cure for the shock chuckle noise" as told to me by the service manager who was enlightened by the field service engineer who was at the dealership doing TLX transmission inspections last week. Revision 3 which was released concurrently with the 2015 RDX's are just as noisy. The 2015 ILX loaner I drove made the same noise.
The only cure for the noise is to install a pair of 2012 RDX KYB replacement shocks. They're stiff as hell in cold weather and tolerable in the summer.

A
Crude
Unbelievably
Rough riding
Abomination

 

^^Hand-Filer, I really had thought you were happy with the KYB shocks. Are they that much stiffer than the Sachs? I guess I'm lucky living here in AZ where it's not too cold

 

They work pretty well during the spring, summer and fall months.
They don't work so well at -10F and colder temperatures in combination with our frost heaving roads.
Arizona shouldn't be a problem.

 

Re: Revision 3, is there any documentation available for us to bring to the dealer to get the "newest" shocks? My noise is definitely weather related, very noticeable these last couple of weeks of extreme cold. Thanks

 

As previously mentioned, revision 3 are no better than revision 2 and will make the same noise in the cold. I was told that there are no longer any revision 2 units in the Honda database. That's in Canada however.
Inquire with the Acura parts department for confirmation.
Two options here:
1-Put up with the noise in Winter.
2-Install the KYB's and put up with the stiffer ride.
You'll never see a fix from Honda.
H-F

 

Take the car back to the dealer and have them check the rear shocks.

 

Check them for what?

 

We just had the right rear shock (strut?) replaced under warranty.

Symptoms were a hollow rattle sound over rough roads at low speeds and a slight undampened shutter.

I guess it depends on the dealership, but ours has always been willing to hop in the car and listen to any strange noises. Same thing happened with a front shock.

 

In my brand new RDX, I noticed clunking, hollow rattling sound, like timber/stones in a rotating steel drum specially from rear-left while driving at 20-40 mph speed on slight rough roads. Pretty annoying experience!
Took the car to the dealer at 1500 miles, and the service tech immediately responded,"It's a known problem and I will fix it right away". He replaced only rear-left strut and certified that rear-right strut was good. The sound was slightly eliminated for sometime but never went away completely.
At 10,000 miles, took the car to the dealer again and this time, they replaced both rear struts (left and right). Now, the sound is gone and the ride is comfortable; keeping my fingers crossed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
2014 Acura RDX, 2WD, Tech pkg, Basque Red/Parchment

 

+1. My 2015 is a bitch in the winter but I think the clunking is getting worse because I seem to hear it a lot more. I'm getting them checked during my next service appointment.. jesus christ my last car had a "Sport" suspension and it was quiet as hell unless you really hit something hard.

 

Not sure if I'm experiencing what you guys are but my '15 is squeaking from the rear every time I hit a small or big bump.

 

So the question for the 2016 MMC is, did they fix the damn shocks?

 

Took mine to dealer this morning for 2nd replacement of shocks. After repair, drove 3 blocks from dealership and "CLUNK"! Turned around, took Svc Mgr for ride. He sat in front and said he heard it, then had me stop and got in the back. When I hit bump, then "CLUNK", he said HOLY $HIT! Gave me a RDX loaner and took mine. Got call bit ago and they talked to the Acrua tech line, who told them it appears replaced shocks were still bad...(DUH!). They ordered new set to replace on MON. Not confident these will be better. Told MGR I'm not interested in going back and forth and hope he gets it fixed.

 

Welcome to the club.

 

Different issue.

 

I suspect No because it doesn't seem that Acura can figure out how to fix them. It seems they are on the 3rd revision of the strut and it is still a problem. They did reinforce the mounting points in the 2016, so I wonder if that is amplifying the noise in the pre-MMC RDX.

 

Just sad how something as simple as a shock has Acura so befuddled to fix.

 

The day after they installed the 3rd iteration shocks on my car, I removed the rubber isolator bushings and replaced them with the ones from the 2012 KYB shocks. The car is noticeably quieter now. About the same as when I had the KYB's on the car. The upside is that the car rides a bit better.
You are 100% correct IMHO. The racket these shocks make is transferred to and amplified at the body mounting point. The softer bushings do a better job of isolating that noise.

 

Hopefully someone from Acura reads your post.

 

Picked it up today...they replaced shock AND upper bushing. Newer bushing a little thicker. Think it made a difference, but too early to tell.

 

Just wanted to update my experience. As you know I had my rear shocks replaced last Oct, it seemed better but the noise returned fairly soon. Well I stewed for quite some time and after a while I started to wonder doubt if the noise was even coming from. The back or maybe the front? Fyi, my hearing sucks so I couldn't be sure. Went back to dealer had him ride with me and of course vehicle was quiet. Told them it was more prevalent when the vehicle was cold etc. they kept it and the tech drove it a few hours later and was able to hear the noise and determined it was the front strut. They replaced both and the difference has been amazing. I guess the point of this long ramble is to make sure your noise is truly from the back and not the front. Yeah my ears stink but I'm gonna go with the active noise cancellation made it hard for me to determine the exact location! ;-)

Oh and many thanks to my dealer for going the extra mile to help on this!

