I am in the process of fixing up a 2005 RL I recently bought. I work for a Honda dealer and bought it at the auction. Anyway, there is a clunking noise in the front end. Almost always the noise I am hearing is caused by sway bar links. I checked them and they appear to be fine. What else could be causing the clunking noise? Could the sway bar links be bad even knowing they appear to be ok? This is a heavy car so maybe when the weight of the car is on the links versus having it in the air it is hard to diagnosis.

 

Could be a few other things. Can you descibe the conditions in which you hear the clunking? Over bumps, during acceleration. Does it make the sound when the car is stationary and you start or rev the engine?
Could be engine mounts, LCA, compliance bushings.......

 

Going over bumps. I haven't checked the engine mounts yet but I know that noise and this is not it. This issue is definitely in the suspension. Normally the sway bar links show signs of wear but these look ok. But the noise is identical.

 

The 3G TL forum is a little more active than the RL and while the suspension geometry is not exactly the same, there is a bunch of cross over.

Here is some reading for you - https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/anyone-have-front-compliance-bushings-rip-stock-suspension-696480/
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/04-08-front-lower-control-arm-bushing-failure-please-read-look-707888/

I have a metal on metal sound in my front end and has been diagnosed as the compliance bushings. I have an extended warranty but dealer says even though they are torn, they aren't bad enough yet.
I didn't have the time to fight with the SA at the time.

 

I will check them the next time I have the rl in the air. Compliance bushings are a wear item for sure. I am seeing a trend with the current 09 and newer body style Honda Pilots. Compliance bushings are failing on them often once they are close to 100k. Could be the New England roads causing it but the older pilots didn't seems to have that problem.

The issue I am having really sounds like sway bar links to me. I am gonna check on the price for the parts. If they aren't too expensive maybe I'll start there.

 

It's your strut.


Next caller.

 

Could be but it appears to be ok. It's not leaking at least.

 

Leaking? What does that have to do with it being blown?

The RL is a HEAVY car. Tampa's 2006 RL blew a strut after being on a lift before 60k miles. The LVH has 4:5 odds on a blown strut.

 

Most common sign of a blown strut is oil leaking down the shock. The issue I am having could be a strut but I am leaning towards the links first. I talked to my head Honda tech today and he said for me to put it on the alignment rack to try to duplicate the noise. He said while it is in the air on a regular lift without the weight of the car on the links it is very hard to see if they are causing the issue.

I plan on installing my new wheels and tires next week. After that I will put in the alignment rack and check out the links. I checked the price of the struts and they are @350 a piece. I hope they aren't the issue...

 

Don't dismiss the engine mounts. Mine were just replaced before my extended warranty ran out.

I was convinced it was a suspension issue or roll bar bushings. As 007 mentioned, my struts were recently replaced as well. But I thought they may be defective.

I had no symptoms that made me think engine mounts yet the front and side mounts were toast. The rear, not so much.

The difference was amazing. The small road impacts were transmitting into the car, slowly increasing over time. Now the car feels again rock solid. And this was the same experience and symptoms I experienced just before my struts failed.

As NVH is further isolated in newer cars me thinks it becomes more ambiguous to source the symptoms.

 

Thanks for the advice on the engine mounts. I plan on checking them as well. Normally there are other symptoms besides just a clunking noise going over bumps with a bad engine mount but it is a possible cause. The issue I am having feels and sounds like it is coming from the wheel well area. It is especially noticeable at lower speeds and when I have the window down.

 

Engine mount issues can be reproduced with the car stopped by shifting between P, R, N, & D. Even if a noise isn't present, the engine will move more than normal. A strut issue will only be replicated through vertical motion.

beeker, I'm sure you know this, but I want the thread to be thorough should someone else come along looking for noise issues.

 

If it is the strut, should I order an entire assembly or just the shock portion? The springs appear to be fine but then again so do the shocks.

