Well...after successfully finding and fixing my last phantom noise (lose plastic under the drivers side rearview mirror)... I've got an unexplained rattle in the B-Pillar. I'm sure it would be easy to ignore if it wasn't RIGHT at my ear level over my left shoulder. I thought for sure this was the seat belt harness or pre-tensioner... but I took the whole damn thing apart... and put all the pieces on the rear passanger seat...and drove it (I know, not the safest situation) and it was still there. Sounds like a 'tapping' coming from inside of the frame. I could get my fingers in there thru some holes and can't feel any loose wires etc...

This is a shot in the dark... but has anyone had a similar rattle that they've been able to diagnose and fix? If so, let me know. Otherwise it's another trip back to the dealer for rattles (This would make 3...and I know they're going to lable me a nut)

-Thanks in advance

 

Same rattle here, too. I have tried putting lithium grease on the weather stripping but did not help. I still need to clean the edge of the windows to see if this will help.

 

The Navy must not be as hard on your ears as the Army was to mine. I think that my RL is nice and quiet, especially when I have the volume on the stereo system at 15 or 20.

 

I've tried rollling the windows up and down and still hear it (although harder to hear with the extra 'outside' noise...but still present. I am thinking it's a 'weld point' or something that's creaking, but it certainly sounds more like a rattle.

Anyway...sorry you're having the same problem...but a little relieved that it's not "JUST ME".

This forum has been very good at share their 'noise reduction' secrets... so far they've helped

 

my TSX has the same B pillar rattle...in 3xs and no fix...TLs have same problem..this thread may help---I showed it to the tec and he tried such various fixes...no luck...will try one more time...

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130207

 

Same here, but only intermittently on rough road surfaces. Not enough to bother with at the moment.

Bob

 

same problem here, I went to dealer about 5 times for the exact problem

and they weren't able to find it

going in for another test drive with technitian on this thursday

that noise is right at my ear, and I am having regrets about getting RL

so many rattles.......dam

 

G*d D*nm, I have the same rattle in my left ear, and the dealer thinks I am nuts and hearing things.
nice to know its not just me.
I made them replace the seat belt pillar attachment, didnt help.

 

I read this intently.... But... I went one step further and unbolted and removed the whole seatbelt unit and put it under the seat... and the noise was still coming from the frame at the same level of my ear...so I don't think it's the seatbelt assembly. I think there is a wire (speaker or otherwise) that's inside of the frame that's rattling. I am going to go try and isolate further tonight. I'll let you know if I have any success.

 

NavyDoc: Try tapping the headliner lightly just above the B Pillar. The side curtain airbags live up there. In my TL it made a slight rattle that I was convinced was in the B Pillar. It turned out to be the plastic bag the side curtain airbags were in, moving about between the headliner and roof. Tapping the headliner in the TL brought on concert of sounds. Fortunately the RLs headliner seems to be much better mounted. It was cured with some foam sheets tucked in by the dealer.

 

I've got a noise at the same place too. Mine sounds like a tick__ tick__tick tick noise. TampaRL may be correct about it originating from the side curtain air bag. I've heard a similar noise on a friends Toyota Camry, but he never got it fixed. I always ask him "Doesn't that noise drive you crazy?" I guess if you drive a Camry, you'd expect noises, but in Acura's flagship?? I'm bringing my RL back to the dealer on Wednesday (again). Last month they had the car for 4 days and couldn't fix it. They also couldn't fix the rattle on the left side of the dash--and that was the third time they've tried to fix that. I think they are getting tired of me coming in for the same things, as I'm getting tired of bringing it in again and again. I've got to take the day off to drive the car there, because they won't give me a loaner anymore (since I didn't buy the car there). If they can't fix it this time, I'll probably try a different dealer, who at least will give me a loaner, and I didn't buy the car there either. If the dealer fixes it, I'll post the solution here.

 

I $*&@^ FIXED IT!

Ok... here it is....

