I have noticed a loud ticking noise coming from a solenoid under the hood of my TL. I hear the noise inside my car in either neutral or park. The noise persists whether the climate control is on or off. I only use 92 or 93 octane fuel, so it is not detonation.

I have traced the ticking to a solenoid next to the firewall, directly behind the brake fluid resevoir. The solenoid has an electrical connection on one side and a hose connection on the other. The switch is marked DENSO 211 PCS33.

The question is, is this normal or is this switch about to pack it in?

I invite your comments.

 

i have the same thing..............it gets annoying.

 

Mine does it too... always has...

 

Have either of you guys had the dealer look/listen to the ticking switch?

 

Check the connection of the plug going into your solenoid. If the connection is a bit loose, it could cause it to constantly engage/disengage, unless it was designed to do that.

 

My 2002 TL does the same also.
No mech malfunction observed...

I believe this is normal.
J

 

johnnyb_s: The electrical connection is solid; it is an aircraft type connector.
I should mention that everything works. I was just concerned that a noisy solenoid, is a sick solenoid.

jean: Did the dealer tell you the clicking is normal?

 

Well, I think if the solenoid was mal-functioning, you wouldnt be firing on all cylinders.. your gas mileage would be the s**ts and not to mention a severe decrease in power. Not to mention the -check engine- light would scream at you. I means its a solenoid... your engine needs it to be working properly, otherwise the car would be flat.

The last time the dealer saw my car was for an oil change and a determined inspection. No problems found.

If your car zips along nicely.. doesnt hesitate or have pile of black smoke out the back.. I would say - relax and enjoy the car-
Jean

 

Merci Jean

 

I have the same thing too. I thought it was my fault and that I may be choking the collant line after my CAI installation (since you had to replace one of the hoses). Thank God it's normal.

 

I originally got worried because I thought it was a noisy valve. But thankfully - it's not.

 

Avec plaisir cher Monsieur...

 

My 2002 does it as well, as does my 1998 V6 Accord.

 

Crazy thought...could it be your injectors? Honda injectors have known to generate quite a "tick" and such. I know that they're loud on my GS-R...loud on my dad's Accord V6 and my mom's TL.

 

No, it's the solenoid. If you grab it with your hand you can actually feel it tick.

 

Thanks for all the replies. If it were not for you folks I would have been off to the dealer.

I was able to isolate the solenoid as the source of the ticking by holding it in my hand. Now that it has warmed up a bit, the solenoid is silent.

I guess I will have to find something else to worry about--like the paint.

 

Glad we could help. It was my experience that the paint requires a few months to cure before it's hardened fully. After 6 months or so (here in FL), the paint seemed pretty decent.