I traded in my 2000 TL-P for 2002 TL-S in January (new), and I've been suffering with this strange noise from under the hood since day one. Took into the dealer first, and drove around with the service guy. Of course it wasn't doing it during that particular 15 minute period. I though maybe someone else has had the same problem ...

Symptoms:

It sounds a lot like the knocking sound you get with cheap gas. I don't think thats the problem because I tried switching to several brands (93 octane).

The sound isn't so obvious that a passenger would notice it unless you turn down the radio and ask "you hear that rattle?" Once they do hear it, they'll notice it the next time.

It doesn't make the sound everytime I drive, but when it does it's only while accelerating (no sound when car is stationary & revved in idle).

Fearing it was a piece of something ricocheting around my transmission, I again took it in to the dealer and demanded a TF flush (claimed they couldn't hear noise, but would do flush to give me some peace of mind)....... The sound started up again as soon as I pulled out of the lot.

It's is not the ABS test because I know what that sounds like.

Other than that, the car runs fine, but it' just a little embarrassing for a $30k entry-level sports sedan. I'm starting to get a little pissed.

Any ideas??

 

it seems like your one of a kind there, this doesnt sound like a common problem, you sure its from the hood and not from the inside of the car. there is a decent amount of rattle in the inside.

 

Mine does that too... I have actually 2 ticking sound...

1) When the car is warmed up... if I am in D stopping at the light the engine ticks, if I am in reverse and the drive back slowly, the engine ticks.. I suspected the sound is coming from EVAP purge valve... the dealer said he disconnected that valve and the sound did not go away... NO resolution.

2) As you described, when in High gear and engina is at low rpm and the car is cruising and then accelerating, I hear this pinging sound that you are descrbing... since it ir not reproducable and happens at random times, I cannot get the dealer fix it... my Solution I downshift one gear....

 

i found a weird quirk the other day on my tl-s. i noticed that when i park my car and press the brake... u can hear a clicking noise every time u press the brakes. and when i put my hand on the shifter... i could feel it... anyone wanna try this and let me know if it happens to them too? there a solution to this? or is this just the way it is?

 

I also have the knocking sound (like cheap gas). I use premium but out here it is still crap, so I haven't thought too much about it.

 

mine makes the sound from the outside, it sounds like the fule pump pulsing . sound is coming from right in front of the driversid rear tire. it to can be heard inside the car. it only does it once and awhile

 

Str8acura, that clicking sound is the lock on the shifter. You have to press the brake to unlock it and shift out of park. That's the way it is on all automatics. What you're hearing when you press the brake is the lock disengaging.

 

Yeah, I have the same problem too. High gear, low revs, start accelerating, and it sounds like "pinging".

But... I'm using 91 octane. Since I usually stay in auto, I don't downshift. Instead, I just accelerate some more into higher revs and it goes away.

I don't know what it is though...

 

I am 90% sure this is normal, this is probably your fuel pump pumping the gas to your engine.... Sometime this sound goes away, which means that fuel pump stops working, you ask why? The reason is simple: Sometimes gas can flow on its own and no additional pumping is necessary. Usually if surface is pure horizontal ( no inclines ) gas flows on its own... also depends how much gas you have, and incline of your car.
Try pressing accelerator pedal, the noise will go away for some time, then it will come back. I had the same thing... I am pretty sure its normal..

 

Yep, definitely pronounced in the lower RPMS and you start accelerating even moderately.

Even tried the octane boost - still did it

 

I can't say I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem. The fuel pump answer sounds interesting. I'll try to pay a little more attention to whether I hear it more when going uphill. Thanks for the feedback.

 

I have this exact same noise too. 02' TL-S

Strange thing is that I noticed it on my '00 accord too after like 60k miles or so.

It's very low, and you can hear it better from the drivers side.

32 mile test drive at acura couldn't reproduce the sound of course, though it happens enough for me to get annoyed atl east 1x a day.

So the TS flush didn't help at all with this?

Any other ideas?

 

I think russianDude is right that would make sense well at least for me because i get that same fuel pump noise usually in the morning only or when the car sits in the driveway for a while, i do have a small incline.

 

same here....noticed it to but its been like that since if had the car...its two years now..so far so good..knock on fake wood!!