If pull the weather stripping off around the b-pillar...(no clips...it just slides off) and pull off the interior moldings around the b-pillar... you get to the upper seat-belt assembly. Well about 4" down from the headlinger...and about 1" above the seat-belt assembly...there is a 'joint'... where one piece of the frame (the lower piece) slides into the upper piece. This is a pretty tight fit, but there are some gaps between the two pieces. I took a flat head screw-driver and gently tapped it between these two pieces...then I took the car for a drive around the block. Rattle gone. Took the screwdriver out... rattle back. It's these two pieces rubbing that causes it. I took a small thin metal shim and tapped it between the two pieces... and wedged some felt into other area's around the joint... and put it all back together. Just got done driving around the block again.. (The neighbors must think I'm a friggin loon) ... and it's gone...gone ...gone.
If it comes back, I'm going to just take it to the Acura dealer, tell them it's a 'creaky frame' and let them figure out how to silence it.
But that's it.
If anyone has any specific questions about how to do this... or if you didn't understand what I just wrote. Feel free to drop me a line... .I'll walk you through it.

 

Wow Doc...you are a braver man than I. I can barely manage to change the shift knob without the '$#^&&^!!! I screwed up' anxiety.

Well I guess you disassemble humans and put them back together...good practice for your RL.

 

Yeah...well....watch the whole left side of my car fall off while driving to work tomorrow. I wonder if 'light frame work' voids your warranty? Not to mention your life insurance policy

 

Yikes...I hope none of your patients experience the same! You might want to get a second opinion on your handy work on your next service call.

 

Thanks NavyDoc333...will check it out....shame an up line car like RL and rest of Acuras have this problem....this rattle issue ( I getting another one in dash) has slowed if not stooped my next Acura purchase...friend of mine has driven 3 infintis and has never been bothered with a rattle???

 

I hear the same tapping sound from next to my left ear. I was wondering if I bring the car to the dealer to find and fix it, do they charge for the service or is it pretty much covered by warranty?

 

Covered by warranty if still in warranty period..

 

It seems like my tick noise is now gone. Thanks Navydoc. I gave your fix to my dealer last week, and the mechanic simply followed your already proven solution. That noise was really bugging me. Now if they could only get rid of my last rattle on the left side of the dash.... Once the weather warms up, maybe I'll try to take it apart myself.

 

Cool... Glad it worked for you too. The noise hasn't come back...so it looks like it's a lasting fix.
If it makes you feel better... I was in having my tires rotated today..and while I was there, I took a used 2006 A6 out for a test drive... it had a couple rattles of it's own. So I guess just about any car will have some sounds. But that one right next to my ear was driving me nuts.
I really think that the main problem with the RL is that it's so quiet, you hear every little thing.

 

Dunno if it is the same as you guys have but I occasionally get a rattle from the seatbelt thing. If I put pressure on the height button thing the rattle goes away so to me it seems that piece you push just hits the other piece. I have notcied this on every damn manual height adjuster and it is why I love power adjustment for the belt.

 

I have this rattle coming from the B-Pillar, sounded like the seatbelt height adjuster. I rode around today without a seatbelt and I still get the rattle. I am going to have to try Navy Doc's fix

 

Ah yes... this is definitely the thread I'm looking for. I've had this same "rattle" for about 3 months and it has been driving me nuts!! I too currently have the entire b-pillar disassembled (seat belt slider and all) and the noise is still there.
Thanks for the info NavyDoc! I can't wait to give this a try.

 

Your last rattle could be coming from the driver side vent area. That rattle is caused by the vent piping hitting a dash support. I saw a TSB on this at one time. The fix was placing a piece of foam sheeting between vent pipe and dash support. I, too, have this rattle, just haven't attempted a fix yet.

 

Funny thing. I noticed a slight tap-tap coming from the dash area just yesterday. With the radio on I can't hear it, but when my son and wife are in the car I have to keep the volume low and (now) have to listen to that tap-tap. I think it may be the TSB issue.

I also had a problem with the center console "Creaking". Dealer order a new trim plate and when I go in for that I'm going to bring up the tap-tap noise.

 

Before the dealer installs the console plate ask the tech to line the edges with felt tape. I was able to eleminate the noises from the console by doing this.

 

Well that was my solution to the dealer and they said that they'd have to just order a new piece with the felt tape.. go figure..

 

I don't have any rattles, sorry guys. Acura RL FTW!!