 

Get H&R or Aspec springs and 4 new struts if you have to. There is no need to get new stock springs ever, but those two options should be in the $200 or less range and will improve the look and handling of your car.

The stock struts are expensive. IIRC, 4 new stock struts cost as much as an ASpec setup, which is why you see A-Spec springs for sale when people use H&R instead. The downfall is that the ASpec dampeners are a little stiffer than the stock, so the spring/ASpec dampener combination is going to be harsher than the spring/stock dampener combo.

 

I have no intentions of lowering it. I know the a spec suspension is an option but that is not my goal. If a strut is blown I will replace it with stock spec equipment. New England roads don't like lowered suspension.

 

I had a clunking noise/thud upon accelerating from a stop during right turns.

Had my motor mounts replaced and it's gone.

 

The noise I am having is not while accelerating. I know what a broken engine mount feels and sounds like. I see it everyday on V6 Honda's, especially Odyssey's.

The noise I am having is while driving at normal speeds while going over bumps. It is either a bad strut or sway bar links and bushings. I talked to my head tech today and his confident it is the sway bar links and bushings. At least that is where he wants to start. They are worn and should be replaced regardless if they are the cause of the noise or not. I went for a long ride last night and I feel the issue is the strut. Regardless I am gonna start with the sway bar.

If I do decide to replace the struts should I order just the actually shock portion? Should I order all the parts of the strut except for the spring? Or am I better off saving the time and labor and just ordering a complete strut?

 

I had the new links installed today and the noise is gone!

It was so bad I thought there was no way the links alone could be making that much noise. Well it appears they were the problem. My fingers are crossed it stays that way. I don't feel like replacing struts right now! I've already spent $3,000 so far fixing her up but $2,200 was on wheels and tires so I can't complain too much. I don't want to spend too much more right now considering I still have to do the t-belt and water pump soon.

 

BTW, I didn't bother to install the new bushings yet. They appear to be in great shape. It looks like it is a PITA to remove them.

 

That's great news! I need to go back and fight to get my compliance bushings replaced. I have an extended warranty that expires in Jan. Recently visited the dealer and they confirmed they are torn on both sides, but not broken. So essentially they are in need of replacement but not bad enough yet...

Any insider thoughts or ideas??

 

Compliance bushings are covered under the warranty you have? Is it Honda/Acura care? Let me know what warranty you have and I'll ask my service manager for you.

 

I was led to believe they are covered, but was told although they are torn, they are not bad enough to be replaced under warranty. And yes, it is an Acura Care warranty. I would never buy an extended warranty from anyone other than the manufacturer.

 

* Control Arms?

* May sound stupid but check the harmonic balancer - mine was broken and i kept hearing sounds like my sway bar bushings were done. Changed the harmonic balancer (Which was seperated from that rubber rim that joins 2 pieces of metal together) and the sounds went away.

 

Hey I've read ur post, I have been experiencing that noise as well. My question is which sway bars did you change & were they aftermarket?

 

I didn't change the sway bar just the sway bar links. Here is a link to an online Acura store that sells them: ARM, R. FR. (LOWER)/FRONT LOWER ARM for 2005 Acura RL
It is part #6

That is for a 2005 but you should get the idea.

 

Was there any play in the end links when the car was on the lift? I have a feeling that it is hard to verify condition without removal.

 

I have a similar front end clank that happens when running over bumps. However, it goes away completely if I depress the brake pedal over bumps. I've had Acura look at it as well as a local tech - but no luck: "everything looks great." It's about to drive me nuts.

 

If the rattle is gone when you apply the brake then I would assume your noise is the front brake pads rattling. Replace the clips that hold the pads. I would recommend you replace all the hardware while your at it. If the pads and rotors are good then replace the pad pins, m-clip and spring pad.

Of course if the pads are aftermarket and don't fit properly it may still rattle even after replacing everything.

 

On the lift the links appeared to be fine and there was no noticeable play.