Is it me or the suspension in the Acura RL is horrible. Every time i get my oil changed at the dealer i ask them to check the suspension and every time i get the same response, everything is tight sir nothing is wrong. Everytime i go over several bumps in a row it feels like the struts are falling apart

I have an extended bumper to bumper warranty with Zurich and so far they have been great and i think the suspension is covered, just hope the dealer is being honest in their diagnosis. What do you guys think of the suspension?

 

Falling apart?

Any 2nd gen RL loaner I've ever had felt tight with just enough give to make it feel luxurious.

 

I may have exaggerated with the falling apart, just feels like its clicking .... or clunking. To me i think the struts are done but the dealer says they are good. My RL is a 2005 and has 82,000 miles on it.

 

could this be it http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/SB/B07-026.pdf

 

the car is quite as can be during acceleration, it's just going over simultaneous light bumps you hear the clunking. While on the highway it is not too bad at all. you can feel it on the soles of your feet that something feels loose.

 

on the legend we had before, when the spare tire would lose a little air, the tire would sound pretty loud over bumps. I could get rid of it by tightening it down or putting air into it. The clunk was pretty loud. Acura shocks and struts are usually good for the life of the car, or almost. Check the spare tire and area.

 

I might add - it took me about 6 months to find the clunk and I felt pretty stupid that is all it was. In the 18 years I owned one there were hundreds of times the question came up from others. It sounds all through the whole frame.

 

it could be your sway bar bushings have it check out and see if there lose or worn out. this will cause some rattles too.

 

yea thats what i was thinking too... when i went i told them to check out the whole suspension but i also mentioned struts to see if maybe they would just change them out, when i go again i will specifically mention the bushings to see if it was something that just went unnoticed... thx guys for the input.

 

There's also a TSB about the brake pads rattling. This will cause a lot of noise and sound like suspension problems.

 

This one?
http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/SB/B05-021.pdf

 

Wow great info guys... That front rattle sounds like it might be the problem also, gonna have then do an overall check up on the front brakes and suspension. I'm also gonna take it to a friend who owns a shop to get his opinion on what the problem can be.

 

i cant believe that brake pads can cause a noise like that... just made an appt to the dealer to check it out. for 3 mts i have been trying to narrow this problem.

 

Haven't made my appt. yet, but I intend to soon.... Lemme know how it works out for u

 

Could also be a bad steering column bushing. It can make a racket going over bumps, or sometimes just steering. It is an expensive repair if you're out of warranty and the entire steering column is replaced.

 

When you have free floating calipers you will get a rattle going over bumps. How do I know...I spent two days when I worked at a Mitusbishi dealer in the early 90's chasing a rattle. I checked everything underneath for being tight. We drove the car and we could create the noise the customer was telling us about. Yet, it took me to hang out the door to listen for it. That is how we found the calipers were rattling. Nothing to fix it that we could determine, just part of living with the car.