 

Providing my experience with the "clunking noise".
For reference, I have a 2013 RDX. Bought the first week this second generation RDX went on sale (April 2012). I currently have 49,700 miles on it.

About 6 months ago, I started hearing the "clunking" noise described well in this thread. It became considerably worse in December 2014 and kept getting worse. I made an appointment with the local Acura dealer in early January 2015 for the issue. They drove it and agreed the front right shock needs to be replaced. They ordered the part and two days later it was changed. They said the noise was gone.

After the front right was replaced, I heard the same noise but now coming from the front left. I made another appointment in mid-February, they drove it, agreed the front left now needs to be replaced and did so. What I'm not sure about is if they both were making noise and the dealer just thought the front right was bad, or if after changing the front right strut, it made the front left strut worse. Not sure.

I do not hear the noise anymore. I asked while at the dealer about the back struts and if they can be looked at, especially considering my car is only a few hundred miles from being out of warranty. They didn't give that much thought and just side-stepped the issue. Felt like only if they are making noise will they be looked at. I definitely understand not changing a part if nothing is wrong, but would have liked a little more assurance that as of now, they appear fine.
I'm happy to have the issue resolved and both front struts now replaced. The car drives much more like new now and I do not hear any "clunking". I'm just hopeful the noise does not start from the back in the future and the back struts never have an issue. I guess reading all the comments on this thread, I mildly concerned the back struts will do the same in the future.
I'll update if anything happens to the back struts or if the noise returns from the front.

 

I'd hope that Acura would acknowledge this issue and offer owners an extended warranty on the struts. They have replace a lot of struts, but never seem to admit there is a design flaw. It looks like they are on the 2nd revision of the rear strut, but not clear if it is resolved. They made some changes in this area for the 2016, maybe to address the noise. Luckily, if you do have trouble with the rear, a set of after market struts is not that expensive. Be glad it is not a transmission!

 

I have a 2015 RDX. I have the clunking from the rear. Head tech took my car for a ride with me and heard the noise. Said he would call Acura and see if there was a fix. They told his this is how they drive and if they come up with a fix they will contact him. I cant believe I bought this car. I also have a 2008 MDX which I have been very happy with. Has anyone put the KYBs on the rear while keeping the stock front struts .. if so how is the ride quality.

 

also I am wondering if we can buy better bushings separately and install them. I would imagine it would be very easy and inexpensive.

 

I just got an email from the head technician telling me there is nothing to fix. All RDXs drive like that. This is crazy. My car sounds terrible and has 2200 miles on it.

 

My wife's 2013 RDX has 28k miles.

About 6 months ago I heard something in the front and it ended up being a wheel bearing and the sound went away.

About 3 months ago I was driving it and started to hear the hallow sound from the rear whenever we hit low speed bumps. A couple of weeks ago I decided to create an appointment and take it in. In the mean time it's went from freezing to 70 (typical Iowa) and the sound kind of went away. I still took it in and the tech said that he heard the sound and decided to replace both rear struts. They then went out and drove it and it was still making the same noise. They then replaced the right front strut and the sound went away.

I don't know if this helps anyone else or if the sound will come back but that was our experience.

 

Typical Acura. This has been a known issue for over 2 years. "Problem with the struts? What are struts? Never heard of them. Can you tell me about these things you call Struts? I'll check with Corporate.... nope they never heard of these things either."

 

just got a call from the Acura National advisor that is taking care of my shock case file. They say that there is no issue and they all sound like that. I just ordered a set of KYBs ... I will let you know how it goes.

 

Ha, Ha. He is correct......they ALL sound like that because ALL the stock shocks suck. The KYB's will get rid of the noise.

 

^^ Absolutely, because they are all flawed by design....Sheeeeshh this kind of stuff pisses me off. Its bad enough they can't seem to solve the problem but then they keep adding the same design to their entire line up! As they are doing with the DCT which is now starting to affect the ILX.

 

I installed the KYBs tonight on my 2015 RDX. The sound is completely gone and the car drives as it should. The shocks are definitely the problem and easily solved with the KYB replacement. I was sick of arguing with them .. and took about 45 mins to install.

 

Glad it all worked out for you.

 

hand-filer, thanks for the help!

 

Still denying the problem I see. I guess Acura need not wonder why their JD Power customer service rankings are so poor, right?

 

If put in a situation where I had to own and maintain a 10 year old Volkswagen or a 10 year old Acura, I'd take the Acura.